Okay y’all, emotional health tips are literally the only reason I haven’t yeeted my phone into the Yamuna this week.
Like, seriously. It’s January 2026, I’m sitting here in my overpriced tiny flat that smells faintly of burnt Maggi and existential dread, wearing the same hoodie for four days straight, and somehow I’m still trying to not completely lose it. So here are the seven things that have kinda-sorta helped my emotional well-being—even though I’m still a walking contradiction who cries at dog videos but also screams at customer care bots.
1. I Started Naming the Feeling Instead of Just Saying “I’m Fine” (spoiler: I’m never fine)
The moment I stopped saying “I’m okay” when I clearly wanted to set something on fire was huge for my emotional health.
Now when my chest feels like a trash compactor I literally whisper (or yell, depending on the neighbor situation)
- “This is anxiety eating my soul”
- “This is grief wearing Crocs and stepping on Legos”
- “This is rage disguised as caffeine withdrawal”
Naming it makes it less like a monster in the dark and more like that annoying cousin who overstays. Check out what the American Psychological Association says about emotional labeling — apparently it’s science and not just me being dramatic.
2. I Walk Around the Block Like It’s a Job (because my brain thinks it is)
I swear to god, better emotional health started when I forced myself to put on real shoes (not slippers, actual shoes) and circle my colony like I’m getting paid for it.
No AirPods. Just me, the stray dogs judging me, the uncle on the scooter who almost runs me over every single day, and my thoughts rattling like loose change. 20–30 minutes. That’s it.
Harvard Health literally has an article saying regular walking reduces depression symptoms — so yeah, I’m basically following doctor’s orders while dodging potholes.
3. I Let Myself Ugly Cry — With a Timer
Used to be ashamed of crying. Now I set a 12-minute timer (why 12? no clue, feels right).
Lights off, blanket over head, full-on snotty, hiccuping, ugly cry. When the timer dings I have to blow my nose and drink water like an adult. Weirdly, it works. My emotional well-being thanks me later when I’m not carrying three days of repressed sobbing in my shoulders.
4. I Text One Person “I’m Struggling” Instead of Ghosting Everyone
This one almost killed me the first time.
I opened WhatsApp, typed to my oldest friend: “hey I’m actually not okay right now” and hit send before I could delete it. She replied with a voice note of her just breathing quietly for 30 seconds and then saying “same, wanna be disasters together?”
That tiny act did more for my emotional health than six self-help books.
5. I Keep a “Didn’t Die Today” List
Sounds pathetic? Good. That’s the point.
Some days the list is just:
- woke up
- drank water that wasn’t yesterday’s
- didn’t text my ex
- fed the plants (they’re still mostly dead but whatever)
On good days I add “showered without crying.” Celebrating micro-wins has genuinely improved my emotional resilience more than any vision board ever could.
6. I Delete the Apps That Make Me Hate Myself (temporarily)
Every two weeks I do a 48-hour social media cleanse.
No Instagram Reels of girls with perfect skin and 6-figure side hustles. No Twitter (sorry, X) arguments about things that don’t matter. Just me, my thoughts, and way too many YouTube cooking videos I never make.
The World Health Organization has stuff on digital well-being that basically says constant comparison is poison. I believe them.
7. I Remind Myself I’m Allowed to Be a Work in Progress (and so are you)
Here’s the chaos part: I still lose it.
Yesterday I cried because my charger cable frayed again. Today I laughed so hard at a meme I peed a little. Tomorrow I might do both at once.
And that’s fine. Emotional health isn’t a destination where you suddenly become a calm, yoga-doing, green-smoothie-drinking saint. It’s just me trying, screwing up, trying again, and occasionally buying myself ice cream for surviving another Tuesday.
