Let’s Get Real: 25 Ways to Mentally Reboot When You’re One Comment Away from Losing It

Jessica Eddings

07 Sep 2025 — 7 min read

You ever have one of those days where your brain is like, “Let’s overthink everything, relive embarrassing moments from 2007, and also—why not spiral about your entire life’s purpose while we’re at it?”

Yeah. Same.

Welcome to the club, friend. It’s cozy, a little chaotic, and stocked with snacks and sarcasm. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in your mental quicksand. Whether you’re dealing with burnout, masking your way through social events, or Googling “how to stop being a human stress burrito,” I got you.

So, grab your drink of choice, sit your emotionally-exhausted self down, and let’s talk about 25 ways to mentally reboot—and maybe laugh-cry along the way.

Mental Health Awareness: It’s Not a Trend, Karen

First things first, let’s address the glittery elephant in the room: mental health awareness is not just a May thing or an Instagram quote. It’s something we live, breathe, and trip over daily.

Being mentally well doesn’t mean you meditate in a sunbeam and never curse your group chat. It means you’re checking in with yourself, doing the work, and sometimes admitting that you’re living with ADHD or anxiety or both… while also trying to remember where you left your keys. Again.

Overcoming Depression (Or At Least Outwitting It)

Let’s be honest—overcoming depression sounds a little too much like winning a reality show. You don’t beat it in a final round of therapy Jeopardy. Sometimes, you survive it by drinking water, canceling a plan, and petting your dog.

Healing doesn’t have a Hollywood montage. It’s more like, “Wow, I showered and texted someone back—go me!”

Signs of Burnout: If You Know, You Know

You sigh for no reason.
Everything feels annoying.
You fantasize about moving to a cabin and ghosting society.

If that’s you, congratulations, you’ve unlocked signs of burnout. Your brain is tired. Your nervous system is sending smoke signals. Please close your laptop and touch grass (or a soft cat).

Emotional Exhaustion Recovery: AKA Nap Therapy

When you’ve given every last ounce of your energy to people who “don’t mean to be a lot,” it’s time for some emotional exhaustion recovery. Think naps, boundaries, and saying “no” like your peace depends on it—because it does.

Recovery doesn’t always look like a vacation. Sometimes it’s just logging off and watching a show where nobody yells.

Self-Help Tips That Actually Work (And Don’t Feel Like Homework)

Let’s face it: some self-help tips are a scam. If one more guru tells me to wake up at 5AM and drink celery sludge, I will riot.

Instead, try these:

Dance to one chaotic song per day.
Text a meme instead of a spiral.
Make your to-do list say “1. survive. 2. snacks.”

Now that’s growth, baby.

Healing from Trauma: No Crystals Required (But You Can If You Want)

Healing from trauma is not aesthetic. It’s not all tea and yoga and staring out a window. Sometimes it’s rage-cleaning, ugly crying, and realizing you’ve been people-pleasing your way into an identity crisis.

Be proud of that awareness. Healing is messy. So are you. That’s okay.

Growth Mindset Habits (Without Toxic Positivity)

Yes, we love a good growth mindset. But that doesn’t mean gaslighting yourself into liking hard things.

Growth means:

“I can’t do this… yet.”
“Failure is just awkward learning.”
“I tried. That counts.”

If all you did today was grow one millimeter closer to not spiraling over feedback, you win.

Imposter Syndrome Help: You’re Not a Fraud, You’re Just Evolving

Let’s say it louder for the people in the back: You are not an imposter. You are just a beginner who knows how to Google well.

Imposter syndrome is a liar wearing a name tag that says “Logic.” You don’t have to be perfect to belong. You just have to be real.

The Authentic Self Journey: Step One—Unfollow the Highlight Reels

Being your authentic self is terrifying when your whole life has been a well-curated performance.

But let’s be honest: the people worth keeping in your life? They love the bloopers. So go ahead and stop filtering your feelings just to make others comfy. You’re allowed to take up emotional space.

Daily Mindset Reset: For When You Wake Up Over It

Every morning is a chance to hit the mental reset button. Even if you’re starting the day with a grumble and a crusty ponytail, you can still declare: “Today, I will not spiral over small things. I will only medium spiral.”

That’s what we call a daily mindset reset—choose peace and/or snacks.

What It Means to Be Neurodivergent: Not Broken, Just Built Differently

Being neurodivergent isn’t a flaw. It’s a flavor. You are not “too much”—you’re a whole spice rack.

Whether it’s ADHD, autism, or something else, your brain deserves understanding, not fixing. Normalize stimming, fidgeting, hyperfixating, and needing alone time like your soul depends on it.

