Last year, my Pastor emphasized the power of daily writing in a journal. I wanted to improve my mental health this year. To achieve this, I asked for a dedicated journal by the blogger Self-Love Rainbow. Having their Self-Care Planner gave the tools I needed to get my mental health off on the right track. Over time, the things I kept track of allowed me to see that I was doing the right thing. Progress was showing, and others saw it too.

With the start of the year, I had to let go of what no longer served me. I focused on releasing what was pointless and destructive. I also had to become more self-aware and spiritually grounded on my journey in life. I realized that my faith played a part in helping me see the value of self-care. This care affected not only me but also those around me. I understood that when I neglected self-care, those who loved and cared for me became concerned. They were fearful for my well-being. They were also affected by my actions.

I realized I had the power to journal effectively. This helped me see that things were working. Over time, I saw improvement. This insight was crucial. It helped me recognize that I needed to keep doing what I was doing to get back on track. A beloved autism mom did a podcast on the Medication Merry Go Round. She discussed the value of documenting and how it was worth its weight in gold. This kept the momentum going. It highlighted the importance of doing the right thing and matching things until I saw that there was a problem.

I understand that no one is perfect. Mistakes do happen. Nonetheless, I realize they don’t give me the opportunity to spiral backward. I understand it was never important to deliberately do the things I once did. I realized there was no value in doing so. I began to see that things improved when I was patient. I was not too hard on myself if things didn’t go as planned. I got back on track as I was taught to do. Things became more stable. Journaling became my outlet to assess what was working and what wasn’t. My progress depended on my behaviors, whether positive or negative, and on my actions. Consistency was key to improvement. I needed to allow myself to do what I needed to do all along. I stayed consistent and believed in the power of sticking through with necessary actions.

There was value and power in seeing and knowing what I was doing was working. I had to give myself time to see the full benefits of doing something beneficial to me. I knew that it took being patient and understanding. With consistency, things would get better. Things would happen if I got myself out of the rut, I had long been stuck in.