by Freddy, San Quentin State Prison, CA
When I think about self-care, it’s physical, mental, and spiritual. I have been working on myself right and just growing as time goes by. I have been working out to relieve my built-up stress from my situation.
I have taken care of myself physically. Mentally, I would push it, whatever I am going through, pushing it off because I didn’t want to deal with my problems emotionally because of all I have been through: my childhood and coming into prison at a very young age, not knowing how to honestly deal with all of these feelings.
Today, I am looking to deal with everything I have been through in my thirty-two years of life, asking for help from others and building a healthy support system while in prison because there are people who do really care for me and others.
Spiritually, I have always believed in God and Jesus Christ as my savior. I have gotten through all I have been through in life and God is showing me that I have so much love in my life, even though I struggle in times to see all he has brought me through so far. He’s showing me everything he’s going to accomplish in my life and his amazing work he is doing in my life.
I am working every day to find a healthy balance in my life working through all my “rocks” I have picked up in my life and start taking those rocks out, one by one. When I have to let go of all my rocks, I will be ready for what God has planned for my life.