Taking care of yourself isn’t just about an occasional spa night with facemasks, a comfy chair, and your favorite Netflix show. While this night routine hits the spot after a long, stressful school week, it is important to take the time to focus on your mental, physical, and emotional health.
It seems that so many girls on Tik-Tok are hyper focused on body image videos for a “summer body” or “what I eat in a day” videos to preach an all too perfect diet. This content is truly unhealthy for girls, because we all have unique needs in order to feel our best. A social media influencer that I frequently watch is Katelynn Nolan. Katelynn’s videos have inspired me to incorporate self-care into my daily routine. Because her little tips have brought a lot of motivation and positivity into my daily routine, I knew that I wanted to share them with every girl who reads this!
Here are some of her tips that I try to incorporate into my daily lifestyle:
- Try new and fun healthy foods
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Food is fuel, and you want to feed your body the foods that you both crave and know that your body will be satisfied with. I love to start my mornings with food that keeps me energized but also satisfies my sweet tooth. My current go-to breakfast is baked sweet potato slices covered in peanut butter, honey, banana, and cinnamon.
- 3 affirmations every morning in the mirror
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Affirmations are powerful in that when you repeatedly write or say them, you start to believe them. Affirmations can be any little positive thought or compliment to myself to start my day off with self love. While it may seem intimidating at first to stare into the mirror and really hype yourself up, I promise it is rewarding. Each morning I try to jot down or look at myself and say phrases like, “I welcome positive relationships into my life,” “I am destined for success,” or “I look good today.”
- Put your thoughts in writing
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Whenever I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I take a step back, take a breath, and write out my thoughts. Sometimes I do this on paper while other times my phone notes do the trick. Writing your thoughts clears your head, and helps organize your thoughts into a more comprehensive visual.
- Gifts To Yourself
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You work so hard, and after a stressful activity, or out of the blue, you should treat yourself. This could be anything from buying yourself a coffee, to picking flowers and putting them in a vase, or allowing yourself to purchase that shirt that has been sitting in your shopping cart all week.
- Get Moving
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As the weather gets nicer, I am re-motivated to get outside and get moving. If you like to run, a morning run is an amazing way I like to destress and listen to my favorite music. If you aren’t big on running, gather your friends and go on a walk. Take advantage of your surroundings and drive to the beach, a pretty neighborhood, or a local park for a change of scenery.
- Schedule Friend Dates
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When we are overloaded with work, it may seem like you have to isolate yourself and do nothing but work. This is not the case- we all need a break. Rest fuels us, and being surrounded by friends and family brings fun and positivity into your day. Even during finals week, schedule to get ice cream with a friend, or even a coffee study date.