Sitting across from your window, you look out to see the first snowfall of winter. You admire its beauty, despite the coldness which you may or may not like. But you stop what you’re doing to let yourself go with each flake that passes. No matter the time, we should appreciate beauty. No matter if it’s the creation of others or the result of the natural world.
Life can make us stressed. Whether it’s relationship problems, work, school, or even not knowing what to wear the next day. But even when you’re stressed, you can step back to reflect on the fact that this stress is temporary, or reflect on things that you are proud of, that you have gotten through.
When you rejoice in your hobbies, you can look back and think about all you’ve accomplished. The same applies to unlikeable things- even with assignments or projects that feel pointless, you can still carry that sense of accomplishment, you remember you did that.You got through it. You can be proud of yourself and take that in because you deserve it. You deserve to treat yourself with respect and likability.
DEPLETING SELF RESPECT
Many of us have been victims of thinking that we’re worthless due to stress or being unable to see our beauty. Especially in college when work piles up on top of you, you can begin to think that you are useless. But that is not true at all!
We end up spending all our time trying to figure out how to be perfect for a rubric, but we don’t think about our own self-worth and how we are already perfect. Our lives aren’t defined by a rubric, but rather our own happiness. So think about making yourself happy instead!
TAKE A STEP BACK
Remember to take a step back when you feel stressed so you can collect yourself. Rather than pushing yourself to exhaustion, appreciate what you’ve done so far, be proud of yourself, and then resume. You will be able to produce better work when you aren’t drying out all of your creativity.
Even in situations where you aren’t necessarily completing an activity, your stress is valid and you should take a moment to pause. Don’t invalidate your own feelings because you matter just as much as the next person! When you’re feeling stressed, take a moment and breathe. Don’t suffocate yourself for the sake of completion or to please others. Relish in your beauty rather than letting it wilt. Let it stand as a reminder that you are worth it and you deserve the best.
Whether you’re glancing out of back windows, looking at the changing leaves, watching the creation of a winter wonderland, or watching the pool, you’re always looking at beauty. You appreciate other beauty all the time, so why not appreciate you?