College is an extremely comparative time in our lives, from grades to internships to our image, and it can be easy to get lost in the constant comparisons. While it can be difficult to overcome these feelings, practicing self-love can help to boost confidence in yourself and your abilities. We’re all at college for a reason, and it is important to recognize our value!
Daily gratitudeÂ
Being able to recognize the good and great things happening in your life is important, especially when you aren’t feeling fantastic. Having the ability to pause before having a crashout to realize what is going well in your life is very critical, especially in college. Practicing daily gratitude can help your brain prepare for uncomfortable situations, and improve your view of your own life.
meditation
Meditation has been used for hundreds of years by all kinds of people, and there’s a reason! Mediation can help center your thoughts, relax in a moment of stress, and take time for yourself. Meditating every day might seem challenging, but taking a few minutes to help yourself in the long run seems worth it to me. It can also be what you make of it; make your own definition of meditation, if that’s simply going outside and getting sun on your face, or doing a guided meditation through a class or an online resource.Â
Positive self-talk
It can be incredibly difficult to change your mindset around self-worth and value, but it can make such a difference in your everyday life, from relationships to school work.
Using “I can” statements is one method that is fairly common and simple. While going through your day, whenever you have a random “bad” thought, tell yourself “I can…” or “I am…” to fill in the blanks with something positive about yourself.
For example, you could think “I can do these assignments and I am smart.” They can be as simple as “I am strong” or however complicated you want. I think the simpler, the better, just because it’s easier to think of something short in a quick second. There are lots of different methods of positive self-talk, so find what works best for you!
build a support network
Having a healthy group of supportive friends is so important in college, as it can be a very isolating period of your life. Finding a community that accepts you and that you enjoy being around is such a vital part of college, and having people that you can truly express your feelings to who will actually listen and help you out is very important. Many people find community through clubs and organizations, but don’t be afraid to talk to random people in your classes or within your major.
take care of your body
Fueling your body is critical for taking care of yourself. Your body and what you put into it directly correlates to your energy levels, which can influence your mental state.
Making sure to keep a balanced diet can be difficult in college, with staying on a budget, but just trying to make sure you are fueling yourself with enough food to sustain all of your activities and academics. College can also have a very toxic diet culture, which can lead to lots of body comparisons, but try to stay true to yourself and recognize what your body needs is different from everyone else’s.
You don’t need to look a certain way, or be a certain size, to be a good and beautiful person.Â