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