Day Thirty One: Acceptance

Today has not been the best, but I think that’s mostly on me. I’m still struggling with how to balance everything here and how to find the things that make me happy and still make the most of each day (at home I tend to be kind of lazy, so putting effort into all of my down time can be a challenge). However, I think that right now, that balance means letting myself rest a lot more and not feeling bad about it. I’m going to be a bit antisocial, I’m going to sit in and read or write or watch Netflix, and that’s okay because I need to give my body a chance to heal. Part of the culture here is going out every night and being a social butterfly, and I’ve been told that it’s considered weird to be introverted here. But I’m going to make more of an effort to accept the fact that the things that make me happy like reading, writing, taking walks by myself, and putting effort into self-care, are good and what I should be doing to enjoy my time here. I have a different background for my writing, a whole new world to expose myself to, and I want to experience it my way. But first, rest and healing.

I did do some things that were really fun today though. This morning I woke up feeling bad, but went out anyways to buy a pair of shoes I found yesterday. Then I went to a bookstore with a friend and helped her find a book to read in Spanish, and walked around while her and my roommate shopped. We went back home for lunch as usual and ate a delicious soup with beans and chorizo, bread, pork fillets, tomato, and lots of fruit for dessert. After lunch, a group of us walked down to the river and rode paddle boats! It was beautiful, and along the river side there were people biking, running, having picnics, or just laying around and enjoying the peacefulness. I will be returning soon. It’s definitely a not-so-hidden gem of the city.

I’ve pretty much just been resting since then and plan to all day tomorrow. Then I think I’m going to make a rough schedule for the week that includes ways to take care of myself and things that will make happy. I’m really excited.