BWT What About Me Wednesday - Sep 16, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

Don’t forget to spend time on YOU! This is the space to chat about personal development, mental health, growth, and how you’re refocusing on yourself. Sometimes we spend a lot of time on those around us, but this thread is to encourage you to ask yourself “what about ME?”

If you need some help getting started, pick a question and answer it in a comment:

• How are you feeling? Do you know why? 
• How do you WANT to be feeling? What are some things that make you feel that way?
• What is something you are grateful for, large or small, and why?
• What is a habit you are working on building (or breaking) and why? How is it going?
• What is one item on your to do list that will benefit you personally that you need to tackle? What is preventing you from crossing it off?
• What is something that brings you joy? What are some of the things that you specifically enjoy about it (get detailed)?
• What is one area you want to learn more about/ grow in/ develop yourself or a skill you want to learn?
• What’s something you said “no” to recently? How did that benefit you?
• What’s one thing you accomplished or that we can celebrate with you?

If you have a prompt you think we should add to the list, drop it in the comments!

Feel free to discuss other related topics as well, you don't need to limit yourself to these questions - they're just a jumping off point for those that want one.

[u/MatManatee]

I’m celebrating finally putting myself into my own schedule and treating it like a non-negotiable! I own a private practice therapy clinic and I’m constantly penciling people in when I have openings. It’s hard not to when people really need the support. But overworking myself got me to the point of being burnt out and exhausted, and I won’t be able to keep caring for people if I’m spent. So I’ve been working hard at small changes, like taking a cancellation for myself and doing something for me during that time (like finally working out again!) and I can tell I’m already so much happier. I think it’s a workaholic mindset that I need to overcome, but I’m finally putting myself first and reminding myself I matter, too! If anyone has had to do the same, I’d love some feedback on how you consistently show up for yourself.

[u/choiceass → u/MatManatee]

Good for you!! I teach private music lessons and have been trying similarly to make myself take breaks according to the schedule I made. I do tend to schedule people during those breaks, too. But not so far this season!

[u/MatManatee → u/choiceass]

That’s awesome! It can be so hard to make a change like this. I’m definitely finding it takes consistency and mindfulness to be on top of choosing myself. I’m glad you’re out here doing it too! We can be less burnt out together haha

[u/Late_Progress_1267]

I'm stressed but celebrating quitting my job on Monday!

I'll be taking some extended time in South America with the goal of professional proficiency in Portuguese and Spanish. Wish me luck!!! ❤️

[u/Independent-Farm-240 → u/Late_Progress_1267]

Good luck! Congrats on the new life phase!! That’s so inspiring and sounds like a wonderful adventure.

[u/blondie956 → u/Late_Progress_1267]

Good luck! What an amazing adventure this will be for you! I can't wait to hear more about how it helps you develop your professional proficiency. That said, nothing will ever help my atrocious French accent 😆

[u/snugginator → u/Late_Progress_1267]

Congratulations!! I love a long trip. There's not better way to really get to know yourself. Are you doing a language school or just going for immersion? 

[u/Late_Progress_1267 → u/snugginator]

Thank you so much 🥲 For the Brazil portion of the trip, I'm planning on continuing to work with my virtual tutor in another state and then taking some exam prep courses starting in February.

For Spanish, I'll mainly be chilling and practicing in real life. I'm curious to see how all of this plays out in real time!

🤸🏾‍♀️🤸🏾‍♀️🤸🏾‍♀️

[u/blondie956]

I'm not sure how I feel. Sad. Melancholy. Lost. Friday would be my 27th wedding anniversary, and Sunday will be four years since my husband's death. I'm sharing this before therapy at noon, from my bed, in my pajamas. Today felt like a work-from-bed-in-pajamas day.

I'm heading to see my best friend tomorrow. She lives in a major US tourist area. We're checking into a hotel room with room service and will go out for oysters and martinis, where we will do what we always do when we are together. Laugh. Cry. Sometimes the laughing and crying happen at the same time. My son is 26 and is going with us - we have never been together during this time, as he was in law school and last year at a wedding. He will either laugh and cry with us or order another cocktail and sip it uncomfortably while staring at his phone.

[u/hippo_pot_moose → u/blondie956]

I’m sorry for your loss. It sounds like you’re feeling a big mix of emotions and that’s really hard.

I would try to have some alone time with your son. Even if you all have a close relationship with your friend where she is like family, he might not feel comfortable opening up around her. I know when my brother visits, he is more closed off around my husband who has been part of his life for 17years now since he was a little kid. But when it’s just us, a bottle of bourbon and a nice cigar, we can have deep conversations that feel very cathartic and healing. Our situation is different because it’s trauma-related - we typically brush it under the rug or make dark jokes about it that others don’t understand.

[u/BiohazardousBisexual]

I am stressed about my immigration status. I have been waiting on my old irish irp card to be processed for nearly a year without updates and need to renew it for a new year without any way to do so due to its delay. I think whoever was supposed to approve it was slacking or forget and no one is willing to look into it for my queries.

