<p>Today was one of those days.</p>
<p>You know those days that feel exhausting. Not so much physically, but emotionally and mentally draining.<em> Yeah, those. </em></p>
<p>Between reading articles of children being separated from the parents at the border and seeing a horrible video of a young man&#8217;s lifeless body, I had to find some way to retreat from the woes of this world. I know that everyone&#8217;s coping mechanisms are different but if you&#8217;re in need of a little help in this age of insensitivity and senselessness, I made a list to help you out. These are all things that I do, and maybe you can adjust them to your liking.</p>
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<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;"> 1 . Take a Nap</span></strong></p>
<p>Yeah, you read me right. Grab your favorite blanket, put the phone on do not disturb, and hit the lights. Sometimes all it takes is a quick (or not-so-quick) refresher to get our spirits rejuvenated. <strong>Rest.</strong></p>
<p><img class=" aligncenter" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/3oEdv5XT0tYl7B77yM/giphy.gif" /></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;">2. Prayer Journal</span></strong></p>
<p>At times like this, it can be hard to communicate with the man upstairs. We may think, &#8220;what&#8217;s the point?&#8221; While those thoughts are <strong>natural</strong>, you should not let these temporary feelings hinder your long-term relationship. When I feel frustrated with God (yes, I feel that way sometimes) I force myself to write in my prayer journal for 5 minutes. Once I start writing I always surpass that time frame and end up getting a lot off my chest in the process. <em>(Bonus: It also helps to see how God has answered your prayers when you look back later on)</em></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;"> 3. Scrapbook</span></strong></p>
<p>When I took English 1 at FAMU, my professor had us read a book about the relationship between scrapbooking and African-American women. It said that many of us started the hobby because it felt like the only way we could piece our lives together. Today, I grabbed the scissors and glue stick and went to work. It&#8217;s also a great way for you to finally get those pictures from 2015 printed from your phone.</p>
<p><img class=" wp-image-2228 aligncenter" src="https://queentoqueens.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/927545fedd57d377abdaf6c59542e80e2703de81_hq.gif" alt="927545fedd57d377abdaf6c59542e80e2703de81_hq" width="432" height="192" /></p>
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<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;"> 4. Go See a Movie (or stream an old fave)</span></strong></p>
<p>If your mind is still racing, find a new movie at the theatre. Personally, I&#8217;m going to see <em>Superfly</em> and <em>Incredibles 2</em> sometime this week. But, if the theatre isn&#8217;t your style, stream something animated or funny.</p>
<p><img class=" aligncenter" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/xT8qBnzRIMESUXqEgw/giphy.gif" width="410" height="200" /></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;">5. Meditate/ Yoga</span></strong></p>
<p>These can seem intimidating at first but don&#8217;t let them scare you. Meditation apps like &#8216;Headspace&#8217; and &#8216;Relaxing&#8217; are perfect to get you started.</p>
<p><img class=" aligncenter" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/3orieRnQl4hiamaaVW/giphy.gif" width="271" height="207" /></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;">6. Blast a Record (&#8230;or bluetooth speaker, no judgment here.)</span></strong></p>
<p>When I got home the first thing I did was play my favorite album, &#8216;Rapture&#8217; by Anita Baker on my record player. Even if you don&#8217;t have one of those, connect those bluetooth speakers and play whatever feels pleasing to you in that moment&#8230; even if that&#8217;s Ja Rule from 2004. Like I said, no judgement.</p>
<p><img class=" aligncenter" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/3o6gaZAXAVIzDueqdy/giphy.gif" width="402" height="226" /></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;">7. Start Re-reading Your Favorite Book</span></strong></p>
<p>Pull out that old read. Yes, you already know how it ends but maybe this time you&#8217;ll run across something that you didn&#8217;t catch the first time. Books can be tricky like that.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#c406c7;">8. Bike/Walk/Run (something physical)</span></strong></p>
<p>Exercise releases endorphins, endorphins make you happy. *inserts shrug emoji*</p>
<p><img class=" aligncenter" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/EgkNhBeY289z2/giphy.gif" width="305" height="256" /></p>
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<p>But most importantly, acknowledge how you feel. Often times we write off our emotions and feelings as unimportant and attempt to push them to the back of our minds. <span style="color:#c406c7;"><strong>Stop that. </strong></span></p>
<p>Your feelings are worthy of acknowledgment and remember, you are not alone.</p>
<p><em><span style="color:#c406c7;">From Me to You, Love.</span></em></p>
<p> ;</p>


When the World feels Unbearable…
