Things I Stopped Doing to Protect My Mental Health

Protecting my mental health has become one of the most important priorities in my life. It hasn’t always been easy, and for years I struggled with anxiety, overthinking, comparison, emotional exhaustion, and feeling like my mind was constantly overwhelmed. There were times when I didn’t fully understand what I was going through, but looking back, I can see how certain habits and environments were affecting my emotional well-being.

Over time, I started paying closer attention to the things that triggered my anxiety or drained my peace. Slowly, I made the decision to let go of behaviors, content, and thought patterns that were not helping me grow. That process didn’t happen overnight, but it changed my life in a very real way.

One of the biggest things I stopped doing was constantly comparing my life to other people online. Social media can be very misleading because it often shows only the best moments of someone’s life. I used to spend a lot of time scrolling through other people’s pages and unconsciously measuring my life against theirs. It made me feel like I was behind, like I wasn’t doing enough, or like everyone else had something I didn’t.

That mindset slowly started affecting my confidence and emotional health. I would feel anxious after scrolling, overthink my own life decisions, and sometimes feel discouraged about my future. Eventually, I realized that what I was seeing online wasn’t the full story. People only share highlights, not struggles, setbacks, or behind-the-scenes moments.

Once I truly accepted that everyone is on their own journey, something shifted in me. I began to understand that there is no such thing as being “behind” in life. We all move at different paces, and that doesn’t make anyone less valuable or less successful. Letting go of comparison brought me a sense of mental relief that I didn’t even realize I needed.

Another thing I stopped doing was consuming spiritual content that left me feeling confused, anxious, and emotionally unstable. For a while, I was heavily watching tarot readings because I wanted clarity about my future, relationships, and life decisions. At first, it felt like I was gaining answers, but over time it became mentally draining.

Instead of feeling peace, I felt stuck in cycles of overthinking and searching for constant confirmation about what was coming next. It created a dependency on external validation and kept me in a loop of fear, fantasy, and emotional uncertainty. I started focusing more on “what will happen” instead of living in the present moment.

Eventually, I realized that this was not bringing me peace at all. It was actually disconnecting me from myself and my real life. Letting go of that content was a major turning point in my healing journey. It wasn’t easy at first, but it allowed me to regain clarity and emotional stability.

Now, I focus more on my faith and intentionally consume content that encourages me, grounds me, and brings me peace. That shift alone has helped me feel more centered, more present, and more in control of my thoughts and emotions.

Another beautiful thing that happened after I started letting go of certain habits is that some of my old hobbies began to return to me naturally. When my mind became less overwhelmed, I found myself reconnecting with simple things that I genuinely enjoy. I started reading again, playing games, doing puzzles, watching movies and TV shows, dancing, and journaling.

These activities brought me back to myself in a gentle way. They reminded me that healing isn’t just about letting things go—it’s also about rediscovering joy. It felt like parts of me that were quiet for a long time were finally waking up again.

I’ve also been learning how to change the way I speak to myself. For a long time, I struggled with negative self-talk. I would be overly critical of myself, doubt my abilities, and constantly feel like I wasn’t enough. Over time, that inner voice became so normal to me that I didn’t realize how deeply it was affecting my self-esteem and mental health.

One practice that has helped me significantly is affirmations. I started writing positive statements about myself, speaking them out loud, and repeating them daily. At first, it felt uncomfortable and even untrue, but I kept going anyway. Slowly, my mindset began to shift.

Healing is not instant. It is a process of unlearning, relearning, and consistently choosing better for yourself even when it feels difficult. Protecting your peace sometimes means walking away from habits, people, or environments that no longer support your growth, and that can be uncomfortable—but necessary.

If you are on your own healing journey, give yourself grace. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now. You are allowed to grow slowly, to take breaks, and to start over as many times as you need.

We are all learning, healing, and becoming better versions of ourselves one step at a time.

Wishing you peace, healing, and happiness on your journey. 🤍

Here's a Bible verse: 

"Do not be anxious about anything... And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"