This spring, I enrolled in a DBT therapy group. When I first ran across mentions of DBT years ago in a self-help book, it caught my attention. It seemed to focus on many of the exact issues I struggle with.

The last few months have been incredibly helpful and humbling. I should "graduate" from the course this fall, but like most of life, the work does not end there: the course is only an introduction to the skills and their application, while the process of self-development will be an ongoing one.

This week, one of the homework items is planning a pleasant event each day and fully engaging with it. It doesn't have to be anything big. Yesterday, I watched 10 minutes of Trevor Noah on Youtube. Today, I'm writing this little blog entry. Tomorrow, I'll do a quick yoga routine at about this time. Saturday, I'll probably organize a cluttered drawer. Sunday, maybe I'll just enjoy a 20 minute nap. I might spend 5 minutes mindfully chilling with the fish somewhere in there.

For me, these are the kinds of things I put off or neglect when life gets busy. I might even do the thing while preoccupied with the worries of the day. Sometimes my brain decides that self-care is a "chore" and slaps a negative association on the activity. These are habits I'm working to change.

I doubt I'm the only one, so that's why I'm sharing this. Our lives are busy and stressful, and our societal atmosphere promotes anxiety. This is a practice that I find helpful, and I hope some of you get something out of it too.

Take care out there!