What My Twenties Are Teaching Me : Self-love
Your twenties are defined as a decade of self-development. You’re in the process of working hard now to enjoy life later. I’m constantly thinking of what I need to do, want to do, change about my life, improve in, etc., but, while my mind is on this mission, I often stop to think about my progression in key areas: mental, physical, goal, interest, and everything related. Although I’m at the youthful age of 22, I still want to share how I’m evolving in the hopes of inspiring those around me, helping those who may need guidance, and in return, gaining knowledge that will help me along the way.
Self-Love
ˈˌself ˈləv/
noun
1. regard for one's own well-being and happiness (chiefly considered as a desirable rather than narcissistic characteristic).
The promotion of self-love is circulating through our generation, and we’re all along for the ride. It’s beautiful to see and feel the impact that loving oneself can have on the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of a person.
Google’s definition of self-love is spot on. The ultimate result of self-love is happiness. This can mean doing whatever you feel that brings contentment, and not only for a short amount of time (as materialistic items tend to do) but continuously. By positively feeding into your mental health, your physical health, and your emotional health, all aspects that should be tended to with care, you will progressively display positive change.
At 22, I’m more in tune with what I like, how I’ll spend my time, and what deserves my attention. Some of my favorite mental reminders include: I am not obligated to do anything I don’t want to, and, no one else’s happiness is my responsibility except my own. By keeping these in mind, I’m allowing less stress, and worry into my world which results in positive self-love.
• Everyone has different meanings of the term. Your self-love will look different from someone else’s but as long as you’re making choices that are healthy for your mind, body, and soul, and that don’t affect anyone negatively, you should ultimately be fine
• Materials bring momentary happiness. Don’t get me wrong, every now and then, I treat myself, but I don’t rely on clothing or shoes to bring me happiness because you’ve had a bad day, or something isn’t going right, ya know?
• It’s okay to take a day off, it’s okay to not answer the phone, it’s okay to disappear from social media, it’s okay to say “no”. It’s called self-love, and you should do it as often as needed.
Reading & Journaling – Majority of us tend to get submerged in our everyday activities which affect our mental health. If you ever feel overwhelmed with life, take a moment to grab a journal, a piece of paper (even a napkin will do) and jot down what’s causing you to feel this way. Follow this by writing down how you can overcome it, solve the issue, or what steps are needed for it to not be such a mentally harming situation. If you’re not a fan of journaling, simply pick up a book. There are so many options that can help put your thoughts in order and ultimately guide you in life.
Beauty – One of my favorite forms of displaying self-love: skin & hair care! Lately, most of my money has been going to beauty products (which means hella product reviews this year). I find it extremely relaxing to come home, wash my face, apply my choice of mask, and follow through with my skincare routine. A few of my favorite beauty products are pictured.
Music – Another way I chose to decompress after a long day is by vibing to a few of my favorite stations on Pandora. My favorites are linked below.
I hope that this post has given you the chance to think about your form of self-love, and has provided you with practices to implement in your life.
With love,
