As I entered my twenties, I realized that making myself my biggest priority is one of the most important things I should strive to accomplish. Growing up, I noticed that not everyone sticks around and usually, most people have a timer on how long they will stay in my life. If you think about it, at the end of the day, the only person that is going to be with you forever is you. I recently read a quote which made me realize this even more. The quote said “fill up your own cup first, and let them fall in love with the overflow.” This quote perfectly highlights the importance of feeling so full of life by yourself that you don’t need to depend on others to feel happy and loved. For this reason, you, your happiness, and your mental peace should be your biggest priority always. Once I realized this, I started practicing more intentional self-love and self-care.
I’ll be honest, as a college student, you tend to have so much going on that it is hard to take out time to practice self-care. It is easy to allocate time towards everything else, especially with so much schoolwork. However, I promise that if you consciously try to make an effort to take out time, you will not regret it. Discipline is the highest level of self love, and taking out time for self-care will take you closer to that end goal. If you need inspiration or ideas, here are some ways that I practice self-love through self-care:
I. Moving my body
As someone who used to be very athletic and active in high school, I stopped in college. I realized that moving your body in any way, can be so beneficial not only for our bodies, but also our mental health, peace of mind, and self-esteem. Also, keep in mind that everyday is different. You don’t need to do high intensity workouts everyday, but as long as you move your body, it will help. This can also be playing a sport that you love!
II. Watching sunsets as a way of reconnecting with nature
I am a big time sunset lover. It is my favorite way of disconnecting from the world and just existing. Since this brings me so much happiness, I try to make sure that I take out time to go watch it at least once a week. Many times, I’ll go with friends and other times it is my alone time (which is also very important!). I like to sometimes mix sunset watching with reading a book, listening to music or a podcast, or playing spikeball.
III. Skincare and reset Sundays
Take out time to take care of your body and skin. Curating my own routine has allowed me to achieve my skin goals. It also makes me happy knowing that I am investing time into taking care of my skin. Although I can get lazy at times, I try to remind myself that this is a form of self care. My reset Sundays consist of an everything shower, face masks, manicures and pedicures, and adding extra steps in my skincare routine.
IV. Getting ready everyday
I love my daily getting ready time because it is a time for myself. I usually play music to fit the vibe I am feeling that day or put on a TV show/movie. Everyday, I get ready in some sort of way because it allows me to start my day. This can include doing makeup, my hair, skincare, and/or picking out an outfit. It is a time I spend with myself to start my day off right.
A few more things that have helped me that I would recommend are the following:
- Practicing gratitude and meditation
- Stretching and yoga
- Listening to my body when it needs to recover
- Eating food to fuel my body (like a healthy meal) but also eating for the soul (a sweet treat!)
- Surrounding myself with people that lift me up and radiate positive energy (this can be in person, through text, and through FaceTime)
- Finding time for my personal hobbies
- Making sure I have a positive and hard working mindset
I hope this article gives you some ideas. Prioritize yourself and make sure to practice self-love through self-care <3