My lifestyle has been super unhealthy the last couple of weeks. Eating poorly, bad sleep hygiene, excess tv & social media, no exercise, disorganized, etc.

I guess all of these things have been me searching for dopamine hits, but the happiness has been super short lived.

We each cope in different ways, but for me, it's actually been unhelpful to see all the messaging around "don't worry, you can slack off in x, y, z". It doesn't actually make me happy for long.

I find the greatest joy in a healthy lifestyle and a meaningful use of time.

This isn't about "being super productive in a pandemic and building a side business while learning 3 new languages", though I am carving more time out for creative writing (because it makes me happy!).

It's about finding balance and fulfillment during challenging times.

So yesterday, I vowed to get myself back on track, but SLOWLY. I've taken decisive steps to restructure my schedule, which was the first step. I also bought healthier foods and am eating better. I didn't watch any tv yesterday, I reduced my social media engagement and read more.

I plan to keep making progress each day, and tweak things as necessary. Because things will change, or may not work. But I already feel better about myself: physically, mentally and emotionally. I feel happier with what I've decided and what I want each day and week to look like.

Particularly in times like these, I can only control small things. So that's what I'll focus on: how I use my time and space.

Positive encouragement is welcome and I may even seek an accountability buddy for some stuff.

If you're struggling too and feel like I have been feeling, you can weigh in in this thread! I'm happy to encourage you too, because I know we all need it. I just may take a little bit, because I promised myself I wouldn't be on here so much. ;)

Good luck!