Although many collegiettes have returned to college and resumed a somewhat-normal life as the “Stay at Home Order” lifted, a great number of students are still stuck at home due to online classes. During these demanding times, balancing classes, work, a social life and staying safe can cause a considerable amount of stress. Most importantly, mental health can easily and rapidly decline as we become caught up in comparing ourselves to others (especially while being at home for an extended amount of time during the pandemic), whether it be through physical appearance, weight, or health in general.
Despite the many internal battles we face throughout our lives, it’s essential to practice self care, self love, and body positivity to increase our confidence and boost our mental health- all while learning to love ourselves. As more time passes by while I am stuck at home, I’ve used the past seven months to learn more about myself than ever before, as well as techniques to loving myself.
Positive Affirmations and Gratitude
If you are obsessed with Tiktok like myself, you’re bound to have come across a video based on positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are positive statements you consistently tell yourself to defeat self-doubt and negativity. Basically, the more positive statements you tell yourself, the more likely you’ll begin to think positively. I personally like to use these when I feel less confident in my body to aid my self-esteem. Although it can be a challenge to turn into a habit, your confidence will definitely begin to boost once you drown out your inner negative thoughts. Below are some of my favorite affirmations to begin my day:
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“It’s a beautiful day to be alive.” -Whitney Simmons
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I love and approve of myself.
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I take pleasure in my own solitude.
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I trust myself.
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I am happy in my own skin.
Related: Daily Positive Affirmations
Establish a Positive Environment
In a world full of negativity, it can often be difficult to find peace of mind when it comes to surrounding ourselves with true supportive friends, especially on social media. When it comes to self love, body positivity, and comparing ourselves to others it is important to establish a positive environment where you don’t feel judged or looked down upon. Over the past couple years, I have learned to cut ties with individuals who talked poorly of me or didn’t make me feel well as the relationships became toxic. Although it sounds like a harsh topic, sometimes it needs to happen if the relationship cannot be fixed.
Another factor to consider when establishing a positive environment is social media. Since I downloaded every single social media there is, I found myself guilty of comparing myself to others almost everyday. Once I realized how unhealthy this was for my mental health, I began doing something I like to call a “social media cleanup.” Basically, once a month or so I will go through people I follow, specifically influencers. If I do not have a specific reason to follow them, such as for health and fitness content, I unfollow them as I am constantly comparing myself to them. Since I have begun doing this, my body positivity rose a ton as I have learned to appreciate my own body.
Ditch the Scale and Focus on How You Feel
Throughout my whole life, I have always focused on my weight and personal appearance. I was never the “skinny” girl and always felt uncomfortable in tighter clothes that would show off my true form. Although I began to workout and live a healthier lifestyle, I started to turn to the scale to see my results instead of focussing on how well I felt after a workout and the physical changes I began to see. With that being said, ditch the scale!
Instead of becoming fixated on numbers from a scale, track progress by realizing how much stronger you’re becoming and mentally feel after working on yourself. By doing so, you’ll be able to enjoy living a healthy lifestyle even more while boosting your body positivity.
Related: Why Fixating on Your Weight in College is so Unhealthy
Thank Your Body for Everything it Does
Our bodies are truly amazing- they give us strength and carry our most vital functions. At the end of the day, we only have one body. It’s important to realize how much our bodies do for us daily and treat ourselves properly. Personally, I think this is where body positivity comes in handy. The human body does so much for us. Instead of thinking about the negatives we perceive in regards to our physical appearance, we should remember all bodies are made differently, and we are all beautiful in different ways.
As our time in quarantine begins to tread by, try to be more kind to yourself. Wake up and recite positive affirmations. Surround yourself with a supportive community. Compliment your body and pay attention to how you feel. Remember, all bodies are diverse and beautiful in their own ways!