How I turned self-quarantine into a positive mental health journey

By Antonia Vardal

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Let’s be honest: the idea of being quarantined in the house for weeks on end with nothing but our families and an almost nonexistent hope of the world ever returning back to normal is a hard pill to swallow. The state of our nation right now is bleak at best, and this leaves everyone, especially those with existing mental health difficulties, finding it hard to cope with daily life.

When my journalism teacher instructed us to make the best of this situation by committing to a self-improvement project, a light bulb went off in my head. 

Why not focus on mental health? 

I’m experiencing firsthand the blows of anxiety and depression, and it’s no secret the global pandemic has caused it to flare up once again. So, with this in mind, I decided I would create my own 30 day mental health improvement challenge designed to ease my mind and overall make me a happier person. 

I began by searching 30 day mental health challenges on the internet and gathering the ideas that I liked, and added some of my own to create a list that was unique to me. 

I’m about halfway done, and so far I’ve learned a little more about myself in doing these activities. I’ve journaled about my feelings, treated myself to Taco Bell, and created an uplifting music playlist (pictured with this article). I have also acknowledged that skipping two activities because I don’t feel like doing them isn’t the best way to handle things, but that’s part of the process. 

I now know that coloring isn’t really my thing and neither is yoga. Everyone has different coping mechanisms and what works for one person may not work for another.

As I dive into the second half of this challenge, I hope to discover further what helps me feel better and what doesn’t really work for me. Ultimately, it’s up to me to decide how to make the best of this quarantine. Though mental health is a challenge to me, it’s one I am willing to take on.

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