Expanding Toolboxes

Finding hobbies that bring you joy can be an important part of any self-care routine. I recently found myself a new hobby in the form of woodworking. And as I started exploring this new hobby, I discovered that I needed to update my toolbox with some new tools. And that is a perfect metaphor for one’s journey in self-care and recovery.

Early on, my woodworking toolbox was just a circular saw, a hammer, a drill, and a sander. Now it has expanded to include some new tools. Similarly, my early days of understanding my mental health and starting the journey of healing that has led me to here were marked by a relative lack of self-care tools.

In fact, I was often going in the complete wrong direction. I was “managing” my anxiety and depression by self-medicating with alcohol. I was sleeping very little. And I wasn’t taking time for myself or time to explore the things I needed to do to maintain my own mental well being.

As I have added new tools to my woodworking toolbox, I have had to practice with them. I have had to learn how to use them. And I have certainly made mistakes and experienced setbacks. And you guessed it, my self-care toolbox has had to go through a similar learning curve as it has grown.

And when these missteps and backslides happen, it is easy to get discouraged, to feel like you want to give up. Don’t. Instead, find support. I have found online communities that I’ve been able to learn from when I make mistakes. And I have also found a strong support network available to me when I slip up with my self-care. Finding those networks of support are important.

Support can come from friends. From family. From co-workers. From therapists. From support groups. And from peer support programs like the ones The LegalMind Society offers.

So go, find the networks you need to expand your toolbox. And know that we will be here to help.