Self Care

This is something that everyone struggles with and in today’s modern age of constant comparison, it can become almost too heavy a weight to carry. This past year was really eye-opening and showed me that this is something I need to make more of an active effort to make time for. It can be easy to get swept up into everyday life and it can quickly become a habit to stop making time for yourself. In this post, I’m going to discuss some of my favorite ways of showing myself self-love.

Hobbies

Making time for hobbies is a great way to love yourself since these are likely the first things to be sacrificed when life gets busy. Two of my favorite hobbies are reading and photography. This summer I’ve been taking time to myself to read a little every day. This is a great use of my time since it also helps to improve my writing, so I’m really killing two birds with one stone on this one. Photography is a hobby that inspires me while also getting me out of the house. Nature always makes me feel more like myself and reminds me how small my problems are in comparison to the vast universe.

Skin Care

The time I spend over my bathroom sink before bed is sometimes my favorite part of the day. There have been times when I compromised on my routine because people told me it took too long and I was anxious to go hang out with them but I have since realized the true importance to taking this time for yourself. Washing your face clean after a terrible day is a therapeutic experience on a whole other level.

Therapy

Therapy is something I have always been super open about talking about because I think that’s an important step towards breaking the stigma around it in order for people to feel comfortable in seeking the help they need. My therapist has helped me realize how much the people in my life have affected me and that not everything that goes wrong is my fault. She has taught me that I deserve to be treated better, that I am resilient and that it’s ok to not always be ok. Whenever I am about to make a decision I think about what she would say about it. This helps me every day because unhealthy behaviors become habits so in order to improve your mental health, you have to take a serious look at the motivations behind the choices you make.

Music

Whether I’m laying in bed or dancing in front of my mirror, music is almost constantly playing in my room. I think it’s the best way to either relax or get hyped up. It’s also a fabulous way to get out of your own head a little bit. Every night before bed I watch this Frank Ocean Blonde tribute video that relaxes me while also reminding me of all the beauty of the world. It also reminds me of my friends and happy times in my life so that’s a plus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5WWyyYG018 (Frank Ocean Video)

Meditation

I use the app HeadSpace to meditate. I have a whole other post dedicated to it (to be released soon) but I think this is also a perfect place to mention it. I take 10 minutes each night to sit in silence, being mindful of how I feel and how my day went. This is also a great thing to do if you feel a panic attack coming on or are overwhelmed with negative emotions. It clears my mind and helps me re-focus on what really matters. HeadSpace is a great tool for meditating because it teaches you tricks to help you be mindful throughout the entire day.