Let’s get into the other purchases I have made that have helped my mental health. Once again they are all under $30 dollars and have helped me be the fun and sparkling human who is typing this of you. Mostly this stuff has eased my anxiety and/or made me happy to have it. As I mentioned before in 5 purchases that have helped my mental health, it’s a big part of my recovery to make art so you might see a particular theme emerge. Also, I am not telling you where I got these items because I am not advertising consumerism! There are hundreds of positive coping skills that cost you literally nothing but the time to learn about them. See my Wellness Toolbox series for more information.

Color at Home: A Young House Love Coloring Book,  $12.99

Coloring books and pages have always eased my anxiety and this one beautifully illustrated and is about interior design which I love. The pages are perforated so you can take one out and frame it for your walls. It was a perfect fit for me and definitely eased my anxiety in many situations, plus it’s a fun way to waste time in times like these.

Strathmore Mixed Media Pad (11”x14”), $20.28

So I love to draw and create art. I’m not as good as I once was at it, but I try to hone my skills even as bad as they currently are. As I mentioned before in 5 purchases that have helped my mental health, it’s a big part of my recovery to make art.

Bentgo prep 2-Compartment Meal Prep Containers, $11.99

So I struggle a lot with binge eating and it has been an easy thing to just give up and keep relying on old patterns of thinking and acting, but then I started meal prepping my meals instead of trying to track every single calorie. I make my dinners and prep my lunches all in one go and never have to think about how much food I’m ingesting because it’s a set portioned amount.  I highly recommend meal prepping if you have similar issues.

The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help you Deserve by Rheeda Walker, Ph.D., $16.95

So I have yet to finish this book, but so far it’s not let me down. I don’t get a lot of mental health books that address or reflect my culture so I want to say this is a start. There should be more books like this made not just the one and not just for Black mental health, but that’s a battle for another day.

Michelle Obama Quotes to Live By, by Carlton Books $9.95

This one I have read, used, and loved. Not because it’s Michelle Obama, but because there’s a quote for nearly every occasion. And I have pepper a few of her lovely quotes in my work when I need to emphasize an idea or flesh out my point. I love a good quote book, and this is a good quote book.