#DrewsViews: Self Care During the Holidays
by Drew Adams
The holidays can be a really busy time for anyone, and a really rough time for some queer folks who might not have the best family situations. In these times, it can be easy to get into a rut of not taking care of yourself. Self care during times of hardship can feel impossible, but taking care of yourself is crucial for staying healthy and mentally sound. Here are a few of the things I like to do for self care!
- Washing my face | When I’m super busy, the little things like washing my face tend to get cut out of my daily schedule. Taking the time to wash my face is a great little pick-me-up and makes me feel refreshed and clean, especially if I have a lot going on.
- Clean one thing at a time | If I’m really busy, I tend to let my space get really messy. The mess then adds to my stress. What I do to combat this is if my space is really messy, I will pick one thing to clean every day. For example, I’ll fold and put away my laundry today, and tomorrow I will take my trash out. Doing one small thing every day makes the task of cleaning my space much more manageable and I feel more accomplished and clean.
- Take a walk | This might sound cliche, but if I’m stressed out, leaving my computer or work and taking a walk around the block outside can really help. Feeling the fresh air on my face and in my lungs makes me feel rejuvenated and ready for the next round of work I have to do.
- Listen to music | When I’m feeling stressed or anxious, I like to listen to a playlist of songs that help me feel motivated and relaxed.
- Hydrate | Sometimes if I have a lot to do, I’ll forget to hydrate, and then wonder why I feel so bad. A simple glass of water can do a lot for someone’s health.
Make sure you take care of yourself this holiday season! Happy holidays!
About the Author:
Drew Adams is a transgender high school senior from Ponte Vedra, FL, who is committed to LGBTQ advocacy at the local and national levels. He serves as his high school GSA’s president and raises money for Northeast Florida’s LGBTQ youth outreach, JASMYN, to which he also donates food, toiletries and school supplies. Nationally, Drew serves as a youth ambassador and advocacy volunteer for The Trevor Project, a youth social media ambassador for the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and a Volunteer and Intern Coordinator for Point of Pride. On the legislative side, Drew lobbies for the Equality Act by visiting with his Congressional representatives and their staff.
Additionally, Drew has spent years fighting to change his school district’s bathroom policy to be trans-inclusive, and the fight is still ongoing. Drew is an International Baccalaureate student and a volunteer at the Mayo Clinic, and he hopes to go to medical school and become an adolescent psychiatrist specializing in transgender health. For fun, he practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, creates sculpture art and plays the piano.
