Now that my roots have been established, how do I start my journey? How does anyone tackle the great conquest of finding a new lifestyle? A lifestyle that does not revolve around the suppressing energy the world brings us. Here is a step by step guide to how I began.
1 – Realize a Change Needs to be Made
This is quite possibly one of the hardest and most freeing experiences someone can ever endure. This self-realization that you cannot possibly move on in life, that you cannot physically make your body go through the mundane processes of every day until there is something different internally, is possibly the most liberating part of the entire journey. This liberation is brought by the epiphany that your life is not set in stone. That what you are feeling right now, at this moment, is not what you have to experience for the rest of your life. However, for this to happen, you must take responsibility and ownership over your own life, understanding that human existence will not bend your comfort.
2 – Pinpoint Struggle Areas
Especially when suffering from depression or anxiety, it can feel overwhelming to determine where exactly your problems are deriving from. It feels more like your life as a whole is just a disaster of epic proportions and somehow, it is all your fault. Breathe. It is ok. For you to move forward however, you need to relax and think about where these negative thoughts are coming from so that you can start working on a game plan toward fixing them. For me, the majority of my stress was coming from three separate avenues, school, money, and my physical appearance. Once I had narrowed it down to these three areas, I now was able to step back and approach each of them with a “can do” mindset, slowly working toward a realistic solution. Remember, you can’t cure an illness if you don’t know what is making you sick.
3 – Find an Accountability Partner
It is immensely important to have somebody you trust to go along on this journey with you. Addressing and attempting to improve your overall mental health is not an easy task that you should endure alone. Find somebody, anybody, who you can confide in as you approach every step of the way. No matter what, for every step you take in the right direction, it will bring its own set of obstacles. Having somebody aware of your struggle areas, and who knows your game-plan can help support you while getting through all the tough moments, as well as encourage you to keep moving forward. Some people I’d recommend using for an accountability partner is a trusted friend, partner, or certified counselor.
4 – Stay Dedicated and Focussed
Altering an unhealthy mindset and changing a lifestyle takes a lot of time and patience. It won’t change overnight. Understand that even though you are doing everything you can to improve your mental space, there will still be hard days. These moments and days of weakness will try and get the better of you, they will discourage you and do everything in their power to try and get you to give up. Don’t. This would be a great time to call up that accountability partner and have them remind you why you are making this change and encourage you to keep on pressing on.
Lastly, 5 – BREATHE!
You are doing everything you can do. Take a deep breath and take pride in yourself for putting in the hard work and effort it takes to become the best version of yourself. Appreciate your results and outcomes, don’t belittle the significance of any impact you’ve made, no matter how small it may seem. You are strong and you have the power to change.
Savannah's Journey 