Falling down is an accident. Staying down is a choice.
We’ve all seen a baby tumble and fall while learning how to walk. What we don’t see often is an adult hitting rock bottom and getting back up again. However, we might have experienced this at any point in our lives.
We don’t see this often because most of us keep a straight face even though we’re wilting on the inside. Society has shown us that crying, taking a break, having enough, and feeling lonely are signs of weakness. So what happens when all these feelings are bottled up inside for a long time? It’s like vigorously shaking a soda. When you open it, it blows up.
I haven’t been my usual happy self for the past weeks and maybe months because of certain things that happened in my life. I didn’t take it well. I hugged every failure and bad thoughts in my heart until I realized it was eating me up from the inside. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat well. I am an introvert and I became more introvert than I could ever be. I finally understood what they call “crying from the inside”.
I found solace in watching gameplays, videos and reading but even at times they weren’t helping. But they kept me entertained.
Then I had gastritis. Again. The last time I experienced it was when I washed up my throat with sodas every day a long time ago. I am soda-free for the past years and I try to stay away from the foods that trigger it, if I can.
But I didn’t realized that stress and anxiety can trigger this too.
So apart from avoiding a lot of foods that can irritate my stomach, I tried managing my stress too. I knew I had to do something about it. And I’m glad I did.
Eat Better
The first thing I did was eat real food. When I say real food, I mean from scratch. Not those that looked real but are packed with hidden ingredients that you can’t pronounce. They say you are what you eat. So if you eat crappy food, well, there’s a big chance you’ll feel crappy too. The good thing about today is there are so many things you can do from scratch, you just need to be creative.
I can’t wait to finish this Gastritis Diet Plan and go back to cooking my favorite meals again. I would like to share my meals but it’s too boring to even think of. LOL. If you’re craving for pizza or any food, by all means order and eat it. Don’t beat yourself up and go to bed sad because you can’t eat what you want. Just eat it in moderation.
Get Entertained
Gameplay videos have helped me so much. It made me laugh and kept me entertained especially at night. My favorites are videos from Hat Films and FunHaus. I love games and I didn’t realize it’s so much fun to watch other people play games too. I didn’t knew videos like these exist so I’m really thankful that I was introduced to it.
I also love art and crafts so I’ve been creating origami and DIY stuff. I started rearranging my room and other parts of the house. Organized my closet. Write in my journal. Watched old and new series. Played games.
There will be times when the things that used to entertain you don’t entertain you anymore so instead of staying in the dark and overthink, try doing new stuff. Watch videos you won’t watch, play games you haven’t played or try having new hobbies. It might be tempting to not do anything but don’t let life pass you by.
Be Present
Being anxious and agitated is sometimes caused by not living in the moment. I’m an introvert, an overthinker and has a sensitive heart. Dangerous combination I must say but it is what’s making me, me. Don’t think about the past. Don’t think about the future. Just be present. Enjoy the moment.
This was the hardest part for me because I worry too much. But I learned that every time I worry, I can calm myself down when I stay in the present. When I start to overthink and have a trip back to memory lane, I slowly shift my thoughts to the present.
Whatever you’re doing right now, be there. Wherever you are, be there. Be present.
If you’re sad, be sad. If you’re lonely, be lonely. Allow yourself to feel. Suffering arises when we struggle and fight. Let it be. Don’t fight with yourself. Accept it. When you allow yourself to feel, you allow yourself to be happy.
And I will end this post with a quote from David Belle, “The best part of falling is getting back up again”.