Stuck
May 9, 2024
Credit: Pinterest
Author: Marissa Brucker
Editors: Dani Eder, Ava Malkin, & Kate Shapiro
I used to roll my eyes as my mom repeatedly told me, “Take a shower, you’ll feel better,” “Make your bed, you’ll feel better,” or “Clean your room, you’ll feel better.” She constantly insisted that doing these basic activities would make me feel better and would compensate for my lack of motivation and drive. Growing up, I resisted these instructions. I didn’t understand how doing simple everyday tasks could improve my mental health and suddenly make me want to get up each day and conquer the world.
Throughout my high school experience, I struggled tremendously with my mental health and figuring out my true purpose. And then I went to college. I wish I could say that my world turned from black and white to color when I stepped foot on campus freshman year, but it got much worse before it got better. I was so excited to be in college, be my own person, and take initiative in my life, yet every day, I would roll out of my unmade bed and run late to class. I would come home after one or two classes, eat a snack, and get right back under my sheets. I would rot and watch the days go by, as my roommate would get back late from the library and still make time to eat dinner, shower, call her mom, and paint her nails. I envied her ability to easily do what she was supposed to do and make time for what she wanted to do. I was embarrassed that at the ripe age of 18 years old, I struggled to remember to do basic things that helped me. I was stuck in a rut: a cycle of laziness and self-pity.
Before I came to college, I thought the three most important parts of the next four years would be my studies, my friends, and going out. But I quickly realized college was so much more than just that. One major lesson I neglected to pay attention to was the one on learning to take care of myself. But with time, I began to learn on my own.
On days that I would get up and put on a cute outfit and go to the library after class, I would come home feeling energized and proud of myself. On days that I would make my bed and take a long walk around campus, I'd be able to focus and do more work after I had showered. It was on the days that I left my bed a mess, barely got dressed, and neglected to eat or take care of myself, that all I could think about was the next time I would be able to go home and get back into my bed. Doing things for myself made me want to get up and stay up. I was able to take care of the things I was responsible for school, my friends, and most importantly, myself.
I knew these things were habitual, and laziness is one of the hardest habits to break, so I became determined to make taking care of myself a habit. I tried to focus on small things I could get used to doing that would, in turn, make me feel better, more awake, and more capable. I started making my bed regularly. I started eating healthy and nutrient-rich meals, rather than family-sized bags of Goldfish for dinner, and slowly but surely, I dug myself out of the rut I’d fallen into on the first day of school in August.
When I realized what was happening, I called my mom. I thanked her and explained that I finally realized that she wasn’t being overbearing or bossy when she told me to pick healthier snacks, go to the gym, or make my bed growing up; she was equipping me with habits that would help me set myself up for success down the line.
Taking care of yourself is not meant to feel like a burden or a task to check off a to-do list, it’s a practice that can really change how someone views both themselves and the world around them. Regular self-care is a catalyst for happiness, productivity, and drive. It can strengthen relationships, help with confidence, and change the opportunities that the world presents to us by shifting our perspectives.
There is nothing worse than feeling indefinitely stuck in a nonproductive rut. You feel helpless, lost, and embarrassed to ask for someone to help pull you out. But as you start to dig, you realize that the digging gets easier, becoming a part of your daily routine, making putting yourself first not an obstacle but a strategy to success. Ask a friend to help you remember to eat lunch, take a walk, or help change your sheets. Slowly but surely, life will become more fulfilling by taking care of yourself, one small habit at a time.