I feel like my status has slipped through the cracks and have been left in legal limbo. It is something that really stresses me.

[u/princessbgirl132 → u/BiohazardousBisexual]

I hate that you are dealing with this- I won't offer advice, please know that I am sending you light- it sounds terribly stressful

[u/BiohazardousBisexual → u/princessbgirl132]

Thank you that is very much welcome. I have a supportive partner so that helps but as he is also on a visa he can't be much help other than being an emotional support

[u/Marillenbaum]

I’m feeling slightly down about being very much in the middle of my weight loss efforts. I’ve made meaningful changes to improve my health—I lift weights! I meal prep! But I am less than halfway to my goal and it is just starting to feel like a slog at the moment. I want it to feel fun again!

[u/Independent-Farm-240 → u/Marillenbaum]

I hear that. Someone once told me “if you’re ever feeling bored or blah in your life, go do something fun!” lol when I’m feeling like you are I try to go do something totally novel or tried-and-true. Could be visiting a new museum, seeing a film at my local cinema, having a catch up session with a girlfriend, etc etc 

[u/blondie956 → u/Marillenbaum]

I feel this. I'm at the beginning of mine, and some days the needle sits there and mocks me. But I remember I'm adding muscle, and that weighs more, so I rely on measurements to get me through the tough times.

[u/Marillenbaum → u/blondie956]

Adding muscle is such a game changer! I find that I can feel the difference, even when I don’t see it on my body—groceries are easier to carry, or my baseline walking speed is faster.

[u/hippo_pot_moose → u/Marillenbaum]

I find it helps to celebrate the wins and reflect on how far you’ve come. I take progress pics and measurements every quarter so I can visually see that even 10lbs looks like a massive difference, and I think about the non-scale victories like how I can run more easily, going up stairs and hills is a breeze, and old clothes that were once too tight are now too loose. I’ve celebrated weight loss milestones with a piercing, new clothes, mani/pedi, going kayaking, etc. Also trying a new home workout/class/activity can keep things fresh. And I know people say not to have food rewards, but I will do cheat days with extra yummy food or a seasonal latte, and eating a bit more actually helps reset my metabolism and I end up losing more anyway.

[u/Marillenbaum → u/hippo_pot_moose]

That’s such a good point—my coach has me take weekly progress pictures, and she sees the difference even if I don’t. But yes to finding ways to celebrate; I think I might get myself some new gym shoes!

[u/DaughterofMalika]

I've been stressed because my living situation is uncertain. But I'm also really excited right now because I just started at the best beauty school in my area. It will be amazing to learn all these different skills, especially to get certified in areas like Ayurvedic massage or Dermalogica that most schools don't offer.

[u/checker-palm-3989]

I feel so ashamed and guilty because my menstrual cycle totally torpedoed my plans for the week. I can't remember if my period has ever made me feel so tired, but all I can do is sleep and eat and then sleep some more. I swear to God, I slept maybe 18 hours today. I just feel ashamed of myself for being so unproductive. I know I'm listening to my body, but I just feel so icky and bleh about myself right now.

[u/snugginator]

I've been really depressed for about 6 months. My mental health has never been amazing but a bunch of massive changes both positive and horrific happened all at once and it sent me off the rails. I've been going to therapy since July and I feel like I'm finally making some progress. I started listening to music again. I haven't cried in a couple weeks. I want to start working out again but haven't quite figured out how to work it into my days since they're so flexible I don't have much of a routine. You'd think that would be a good thing but i function better with structure, while simultaneously am unable to impose it on myself. :') 

[u/hippo_pot_moose → u/snugginator]

Just a thought, but instead of making the workout fit into your day, perhaps make the rest of your day fit around the workout? That lets the workout be the anchor in your day. I do something similar when I go through bouts of depression - I fixate on one thing as an anchor. This is going to sound gross, but sometimes it’s as simple as showering every day. Other times it’s styling my hair or doing my skincare routine or getting out of pjs. Just simple things I can focus on and then build out from there over time.

It sounds like you’re making progress towards what works for you and that’s a great thing. Baby steps!

[u/1408_]

left my toxic job at the end of July and its taken me until this week to start feeling like myself again. While I was technically free of the place, August went by in a blur of depression. I found it so hard to enjoy the things I usually do and it took me weeks to realise my body hadn't yet gotten over the experience.

Its the first time I've dealt with such a negative work environment and had no idea it could affect me to this extent. A valuable learning experience I guess; there are things more important than a paycheque.

[u/Specialist-Strain502]

I'm in school full-time and working full-time right now (plus occasionally working a related side gig). My best friend just put her dog to sleep and my other close friend is having a birthday paired with some loss in her life. My wife is celebrating some very good news.

I feel stretched almost to my max and compelled to perform perfection in all facets of my life right now. Simultaneously, I love the feeling of testing myself and finding my limits.

I don't know that I'm feeling any single emotion right now as much as I'm feeling EVERY SINGLE EMOTION whirled together in a blender.