here are some things that have helped my brain significantly. ranging from books to playlists, the listed items increase productivity, encourage rational thinking, & allow one to feel a little lighter from day to day. if you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments below to share with others !!
"finch" (free on the app store & google play)
an app that provides positive reinforcement for healthy actions in the form of raising your own baby bird! marketing itself as "your new self care best friend", finch allows users to create daily tasks & complete mental health exercises, all which provide energy & coins to enhance the life of your flying friend! |
"you will get through this night" by daniel howell ($19.99 at barnes and noble)
i read this book during the roughest month of my life, and it truly has changed my outlook on things for the better. comedian, activist, & beloved content creator dan howell (with consultation from psychologist dr. heather bolton) honestly & wittily tackles topics such as catastrophising, harmful self-talk, & coming to terms with one's identity. separated into three parts ("this night", "tomorrow", & "the days after that"), howell's personal anecdotes combined with helpful facts allow readers to reassess their own habits and start making changes needed to live happily and healthily. |
the trevor project
founded in 1998, the trevor project centers itself around suicide prevention for LGBTQIA+ youth. they provide a fantastic list of mental health resources on their website that include educational sites, hotlines, & mindfulness practices that deal with depression, anxiety, & substance abuse (to name a few). |
"open up with vincent" (van gogh museum online)
in the memory of their namesake, the van gogh museum has created incredible programming & content to aid in mindfulness! from meditations set to vincent's paintings to teaching materials for younger art-lovers, they allow for open discussion of mental health & encourage healing & self-care. |
"the corridor's end" playlist (on spotify)
despite what 16 year old me believed, the music you listen to when you're sad has the power to influence the depth of what you feel. my therapist tells me to allow myself time to let my emotions exist for a set amount of time (as to encourage healthy release), and then to try and remedy them immediately after. this life-affirming playlist is one that i go to when i want to feel hopeful; it includes happy emotional ballads & tunes to dance to when you need a pick me up! |