Our mental health and stability are one of the most important priorities we can attend to in our daily lives. How we react to situations, what our thought process is, how we handle stressful situations and our daily stressors... they all rely on our mental health!

It is very important for us to check in on ourselves, mentally, to ensure that we are healthy and living in a state of mental clarity. How do we do so? Sometimes simply asking yourself how you're feeling today will grant the opportunity for you to resolve any internal issues you may have. If you notice that you are having persistent feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, or helplessness, then it is best to speak with someone to make sure there are no mental abnormalities.

Imagine that you have two or three papers due and two exams in ONE week on top of having a full-time job and extracurricular activities.

The stress levels can get high for you, but how you manage your stress and how you operate your time, will be the foundation of your mental stability in school. One of the many branches of caring for your mental stability and managing your stress is having a self-care routine!

Some people are probably wondering what a self-care routine is, what it can entail, and how we can incorporate these qualities into our daily lives!

A self-care routine, in a mental health sense, is a series of actions that an individual takes in order to alleviate any elevated stress or anxiety they may have. Honestly, a self-care routine, all in all, is what YOU make it and there is no limit to the actions or events you want to partake in, to bring yourself some inner peace.

The tips I will be giving you today will be based on a week self-journey that you can partake in to solidify your self-care routine or at least some aspects that you would love to incorporate into your tailor-made self-care routine.

1. Sunday: Cleansing/Detoxing

Sunday is usually the day of rest for most people, so it's only right that we rest our minds today! Unplug from all social media, start doing some clean eating, while drinking nothing but water and tea, and remove any negative energy from your life! Unplugging from social media will give your mind a rest from any and all ignorance and toxic content that you may be viewing. Drinking more water and eating healthier foods increases the blood flow and oxygen to your brain, which is perfect for mental clarity when it comes to studying for a test or writing papers. Finally, removing any negative energy, be it a person, old habit, object, or vice, removing negative energy is an important part in elevating your mental stability.

2. Monday: Communication

Humans thrive off of human interaction. So on this Monday, communication is definitely key!!! Talking with your friends, a loved one, or even a mental health professional on different ways you can incorporate various self-care techniques into your life can be very beneficial. Having more than one opinion is sometimes best when it comes to planning out your ME time.

3. Tuesday: Alone Time/Journaling:

Take advantage of your alone time and reflect on different aspects of your life, watch Netflix, write a couple raps, FaceTime a friend you haven't talked to in a while because things have gotten busy. Your alone time is YOUR time and what you do with it, is solely up to you! Just as long as you are enjoying what you're doing, your alone time will be bliss. Journaling your inner thoughts and letting everything out on paper, when you may not feel so confident confiding in someone else, is a great way to release any mental tension or negative energy you may have experienced during your day today. Journaling can also be used to reflect the change you see and the change you WANT to see happen in life, as you reflect on the different aspects of your life.

4. Wednesday: Read/ Discover New Art

Reading and discovering new art forms is not only stimulating for the brain, but it opens your mind to new knowledge and interests. If you're not sure what books to pick up, a few recommendations are "You Are A Badass. How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness And Start Living An Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero, I Love My Love by Reyna Biddy, The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Şafak, and Emotional Freedom by Judith Orloff, M.D.

5. Thursday: Try A New Skill

Try something that you have never done before! Be it Yoga, Meditation, or anything you desire to try that you may not have done before, you will be more receptive to try new things!

6. Friday: Reflection

Reflect on everything you have learned, enjoyed, and wanted to incorporate from your week of discovery! Journal your reflection and think about the change you, now, see in yourself, mentally.

7. Saturday: Plan & Action

Take your reflection and turn it into ACTION!!! Take each day and plan a way to incorporate these actions and self-care tips into your daily life routine. Sooner or later, you will begin to see a mental change in yourself, for the better!

ALL IN ALL LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, AND YOUR FREE TIME...