When the New Year starts, I usually make resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, or to get straight As. However, this 2022 New Year, I decided to change it up and not work on superficial things or trying to be perfect. I decided that this was going to be the year where I love myself and put myself first. So far, I’ve been feeling extremely great and plan on continuing this for a while. Here’s what I’ve been doing:
Forgiving Myself
Everyone makes mistakes and it’s totally okay. So, when I make mistakes like not waking up extra early to do homework or forgetting to do one assignment on MyLab, I tell myself “Yes, that was a mistake. But there is always next time to do and be better.” Being able to forgive myself has been a breath of fresh air. I used to be such a perfectionist and would beat myself up for even the smallest mistakes. By giving myself room to mess up or understanding why I couldn’t do something has helped improve my mental health.
Taking the Time to Take Longer Showers
It’s such a small thing that I do maybe 2x a week, but it genuinely makes me feel happy. My showers usually last 5-10 minutes because I always feel like I’m in a rush and have a million things to do. But since taking time out of my week to take a longer shower, I’ve been able to relax a bit and take care of my body. These longer showers consist of using BOTH shampoo and conditioner and massaging my scalp. I also take the time to really massage my facial cleanser into my skin. The best part of my longer showers is my sugar scrub. I used to think that I would never be able to use “fancy” things like sugar scrubs. But now that I’m loving myself, my skin and I deserve that sweet sugar on me!
Admiring My Body
I be sure to smile when I look at myself in the mirror, even if I don’t 100% love what I see.
I no longer look like how I did in high school. I was 90 pounds and had an unhealthy obsession with working out. But that was years ago, and I acknowledge that I will probably never be able to have that specific body type ever again due to puberty and my body changing. I am not 160 pounds, and I sometimes can’t walk without feeling like the button of my pants is going to pop. But that’s okay! Before moving to the dorms, I lived an extremely stressful life and had multiple illnesses to deal with. My body getting bigger was its way of surviving against what I was dealing with. I now admire every curve and stretch mark on me. I thank my body for taking care of me. And I be sure to smile when I look at myself in the mirror, even if I don’t 100% love what I see.
It has only been 2 months into the New Year, and I have fallen in love with myself so much. My body and mind are spectacular, and I am so grateful that I am able to live with this body. The sugar scrubs and extra hours of sleep are amazing, but nothing will ever beat the feeling of knowing that I am beautiful whether I have exfoliated skin or no eye bags. I hope that as the year progresses, I’ll be able to fall in love with myself 10000x more.