I often turn to the negative with everything I do. I’m not doing a good job. My writing is awful. A little devil sits on my shoulder and whispers in my ear that nothing will ever be good enough. However, I’m trying to be more generous with myself. Instead of negativity, I’m trying to accept what I produce and, instead of growing frustrated, I take a moment to breathe; a task that’s proving to help my mood and interaction with others. By accepting, the shadows fade, and the devil stays at bay. By breathing, I can center myself before engaging in conversation, lectures, streaming, and whatever else that acts as stressor or frustration.
This simple change seems obvious now, but I hadn’t thought of it before. Often, I bottled up my frustrations and depression—a horrible way to deal with troubles.
As I continue to adjust and improve my mental and physical health, I wonder if I should see a therapist. The obvious answer is YES (I’m sure anyone reading this would agree). I’m well aware of how helpful it can and will be. I hate being a burden on others, though. The devil on my shoulder often tells me to avoid dumping my nonsense on others. I never want to dump my silly thoughts onto another (except for you silly readers). But I need to shake that feeling. I need to continue the path to a better lifestyle. Holding myself back won’t see the progress I want.
Keep that in mind too, dear reader. We both can see great strides by taking a moment to breathe in.
Jesús M. Rivera 