ADHD and Masking: The Energy Drain We Don’t Talk About Enough

Masking is pretending to be “normal” so others don’t get uncomfortable. For those with ADHD, it means over-explaining, over-preparing, and overthinking your existence.

It’s not just exhausting. It’s soul-depleting. Start noticing where you mask… and practice letting your quirks breathe.

Executive Dysfunction Help: When You Want to, But Just Can’t

If you’ve ever stared at a fork in the sink for 3 hours because your brain won’t let you move—congrats, you might be experiencing executive dysfunction.

This isn’t laziness. It’s a glitch in the system. Break tasks down. Add fun. Bribe yourself. Use the body-doubling hack. And give yourself grace.

Thriving While Different: The Ultimate Plot Twist

You can thrive. Even if you’re awkward. Even if you cry in the cereal aisle. Even if you haven’t folded laundry in 9 days.

Thriving while different means blooming in weird places and being fully you—no disclaimers needed.

Neurodivergent Self-Care: Not Just Bubble Baths

Real self-care for neurodivergent folks includes:

Noise-canceling headphones
Canceling plans without guilt
Labeling everything in your fridge

Take what works. Leave what doesn’t. And if self-care today means lying on the floor in a blanket cocoon? That counts.

Healing Isn’t Linear (And That’s Infuriating)

You think you’ve healed… then one offhand comment sends you straight into a shame vortex.

Repeat after me: Healing isn’t linear. It’s not a straight line; it’s more like a dance move from a drunk owl—messy, weird, but still progress.

How to Rest Without Guilt (Read This in Bed)

Productivity culture is a liar. Rest is not earned. It’s necessary.

You don’t have to check all your boxes before you take a nap. If your body is asking for rest and your brain says “no,” remind it: We can’t grow if we’re running on crumbs.

Journaling for Mental Clarity (Even if You Can’t Spell ‘Clarity’ Right Now)

You don’t need the perfect journal setup or a feather quill. Sometimes just writing “I’m overwhelmed” 17 times on a page is journaling for mental clarity.

Get it out of your head. Into the light. Even your messiest scribbles have wisdom.

Self-Compassion Practices: Be Nicer to You, Babe

You’d never talk to your best friend like you talk to yourself.

Let’s fix that.

Try:

Speaking gently to your inner chaos
Replacing “I’m so stupid” with “I’m learning”
Forgiving yourself for the human stuff

Self-compassion practices aren’t soft. They’re revolutionary.

Ways to Regulate Your Nervous System (Without Joining a Commune)

When life has you fried like a churro, try these:

Deep belly breaths
Cold water on your wrists
Petting a soft dog (or cat, if you’re brave)

Regulating your nervous system doesn’t mean fixing emotions. It means making your body feel safe enough to feel them.

Slow Productivity: Do Less. Be More. Rest Often.

What if we stopped measuring our worth by how busy we are?

Slow productivity is about doing meaningful things… at your own pace. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. Slowing down isn’t laziness—it’s wisdom.

How to Romanticize Your Routine (Without Spending $80 on Candles)

You don’t need a Parisian kitchen or cottagecore wardrobe. Try:

Putting on a song that makes you feel something
Drinking coffee from your favorite mug
Saying “look at me go” every time you do anything

That’s how you romanticize your routine: by showing up like your life matters. Because it does.

Embracing Your Weird (Because Normal is Boring Anyway)

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt too weird, too much, or too emotional.

Now raise your other hand because you are embracing your weird—and weird is wonderful. Your quirks are not baggage. They’re seasoning.

Real Talk Mental Health: Let’s Say the Quiet Things Out Loud

This blog? It’s not about pretending we’re fine.

It’s about real talk mental health. The kind where we say:

“I feel like I’m falling apart today.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“But I’m still here. And that matters.”

Start the Conversation: The Most Powerful Thing You Can Do

Everything starts with one brave sentence:

“Hey… I’m not okay. Can we talk?”

When we start the conversation, we open the door for healing. Not fixing. Not solving. Just being present. And sometimes, that’s everything.

Final Thoughts from the Purple Owl Nest

If you’ve made it this far, I hope you feel a little seen, a little less alone, and maybe even like healing doesn’t have to be all whispery yoga vibes and Pinterest quotes.

You can grow while being loud, awkward, and a little snarky. You can thrive with sticky notes, playlists, and asking for help on bad days. You don’t have to earn your rest. And you’re never too weird to be worth loving.

Now go romanticize your snack time. You deserve it.

Liked this post? Share it. Save it. Send it to your group chat with the caption “This is me.”

Let’s normalize the mess. One meme and mental health convo at a time.

By: Jess E