Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
Life Feels Like a Rubik’s Cube
Life is a lot like a Rubik’s cube. On the surface, it looks manageable — just line up the colors 🟥🟦🟩🟨, right? But once you’re in it, every turn 🔄 creates more chaos 😵, more mismatched sides ↔️, and more pressure to “figure it out” 🧐. The endless choices — many of which don’t even feel like good options 🚫 — can pile up fast. That’s when stress snowballs ⛄️ into anxiety 😰, ruminating thoughts 💭, and those survival strategies that maybe aren’t the best for us: 🍷 numbing with alcohol, 🍔 eating past fullness, 💳 overspending for a quick hit of relief, or just shutting down altogether 🛑.
And sure, it all makes sense when you say it out loud… but what do we do with it? 🤷 Where do all those feelings 🌀, stress 💢, and anxious thoughts actually go?
🙄 The Eye Roll (aka Self-Care)
I know what you’re about to do — roll your eyes at me 🙄 — but it really does come back to self-care ✨. Did you roll them? Be honest 👀. Because I know the thought crossed your mind: “Who has time for that?” ⏰
Here’s the thing 👉 most of us were never taught how to slow down 🐢 and take care of ourselves ❤️. But this is where struggles and anxiety can start, when we don’t take care of ourselves, the stress piles up — like a sink full of dishes you’ve been ignoring 🍽️. Eventually it spills over 💦, making everything harder to manage 😩. But here’s the truth: you can’t pour from an empty cup ☕️… and you definitely can’t pour from a coffee mug with a three-day-old latte crust either 🤢.
So how do you make time for self-care when you barely have time to breathe 😮💨? If you’ve ever googled “self-care ideas,” you’d think the internet assumes you’re either a millionaire with unlimited time and money 💸 or a woodland fairy who spends afternoons forest bathing 🧚♀️🌲.
Let’s be real — most of us are just trying not to lose our cool when life throws curveballs ⚾️. The truth is, it’s hard to magically find an extra hour in our schedules — but spoiler: Self-care doesn’t require a three-hour morning routine or disappearing to a cabin in the woods 🏕️. It’s about weaving in small things that tell your brain: “Hey, I matter too.” Sometimes that’s a five-minute stretch 🧘♀️, drinking actual water 💧 instead of your third coffee, or listening to a song 🎶 (Baby Got Back, obviously 🍑), that makes you feel alive for three minutes while you’re stuck in traffic 🚗.
Self-care doesn’t have to be a big ordeal 🚫. Sometimes it’s remembering to change your bedsheets 🛏️ or simply getting out of the bed 🛌 when depression symptoms feel heavy 🪨. It can be wearing clothes that actually feel good 👖👟, or yes — having that glass of wine 🍷, remembering to eat food groups other than coffee and anxiety, or treating yourself to a new pair of shoes 👠👟.
💧 Small Things Count
So why am I yammering on about self-care when September is Suicide Prevention Month? 🗓️ Here’s the thing: being human isn’t as simple as thinking, “I feel depressed or overwhelmed, I should just do something about it.” Most of the time, depression doesn’t show up overnight 🌙. It often starts gradually — with struggles or stressors that build over time 🧱 — until our brains begin convincing us of things that aren’t true. Thoughts like: “Nobody loves me 💔,” “I’m all alone 😔,” or even “It would be easier if I weren’t here.”
Over time, depression can lead to feeling emotionally numb 🪫, losing interest in things we once loved 🎶📚, or even losing interest in life altogether. Many people don’t even realize it’s happening until they feel stuck in a place they don’t know how to get out of 🚪. It’s scary 😨, lonely 🕳️, and often shame-filled 😔 — especially when it feels like no one else could possibly understand.
That’s where self-care comes in ✨. It’s a necessary step in maintaining a healthier thought process 🧠. It helps keep those sneaky, negative thoughts from taking over 👤. Self-care is how we remind our brains that we matter 💙, that we don’t have to be perfect 🌱, that mistakes are allowed ✅, and that being authentically ourselves is enough 🙌. It’s maintenance for your brain 🧠, your heart ❤️, and your sanity 🙃. Think of it as the mixtape 📼 you make to get through the week: some songs are upbeat, some are slow, and some you skip entirely (you know the one 🎶).
Depression is a hard and important topic to be informed about. Suicide and self-care were a meditated pick for me this month — because while I want to keep things humorous and light (that’s the Comfortably Human style), the reality is these are very serious conversations. With that said, this month we’ll talk about how self-care, coping strategies 🧰, and safety planning 📝 can literally save lives, while still weaving in lighthearted touches to keep things human.
🌱 The Bridge Between Self-Care and Prevention
“You get busy living, or you get busy dying.” (The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont, 1994). At face value, it sounds straightforward ✅ — and it is. But if you dig into it ⛏️, it really gets to the heart ❤️ of things. Living isn’t just existing 😶, it’s choosing to show up for yourself 💪, even on the hard days 🌧️.
That’s the bridge 🌉 between self-care 💆♀️ and prevention 🛟: the small choices that remind us we matter 💙, that we’re here 🌎, and that life — even in its messiness 😵💫 — is worth leaning into 🌱.
Next week we’ll take that deeper 📅, with coping strategies 🧰 and safety planning 📝 for when “getting busy living” feels a lot harder than it should 💡.
📞 If You’re Struggling, Please Reach Out
If you’re reading this and struggling with suicidal thoughts, please know you don’t have to go through it alone. Reaching out doesn’t mean you’re weak — it means you’re still choosing life, even in the mess. 💙
📞 United States — Call or text 988 or use the chat via 988lifeline.org. (Free, 24/7, confidential support.)
🌍 International — Visit findahelpline.com for crisis lines worldwide.
🇬🇧 UK & Ireland — Call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
🏳️⚧️ Trans Lifeline (U.S. & Canada) — 877-565-8860 | translifeline.org
🏳️🌈 The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth, U.S.) — 1-866-488-7386 | Text START to 678-678 | thetrevorproject.org