As today is Groundhog Day in the United States, there have been and can be times when I am feeling like I am repeatedly carrying the same torch, but ultimately in 2025 I have learned that it is important for me to understand the necessity of the responsibility that I bear for caring for my mental health in the ways that are both prescriptive and helpful to me.

I will admit there have been times when I have been deceptive, but in recent weeks I have understood that being that way is not helping me or others in any way and that by being honest and taking responsibility for when I wasn’t caring for my mental health as I was in years past, it only set me up for failure. There is a reality that I had to understand that attending mental health services serves a purpose but only caring for it can only work if I started to be honest about it and knowing what is right and wrong.

Even knowing what is right isn’t always what we want to hear, we will never make a change for the better if we don’t take the initiative in making ourselves better in the way that we need to without taking the responsibility that we need to care for our mental health in the way that we need to. A couple of weeks ago, as I often watched The Price Is Right on TV, the host Drew Carey always closed the show making note how important it is to take care of your mental health. I of all people realize that I should be no exception in this regard and as such I have realized that going into 2025 and have made it more of a priority with my life. As hard as it can be at times to want to fall astray, the more I am staying on track by being responsible, I am seeing more of the benefits of taking care of my mental health.

It is also being honest with those that I can trust, not deceiving them. Because eventually they know. I know when I am not caring for myself and when I did not care for myself and had to start, it was harder to get back on track. The last time a month ago was the last straw when it came to getting back on track because I was so tired of the recovery process it involved from not doing what I needed to do to take care of my mental health.

Yes, living independently comes with its benefits, but there is a necessity of me that has understood the necessity of caring for my mental health and how precious the necessary elements are that I need to do so. I also realize that it is important to be honest with those that are charged with providing me with mental health care and when they ask how I am doing that I need to be honest with them.

It is by God’s redeeming feature that I am still here in the situation that I am in and that I must not take that for granted. I must continue to have the faith that I will continue to see the things that I need to see to keep myself well and be my best, regardless of what day it is or what I may think that dilutes the situation from becoming challenged for me. I deserve to be my best as do others around me that want me to be my best.