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Anxiety is a b*tch. I lived so much life not fully understanding what my problem truly was, before coming to realize anxiety was a much larger factor in my day-to-day life.
If you struggle with anxious thoughts and feelings, I understand. I see you! You’re not alone.
As we are barreling towards the holiday season, those of us with anxiety, especially if social anxiety is a thorn in your side, are gearing up for some stress. Because of this, I decided to make some festive bucket list’s for those of us with anxiety.
These are just meant to be for fun, so please don’t take them too seriously, but also feel free to throw in your own October bucket list suggestions in the comments! Gimme alllllllllllllllllllllll the festive or brain healthy October ideas!
1. Say NO to get togethers that you don’t want to go to
This should be a no brainer…..but it is easier said than done. At least for me.
Setting boundaries and honoring my own wants is still pretty new to me. It is so important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, especially during the time of year where we are being invited to a lot of things and have people (cough, cough….family members) putting their own expectations on us.
If you find yourself invited to an event that you know will make you uncomfortable, skip it.
If a friend texts you to hangout with a group of people, which includes someone you don’t find enjoyable, say NO.
If you find yourself strung out, stressed or overwhelmed, cancel plans!
We let ourselves down when we choose to try to make others happy over making sure WE are happy.
So, say no.
Boundaries are hard……we will talk about that in another blog post. I made a note of it 😉
2. Go out for a festive day date with a friend!
I love this so much.
Here is a photo from my September day date with my friend who fills my cup.
I leave my hangouts with her feeling good, happy, content. These are things you should pay attention to when spending time with people.
What is your energy like after you leave someone? If they consistently leave you feeling worn out, drained or exhausted, it might be time to rethink how much time you spend with them, or your relationship with them in general.
Leaves are changing colors and beautifully falling from the trees. They are showing us that it is OKAY to let things go. There is no better time than the present to start evaluating relationships.
Some fun ideas to look for are coffee flights at a local coffee shop (that’s what we did!), festive movie showings, wine and candy pairings at a local winery, or if you’re into spooky stuff, grab a friend and go to a haunted attraction! Anything you find fun, paired with a person who fills your soul, is a great thing to get on the calendar for this month!
3. Read a seasonal book or a new personal development book
READING! Ugh, it is one of my favorite things to do, in the name of selfcare.
For me, there is nothing better than getting sucked into a good book, falling in love with fictional characters, traveling through pages to a place I’ve never been. It’s magic….reading is magic. And, of course, October is a great time for magic. So go get lost in a book! I’m working on my book suggestions, so keep an eye out for my delectable recommendations.
If fiction is NOT your jam, personal development is always a good idea. You can find my list of personal development reads HERE Now, this was originally “A year of personal development”, but I ended up regressing and getting waylaid by my own brain, so I’ve yet to complete it. Maybe I’ll try to squeeze them all in before 2022, but I’m enjoying the world of fiction so much right now.
If you’ve got any great October book suggestions, throw them in the comments! Any genre, I love to know what people love, what you’re reading, all of it!
4. Bake a new pumpkin or apple recipe
Okay, baking is not everyone’s jam, so if you’re rolling your eyes at me, I’m sorry. Baking became a therapeutic thing for me when I was first venturing into this mental health journey and especially when I first quit drinking alcohol. I called it creating in the kitchen LOL
Baking is so fun, in my opinion. I love cooking, too, but baking is easier. It’s (usually) slower and more relaxed than cooking, and almost always ends in something absolutely delicious. I’ve definitely failed more cooking recipes than baking.
Pumpkin and Apple are the flavors of the season! And maple, too! Simply type in whatever you’re looking for on Pinterest and BOOM! The ideas are flowing!
I sound like a broken record at this point, but TELL ME WHAT YOU MADE! If you take my baking advice, come back and let me know what you made in the comments! Brownie points if you include the Pinterest link in case I want to make it, too. UMMMMM BROWNIES?! okay…..
5. Purge a room or area of your space
HEAR ME OUT! This may not sound bucket list worthy, but I am telling you, as a human with raging anxiety, that purging even a drawer is so satisfying it’s insane.
For me personally, my house got out of control when my mental health was down the drain. We’ll get to that on here eventually. I remember sitting on my kitchen floor, sobbing, because I was just so overwhelmed by my own house that I could barely function.
One day at a time, one room at a time, HELL….ONE DRAWER at a time, and we’re slowly getting there. Yes, still. It’s a work in progress.
Does your night stand need cleaned out? Do it! Does your garage need purged? What better time than a crisp October day!
It is so amazing what a clean space, even if it is simply organizing your junk drawer, can do for your brain.
So there you have it. A short and simple bucket list for all of us out there with anxiety. October is my favorite month. I love Halloween, the colors, the movies, the candy, the pumpkins, the crispness of the mornings, the clothes, the EVERYTHING. And I also love talking about mental health and helping others step into their own power and regain control of your life.
If you have any anxiety bucket list ideas for this month, let me know! This was just a short list, but all the suggestions are welcome!
