Being a woman in this day and age, I have found myself constantly battling with my self-image, how society perceives me, and whether I am or ever will be fully satisfied with my life. The term “YOLO” is one that I have been trying to incorporate into my daily routine for the past six months, and as of recently, it has finally begun to work. I have never been happier or more content. I have made myself my number one priority and found new things that fulfill me. Life is beautiful, and ever since I started really trying to make the most out of it, I found true happiness within myself. Here are 5 ways that helped me fall back in love with myself as a person and my life as a whole, and I hope they can help others out there as well.
1. start writing your thoughts/emotions down
Journaling was something that really helped me in my journey to self-satisfaction. I began writing down the good and bad that was going on in my life and my emotions throughout it all. I am now a firm believer that writing down your feelings allows you to process them deeper and begin to make the changes you want to make.
2. Move your body
Throughout high school and my first year of college, I occasionally went to the gym and lifted weights or ran but this year I decided to take the gym very seriously (and I have never been better). I feel more confident in my physical appearance and my mental health is great. You might ask though, “What if weightlifting is just not my thing?”, well I would recommend going to the Rec and trying one of the many classes offered and seeing what you like best! Any movement is better than none.
3. FEED YOUR BRAIN
Eating is always something I have struggled with. I constantly found myself eating too little, too much, or just not the right food for my body. However, I have started focusing on eating 80% “good” food (increasing my intake of fruits, veggies, and protein) and 20% “soul” food (the sweet treats and other snacks that I love so much). Food is fuel! I used to not enjoy eating but ever since I changed my mindset and found what works for me, I love it.
4. Find comfort in being alone
Alone time was an idea I always used to hate. I felt like I had to be with people to be happy and now I have learned that is not the case. I have learned so much more about myself by being alone. I have discovered new strengths and weaknesses and conquered personal battles that no one else could have done for me. BEING ALONE DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO FEEL ALONE. Work on yourself, for yourself, by yourself, and I promise life will only go up from there.
5. Meet New People
Once I was finally contemptuous with myself and was okay with being alone, I set out to find new friendships. Friendship is a beautiful thing, especially as we are getting older. I started focusing on the relationships that made my heart happy and spent more time with people who made me feel valued and appreciated. Your people are out there, and it might not seem like it at times but I promise you they are. Talk to that person in your class or that you see in the dining hall all the time, they could be your next best friend.
Ever since I started wanting to become the best version of myself, these 5 tips helped me the most. Life is what you make out of it. Read a new book, meet new people, go to a Pilates class, try a new skincare product, or whatever your heart desires. I am so thankful for my self-reflection journey, the ups and the downs, and I can’t wait to keep growing.