I’ve spent the last few days taking care of largely unenjoyable, adult things that I neglected for so long because I was busy at and after work. It’s funny how we define being busy because even on these days off, I feel like I have so much to do! I’m sure it’s equal parts cultural/societal, personality, and anxiety disorder, and I’m interested to see how, if at all, that changes as I continue to better manage my anxiety.

Included in my lengthy to-do list was to catch up with my former supervisor and mentor. Since leaving that job, she and I have developed more of a friend and colleague relationship, which has become one of the most valuable relationships in my life. She is genuinely one of my favorite humans, and I have so much respect for her. Now that I work in mental health, there’s another layer of shared experience, as she used to work at a non-profit for children and adolescents with behavioral disorders. We ended up talking more about our work situations in regards to coworkers than anything else, and she gave me some perspective on how to proceed with some frustrations at work once I’m back next week. What I respect about her the most is that I know she’ll hold me accountable for taking these steps and tell me what I need to hear, albeit gently.

Talking to her always leaves me in a better headspace, and she and I made a goal to have our check-ins on a monthly basis. Something that I’ve struggled with at times, especially when I feel most depressed, is the decision to reach out to other people, not wanting to weigh them down with my baggage (I talked about this briefly in my first day’s post). However, since being intentional about when I reach out and who I reach out to, it’s really become a source of strength and positivity for me, and I look forward to including it in future days’ adventures.