Don’t Ruin Yourself With Self-Care

If your recommended page looks anything like mine, self-care is one of the most highly discussed topics. The problem is that many people talk about it in a really overwhelming way. “You NEED to go to the gym and here are the high intensity workouts that you should do,” “My 12-step skincare routine is the way to go,” “This is how you should be doing your curly hair every day for it to look good! Also by the way, it takes an hour and a half every single time!” That’s a lot! Look, self-care is important but it should also be fun! If you want to do all that and that’s what works best for you, then by all means! However, it can be easy to get overwhelmed, especially as a busy and broke college girl- trust me, I know. 

Let’s start with, what is self-care?

Well, it can mean a lot of different things. How I like to think of it is just whatever you do to take care of your physical health and cleanliness, along with whatever else you like to do to make yourself feel better and more confident. It is SO subjective. Not only does the definition of self-care differ from person to person, but also just by the month, week, day and hour. Maybe one day, your self-care is going to the gym in the morning, getting out by 8 a.m. and studying all day. Maybe the next day it’s sleeping in until noon and just relaxing and not talking to anyone all day. Both of those are perfectly valid! Self-care is all about knowing yourself and knowing what you need to do for yourself. But, it is always good to have a general routine to fall back on. 

Five General Self-Care Tips

Making your self-care routine takes a lot of trial and error and you need to be okay with making changes to it depending on whatever life might throw at you. I am still working on and honing in on my own routine, but for now, I have found one that works well for me. I can’t tell you what’s best for you, but here are some things that I do for myself that I love:

Get outside every day:

People underestimate the extent that getting some fresh air and sunlight every day can help to increase your well-being. When I have periods of feeling just generally down, I give myself some time to just be outside, no matter what the weather is. If it’s cold, bundle up! A 15-minute walk or just reading on a bench in a park for an hour can do more than you would believe.

Wash your face:

While it can feel like such a chore, especially when you are first starting out, it’s so incredibly important. First of all, if you’re anything like me, one pimple can ruin your self confidence. So why not take a few minutes twice a day to try to prevent them? But past that, it just helps you with cleanliness and routine. If you make it a part of your daily routine- every morning and night- it can help you get better sleep at night, as well as feel ready for the day in the mornings. Not only can washing your face help with cleanliness and aesthetics, it can also help just to have a set nighttime and morning routine. Washing my face at night helps me feel prepared to go to bed; it feels harder to sleep if I skip that part of my routine. 

Wear what makes you feel comfortable and confident:

Clothing can be a method of self-expression, so express yourself! Wear clothes that you love. Don’t put something on that makes you feel uncomfortable. A good outfit can be such an easy way to improve your self confidence. I love to just throw on a pair of jeans and a cute top. Denim is so easy to make you look more put together, even if you really just grabbed the first pair of jeans you could find and a random comfy top that you like (that’s what I do most of the time). 

Avoid comparing yourself:

Former President Theodore Roosevelt’s quote, “Comparison is the thief of joy,” while overused, is still incredibly true. There are so many gorgeous girls out there. You might think their outfit is super cute, you might think their hair or makeup looks flawless or maybe you just think they are incredibly naturally beautiful. It can be easy to see these girls and just loathe them. “I will never be able to give what she is giving right now,” “Why can’t I look like that?” Oh my God, I’ve been there. This is maybe the worst feeling on the planet Earth. Yes, there are sooo many gorgeous girls out there, but who’s to say you aren’t one of them? Instead of comparing yourself to her and loathing her, just talk to her. Give her a compliment and I can guess that she’ll give you one too. I’ve had experiences with girls I’ve been jealous of telling me that they had the exact same thoughts about me. If you’re struggling with comparison, I can promise you that you are not alone and I bet you have been the girl that someone else has been jealous of before. You are so beautiful! No matter what insecurities you may have, I promise you that you are perfect the way that you are. 

If you just cannot push those thoughts out of your head though, that’s OK! It’s so hard. Try to find a girl that you think you have some things in common with. Bonus points if those are things you are personally insecure about. Do you think she’s beautiful? Do you think that those traits that you have in common make her even more gorgeous? I bet that your answers to both of those questions are “Yes, absolutely!” So what makes those traits different on you than on someone else? If you’re stuck in a slump of comparisons, try to make them positive. 

Treat yourself:

While self-care is really important, don’t get caught up. Sometimes self-care can be taking a break. It’s OK to miss washing your face a few mornings. It’s OK to sleep in or take that nap. It’s OK to miss a day at the gym. And it’s definitely OK to get that sweet treat (or two…)! Buy yourself that $7 sugary coffee, get that cookie, make those brownies, eat a burger and fries. It’s been proven that eating healthy can benefit your physical health a lot, but it’s also important to pay attention to your mental health. Don’t stress too much about what you eat. Let yourself have some fun. A girl needs a sweet treat every once in a while. Having a few unhealthy foods won’t immediately make you gain 10 pounds, and honestly, if it does, don’t worry about it! Weight fluctuates, especially during college, and that’s okay! College students are facing a lot of changes along with just growing and aging. Your body is not going to look the same as it did when you were 16. That’s perfectly fine! Embrace the change. You are so beautiful. 

At the end of the day, self-care looks different for everyone. We all have different goals, backgrounds and ideals. Your self-care routine is going to reflect those individualities. At the end of the day, the goal should just be to take care of your body and your mind. Don’t forget about taking care of your mind! Mental health matters, we all know this. Do what you need for yourself. Don’t push yourself too hard to be perfect and don’t stress yourself out too much about anything. I can promise you that you are so beautiful and smart. Be kind to yourself and love yourself. And don’t forget to grab that sweet treat!

• confidence
• mental health
• self care