“I matter.” A simple sentence that, in or of itself, does not contain many words, but carries a lot of weight. We often put other people’s needs ahead of our own, whether it be our children, parents, siblings, friends, or even work. But we often forget the center of that selflessness and care: ourselves. We frequently are so busy running around doing things, for others or for ourselves, that we forget the one thing that matters: us.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been struggling a lot with chores and errands and overall productivity lately. At this moment, I have about 3-4 loads of laundry and have zero will to do my laundry. Is this just my mind’s way of telling myself I need to take a break? That my unwillingness to get things done is to show that I matter and that I should be taking care of myself as well? Not just my house, pet, job, or chores.

I also struggle with suicidal thoughts, and I’ve read that it may be normal to have thoughts about your own mortality – it’s just what you do about it that makes a difference. When you have suicidal thoughts, “I matter,” doesn’t play a part in that thought process. It’s quite the opposite. So it’s important to remind yourself that you matter.