Therapy is good; it's even better when it's free. My school health insurance used to cover mental health 100% so I'd go and see a therapist once a week and it was extremely beneficial. Now I don't have insurance and so it costs me $70 a pop so I only go once every couple weeks, much to my own chagrin. Now I have to do some talk therapy with myself in my head it seems like, which I hope is a healthy thing. Maybe I just talk too much to myself, but I always seem to enjoy the conversation.
What are some things you do for therapy? What are some low-cost or even free things you do to calm yourself from your stresses and worries? One thing I do that I haven't done in a few weeks is go to the beach at night. It is so relaxing and good for my soul. I go at night because there are usually very few people there. People go to the beach to get tan after all, right? Hardly anyone goes at night so it's just fantastic if you ask me. It's how I unwind from whatever might be bothering me at the time. I breathe in the salty air and find inner peace with God. It's a beautiful thing really, and one of the many reasons I love living in Sarasota. For those of you who are land-locked, I have to tell you I don't envy you. You better get down here quickly though, house prices are back on the move and I hear interest rates are slowly creeping back up.
I also enjoy being around people. As a matter of fact, I thrive when I'm around others. This probably is why I usually do very well in the summers when I'm living in community. I love living with people on a day in day out basis where we're sharing the same mission. We try and do something similar at my church called missional communities but it simply doesn't measure up in my book. I'm sure it's good for most people who are used to being closed off to their nuclear families but it's really not enough for me. I crave more, deeper relationships that are only formed by actually living with other people who are doing the same work as you are. It's messy, or at least can be, but it's really a beautiful mess when it's all said and done.
I recently did one of the personality tests and I came out as extraverted, like to the nth degree. Every single question that dealt with introverted vs extraverted I scored on the extraverted side. For as long as I can remember, I've loved being around people. I especially connect with young people, whether elementary age or high school all the way through to college. They are full of hopes and dreams and help keep you young in my opinion. It's almost intoxicating to be around so much energy.
Admittedly, I have always struggled with classroom management as a teacher due to just wanting to love on the kids. Ultimately loving them means providing structure which I really struggle with; maybe next time I try teaching I'll be better at it. I will always see myself as an educator in every field, I just don't know if I'll try teaching elementary school again. As my mom pointed out last night though. I'm still struggling with depression and I'm not even in the teaching profession this year. I do remember that being a rather depressing endeavor though that certainly didn't help my depression at all.
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