Let’s be real: the college life is really hard sometimes. While many say it’s the best few years of your life, it can also be some of the hardest. From balancing all your coursework and social life, to late night study sessions and intensive career prep, it’s a lot. Among all the hustle and bustle of your crazy schedule, it’s often easy to forget about everything you’ve accomplished to get here, and all the great things you’ve done to further yourself. Here are a few signs that you aren’t giving yourself the credit you deserve.
1. You aren’t setting aside time for yourself.
Hello #selfcare! Whether you realize it or not, spending time alone is a great way to get in touch with yourself and reflect on things going on in your life. Even if it’s just setting a little time aside one night a week to do a facemask or paint your nails, being alone can be a refreshing way to treat yourself for how hard you work on the daily. Feeling like you need to constantly be on for everyone around you can be exhausting, and at the end of the day the impression you leave on others is not nearly as important as the perception you have of yourself. Taking care of yourself is key to realizing just how boss you really are.
2. You use your busyness as an excuse too often.
It’s too easy to just write off something because you’re “tired”. The fact that you are so tired is reason enough to give yourself a pat on the back! Instead of using it as an excuse, use it as an opportunity to acknowledge all the hard work you’re putting into school. You definitely have a reason to be tired, but more importantly a reason to be proud. Don’t let exhaustion run your thoughts.
3. You’re constantly telling yourself you can do better.
This may be true, but when was the last time you were truly happy with something you accomplished? It’s always good to set goals for yourself and aim high, but it’s also important to celebrate the little victories and triumphs along the way. Setting too high of expectations for yourself can be really toxic and tear you apart. At the end of the day, you are your toughest critic…so why can’t you cut yourself a little slack as well? If you’re not happy with a grade or how something went in your day, take time to put everything into perspective and ask yourself if you did everything you could to the best of your abilities. If the answer is no, then don’t be too hard on yourself, but rather realize there’s always another opportunity waiting for you around the corner.
4. You sweat the small stuff a lot.
It only takes one small thing to ruin your day. If you allow minor inconveniences that are out of your control to add up, you probably aren’t allowing yourself to fully understand the scale of the situation. Having the ability to realize these small things aren’t important can give you a whole new outlook on yourself. At the end of the day, look back and note everything good that you accomplished. The reassurance of telling yourself that you did A, B and C even when things went wrong will really help you give yourself some credit and realize that good things can still come out of what you perceive as a bad day.
5. You don’t realize the weight of other’s compliments.
When someone else notices how hard you work and says something about it to you, it’s easy to not believe them. It may take a while to realize, but if they are taking the time to point it out to you, it’s probably true. Don’t just brush these compliments off to the side. If you are having trouble giving yourself credit, listen to the people around you. Your friends and family see things that you often might not see in yourself, so hearing it from another person might be the reassurance you need. The people who love you only want the best for you and want you to realize that too. Next time someone compliments your work ethic or something else about you, really take time to listen and realize the weight of it on your self-confidence.
If you aren’t giving yourself the credit you deserve, it’s time to start now. Odds are you have worked really hard to get where you are and need only time to realize that. Don’t second guess yourself, make sure to always reflect on your accomplishments and learn from your mistakes. You are a queen and deserve to recognize that yourself!