By Anastasia Burton
It’s not always easy to catch a break when you have college, work, and a million other responsibilities in your life. Often, we find ourselves lost and feeling a little depressed about anything and everything. Your self-esteem lowers when you are upset and so does your desire to go out into the world and put your best foot forward. Therefore, it is important to practice self-love and to embrace yourself the way you are! Below, we have gathered five easy ways that you can practice self-love to prevent you from burning out.
- Time off
Dedicate one day a week to catching up on sleep and resting. This may mean that you can skip college, but one way to avoid being guilty about absence is to choose a day when you only have one or two lectures. Remember, your mental health is more important than lectures and it is completely normal and okay for you to take time off if you need it! Throughout this weekly day-off, you can catch up on some much-needed sleep and do little things that make you feel happy. This is guaranteed to give you more energy the next day and will give you that little bit of self-loving back!
- Meditation
I know that you must be sick of hearing about meditation, however, it is very helpful! Meditation doesn’t have to be you sitting crossed legged somewhere and humming to yourself! It can also be you just sitting back and listening to some music and daydreaming or simply reading a book in silence. It is important to give yourself time to wander in the clouds and take a breather if you feel overwhelmed throughout the day.
- Spa day!
A spa day does not mean you have to go to an expensive beautician and change your entire appearance for a little over the price for a small Gucci bag. A spa day could mean that you can spend an evening applying face masks and making your body feel cleansed. You could take a bubble bath or an extra-long hot shower. Maybe use a body scrub? Possibly give yourself a pedicure and a manicure? Light a yummy smelling candle! Put your favorite undies on! Stay in bed with a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy yourself! Give yourself a little pampering.
- Make a list
This may sound very odd but, writing a list of things you like about yourself will make you feel a lot more confident. For example, “I think I’m good at writing” and “I like my eyes”. Compliments don’t always have to come from someone else to be true. If you like something about yourself then there is no shame in saying it! It is important for you to also understand what your strong features and attributes are. Although it’s nice to receive compliments from third parties, it is a lot better to have the ability and the confidence to look in the mirror and point out all the things that you like about your appearance and then list the things you believe you are good at!
- Make time for friends
Going out with your friends, whether it be for a cup of coffee or a night out, is very important. It’s important to have fun and to get out of the house for some fresh air and company. College life isn’t all about study and getting a job at the end, it’s about building yourself up as a person and a personality. Friends will always try to cheer you up when you are feeling low, will always try their best to bring your confidence up and could also share their thoughts about what they think are your best talents.
Loving yourself isn’t all about looking good, it is also about feeling good. You must feel good about yourself when you look in the mirror and when you are doing something you love. Don’t be afraid to take time off to give yourself a breather and to catch your thoughts. It’s okay not to be okay and to feel like you need a rest. You deserve to be happy and to be loved!