Yay, I like this! Just because... Helpful to hear, and glad to see you understand how to pull through it when it happens - because it inevitably always does.

Maybe you can make it happen less often, or find ways to pull yourself out of it faster, but it's still going to happen. What's wonderful, and probably most healthy is that you can admit it, face it, realize you're not perfect, nor are you necessarily meant to be. Perfect should never be the goal, anyway. But balance. Which is healthy. Health. And well being that comes with that. But it does so often seem like you go up so far and then you come back down, even if just to internally regulate or rest a bit. And, I think in some way, that's just life, for everyone even if we do have the healthiest habits and best of intentions.

And, especially, this seems to be a thing for women. As women, I think we're more prone to deal with self image related confidence issues. And one thing that maybe we take for granted when we're not so in tune with our natural rhythms - is hormones. The effect that female hormones have on your mood, your mind, is massive. I can chart mine across a month, and as much as I know to predict it and can feel it coming, I always end up laughing or sighing at myself in frustration that I let those hormone induced highs and lows of mood fool me again. We're animoos, after all. We very much are at the mercy of the chemicals in our brains more than we may realize or want to admit.

And you're right about many things, all of it rings true and practical, but one part I agree with the most...is humor. When you get sad, when you start doubting yourself, even hating yourself, the first thing you lose is your humor. Humor is such a simple fix for so many things. I've found that I can use it as a regulator of my mental health. Because I know when I start to lose my humor, something has gone wrong. I'm in a bad place. Opening yourself to humor is like letting off a pressure value. Regardless of whatever other changes you make to be well, always keeping humor in the mix has to be the best kept secret to staying young in your heart and mind and even physically. That's what makes a goobery selfie such a beautiful thing in my eyes. It means you've found balance and confidence in yourself. That's true beauty that comes from inside, and I'm happy for you you've found yours again.

(And fyi, as if it even needs mentioning, I struggle with all this just the same. I think almost everyone does. It's good that you can admit it enough to work on it. We're never going to arrive at some point of completion in life till death. I think it's better to accept the constant challenges, than to ever admit defeat.) Also, I've been eating cookies while I write this...and the shadow pattern or whatever that is from the curtain is really neat looking behind you. And and...second edit here, after reading comments, yes, I vote for "Go the Fuck to Sleep" as well. What is it like five years old? It'll be a bedtime classic soon.