Do you ever feel like your life is in chaos even though deep down you know it's just a small setback? Do you see other people around you and feel like they have a better handle on life than you do? Do you beat yourself up over these feelings?
Don't.
You have to remember that even though it may look like others have more control than you, that's not always the truth. A lot of times, people will put up a great exterior and we believe that is the whole truth.
I understand your depression or anxiety can keep you from feeling in control of your life, which makes these feelings harder to process and get through. I feel like that myself sometimes, but we can't let it control us. Maybe we don't have control over the big parts of our lives yet, but what can we do now?
It will feel good to muster up a little bit of energy to complete these tasks.
1. Clean some things.
And then clean the things that clean the things.
Get control over your house or apartment by cleaning! It can been a deep clean, spring cleaning or just a general clean. It could even mean just straightening up your room. Maybe you can finally go through that pile of mail. Maybe you can reorganize your closet. Maybe you can vacuum the living room. Maybe you can run around the house and wipe down all the doorknobs.
2. Organize your computer files.
And no getting distracted with Friend Face, or whatever.
Open that downloads folder and get control of your files. Sort through the information you need to save and the reaction gifs you only used once. Sort your short story ideas into a folder. Make a folder for professional files like resumes or cover letters. Sort your school files by year, semester, and class. Make folders within folders to extra organization. Go wild!
3. Alphabetize your bookshelf.
Oh sweet bookish organization.
Take all the books off and put them all back on in order. Or, maybe sort them another way, by genre or year or favorite to least favorite. Look through old books you haven't read in a while. Reread a few sentences, find those scraps of paper or receipts left inside to mark pages. Look for notes in the margins. Write some notes in the margins. Take control of your bookshelf.
4. Wear lipstick.
Slay, Queen Quin.
Grab your darkest shade of red and slap that on your lips. Make faces in the mirror. Even if you're not going anywhere, look good for yourself. Investing in small joys like this will boost your mood and help you feel in control of yourself.
5. Unload the dishwasher.
Just a kid helping with chores.
Find control in putting away the clean dishes. Every dish has a place and once the dishwasher is unloaded, the kitchen will look and function magnificently. Don't like the organization of the cabinets? Redo them! It's up to you.
6. Sort your pens by color.
Almost prettier than anything anyone could ever draw.
Dig out every pen you have and find those pens you don't remember buying. Organize them by absolute favorite pens or just back up pens. Sort them into ROYGBIV order in their case. Grab a mug and put you nicest pens in there. Set aside your homework pens from your drawing pens. Find a pencil case for your best note-taking pens and keep those in your backpack. You now have control over every pen and will always be able to find one when you need it.
7. Sharpen pencils.
None of that mechanical pencil crap here.
Along the same lines, take control of all your pencils. Separate your nice drawing pencils from regular homework pencils. Sharpen each one to a perfect point and then set them aside. When you use a pencil until it is just a stub, sharpen it before putting it away.
8. Wear your hair in a bun.
Slay, Princess Lemon.
There's some truth to the now cliche phrase, "messy bun and getting stuff done." Get that hair out of your face! Wake up, get dressed and throw your hair up in a bun. Look up tutorials on ballerina buns and practice those. Or, perfect the ultimate messy bun look. With your hair controlled in a bun, there is nothing falling into your face and getting in the way of you slaying this day.
9. Fold and put away laundry.
Everyone's housework hero.
It doesn't take long for laundry to get away from you. If you're like me, you don't throw that dirty clothes pile into the wash until you absolutely need to (like the day before you need your work uniform again or you want to wear that nice dress again). But it's not enough to just wash the clothes, because piles of laundry everywhere can feel chaotic. Find control in folding and putting away your laundry. Figure out which organizational method works best for you. I hate putting things on hangers, so I only hang up dresses, coats and sweaters. Everything else gets folded and placed into meticulously organized drawers. Now there are some weeks where the clean laundry sits on the couch for a day or two, but you have to force yourself to turn on your favorite TV show, grab some hot tea and get that laundry folded.
10. Dust furniture.
Um, Luke? Your Mark Hamill is showing.
And dust off your shoulders while you're at it.
You may find yourself sneezing for a while, but it is so worth it to dust everything in your room or in your house. Sure, the shelves are organized and neat, but move all those books or picture frames over for a minute and take a duster to the surface. Maybe it's time for a reorganization of you shelves, or time to change out that really old picture of your siblings for a newer one. Give yourself credit for completing this tedious task. You're doing great.
11. Cook food or bake dessert.
The most graceful pancake flip.
Pick your poison: sweet or savory? Look up some easy recipes. Grab some cake mix boxes at the store. This is an easy way to get control in the kitchen—create something you will enjoy. Treat yourself after a long day to a piece of cake. Literally, have your cake and eat it too. Find some pancake mix and have fun flipping the pancakes. Throw some whipped cream on there. Take some veggies and olive oil and throw them in a frying pan; listen to the sizzle as they cook. Boil some pasta. It's okay if you make too much, you can always save it for tomorrow.
12. Make lists.
Teddy Westside speaking the truth.
Make a list of your favorite songs. Make a bucket list. Make a list of cool things you have already done. Make your own list of things that help you feel in control.
Get it on paper. Write it into existence. Use the pens or pencils you have sorted and organized. Create a list folder on your computer. Mail a list to yourself to remind you of what you wrote a couple days later. Throw a small list inside a favorite book to remind you of what you wrote a couple years later.
Add to this list. Ask yourself what grounds you in the present. What grounds you in peace? What helps you relax? Maybe you can't find control over the big things in your life right now, but seize control over the little things while you wait and look forward to the one day when these things come second nature to you. You may never find complete control over every aspect of your life, but just trust that you've got this where it counts.
