When we don't take care of ourselves, that's not good for anyone!

Mental health is key in the process of taking care of our body, mind, and soul. It's important to find time for quietness, peace, and pleasure so we can recharge our batteries and get back on track.

I'm going to be honest: I don't always take care of myself. Especially in the last year, I neglected what my mind, body, and soul was telling me. Let alone family and friends that were telling me to pay attention to how toxicity can dwell and eventually find itself affecting all the areas of my life.

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time to meditate, go on walks or read a book that doesn't have anything to do with children's stories. And sometimes I just don't feel like doing those things because they're hard and scary and not very fun.

But here's the thing: being able to take care of yourself—both mentally and physically—is key in the process of taking care of your body, mind, and soul. It's not just about your body, it's not just about your mind and it's not just about your soul—it's all three, and they're all connected. And when we aren't taking care of ourselves, all three suffer in different ways. Mental health issues can affect our physical health; lack of exercise can lead to depression; lack of sleep can make us more irritable…and so on.

So how do we fix this? How do we make sure that we're taking care of ourselves properly? The answer was simple for me:

• Therapy

• asking others for help

• sitting in a silent area to let my mind settle down

• checking in with my PCP to make sure that I am not lacking in my vitamin intake, and exploring medications that are designed to help my mood and overall health.

• going out with friends to build a sense of belonging

• and last but not least I tried to do something every day that I enjoyed (like writing this blog)