I know the title I chose for this article does sound a little cocky, but with all the changes I’ve been through these past few years, I feel qualified to label myself as a master in the arts of self-help. It’s certainly not easy going from a complete train-wreck in every way to a functioning contributor to society, but I did it, and as difficult as it may be, hopefully this article will make it a little easier for you.

A Little Bit About My “Journey”

The reason I say “journey” is because I don’t really believe that it’s a journey. I think it’s more of a process. Though many self-help gurus refer to different situations as journeys, I feel that the word implies too much that it’s some completely life-altering decade-long endeavor that’s entirely on one person to set out on. Although we’ve already established that it’s not easy, it’s also not as hard as many people make it seem, and not as scary as you may think.

Anyways, a little bit about me and ow my life changed. I used to have severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as well as a debilitating case of Major Depression. My relationships with friends and family were crumbling around me, and it felt like I was drowning in the debris. Some days I would eat my feelings away, other days I would eat nothing at all. At school and work, my attendance plummeted. By the time my coworkers and boss had started to get frustrated with me, I just quit because I didn’t want my pride to have to take the hit from getting fired. I had low grades and no money, which only made me more miserable than I already was. I had become so lonely and unhappy, that I’d started snapping at the people around me, even the ones who wanted to help.

I felt myself becoming insufferable to the point that I couldn’t stand to be around myself. I was angry and sad, and my physical state was no better. Garbage was piling up around my apartment, and I was incredibly out of shape. I was constantly sick, but too embarrassed to take myself to the doctor.

Fast forward to present day. I have a new job, new friends, and am in the best physical shape I’ve ever been in. I’m at the top of my class, and between studying and work, I even have time for fun. I have a healthy relationship with my family, and have discovered so many new hobbies that I love, like boxing, surfing, painting, and, of course, blogging. I’m even in a long-term relationship with the man who I consider to be my soulmate. I’ve learned to control and cope with my mental illness, and although it’s an everyday battle, I’m finally strong enough to know that I am above it.

But besides all of the external stuff (which totally helps, but isn’t always needed), I’m happy with myself, which is the most important part, and the best thing any human being could ask for.

How I Got Here

Let me start this section off with a disclaimer: if you’re a victim of mental illness, like me, the first step is to find professional help. As much as I love every single one of my readers and want my writing to help people become the best possible version of themselves, seeing a professional is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. My healing process would not have been possible without my therapist or my psychiatrist-prescribed medication. Finding the right help is always the first step.

Now that we’ve gotten that established, it’s time to get to the real meat and potatoes of this article: how can I change my life for the better?

Obviously, there’s a million different answers to that question, depending on who you ask. When you ask me, I respond with three words: MAKE. YOUR. BED.

The reason I respond only with three words is simple. Going back to the difference between a “journey” and a “process”, making your bed everyday is not a journey. It is not 40 days in the desert with no food or water. It also won’t solve your problems. Your student loans won’t get any better. Your relationship with your dad won’t become any less tragic. Your boss won’t be any less of a d-bag.

Solving these problems would be a journey. It would be a whole 40 days in the desert, plus another month in the arctic tundras. This is because those problems are ones that we, as human beings, are unable to control.

We can, however, control when our bed is or isn’t made. Whether you wake up at the crack of dawn or half past noon, make your bed when you get out so you can undo it again every night. Smooth out any wrinkles in the sheets. Fluff up your pillows. Tuck in the corners. Make it spotless.

Really? That’s it?

Yes. That’s all.

I realize how ridiculous it sounds, but yes, making my bed every day did change my life. I have been to rock bottom and back, and all I have to say about it is the truth.

Making your bed every day is probably the easiest thing that you can do to rewire your miserable brain to feel a little bit better about itself. The best thing about it is that, compared to all the other self-help remedies out there, making your bed isn’t a sacrifice. It may be a chore at first, but basically anyone can do it. It’s no juice-cleanse diet or 12-step program. It’s just moving some sheets around every morning.

Still Not Convinced?

If you’ve read this far, you’re obviously looking for some quick and easy remedy for your unhappiness, so I believe you owe it to yourself to try it, even if it’s just for a few days. But if you’re still looking for a tangible explanation, I can offer you one.

Think of the process by which one’s bed is made. You undo last night’s effects on the your bed’s presentation by pulling your sheets straight, maybe folding over the top of the covers, and set all your pillows up parallel to the headboard, nice and pretty. Smooth out the wrinkles some, then maybe tuck some loose corners under the mattress. Then, as expected, you undo all of your hard work to sneak back under the covers later that same day.

Don’t like the idea of a cycle? Think you might get bored? Easy fix. Move some pillows around, maybe try a throw blanket. Maybe even a stuffed animal, or two, moving them to a different spot every day just for the sake of variety.

Now think about the process at a distance. Putting in the work for the sake of taking it all apart when the time comes. Making something pretty just to take it back apart. Honoring your space for rest. Doesn’t it now seem a little more deep than before?

Let’s Think About the Psychology

Doing something so simple as making your bed every day won’t actually be that big of a deal to you, especially when compared to all the other things you might have already tried that were supposed to “change” everything. However, it’s not the conscious effect that matters when you’re trying to improve your situation; in reality, it’s the unconscious that matters.

When you’re making the effort to build a habit, you’re paying much more attention to what exactly it is that you’re doing. It’s also likely that you’ll get caught up in what exactly it is that you’re doing, paying a little bit more attention to detail every day.

It doesn’t take long for your subconscious to start catching up. When you’re making your bed, you’re putting in work to see some appealing results – which in this case, is a nicely made bed – that you’re equally ready to take down that same day. This simple ritual makes you, as a person, more ready to receive change, making change more likely to come to you. It also makes you more flexible and less attached, making it easier to stay grounded when things fall apart.

When you push yourself to make your bed every day, you’re essentially re-wiring your brain to make change happen. Once your brain has the visual of a well-kept bed, it knows that it’s time to get ready for change and actually make change happen, and all you have left to do is to let yourself welcome that change.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the psychological benefits, it might even promote productivity. For example, if I walked into my room during the day, with the intention of laying in bed on my phone for the rest of the day, I might do a double take after seeing my bed and being reminded of all the effort I put into making my bed look pretty, and think twice about messing it all up for a non-sleeping purpose. Instead, I might go for a walk or bake some cookies.

Alternatively, I might walk into my room and think about how nice it looks with the bed well made, and want my room to look even nicer, thus motivating me to clean up the rest of my room, too.

Many research studies on the science behind sleep also conclude that sleep worsens when you are using your bed for anything other than sleep or sexual activity. Therefore, to getting in bed because it’s already made can even improve your quality of sleep. Talk about a bonus!

In Conclusion…

Making your bed is making your mindset. In the whirlwind that is life, we often find ourselves trying to gain control over the things that are seemingly falling apart around us. However, we can control the way we think and the way we attract positive change, and fortunately for us, it’s a lot easier than it seems. Reaching your subconscious mind with simple actions is the first step, and maybe even the second and third. Once you take the initiative to control your mind, all that’s left to do is to sit back and let everything fall into place.

All that being said, it’s your responsibility to start the process, but once the wheels are turning, they turn on their own.

Thank you for reading my article and supporting my blog, Minds for the Soul. You’re welcome to leave any questions, comments, or concerns below, and even more welcome to subscribe for more articles on personal health and well-being. I leave you with a full and open heart, hoping that you have the same, and call you, my reader, to action, with this one simple phrase:

MAKE. YOUR. BED!