Show Yourself Some Love

For many of us, we work and work and work without ever pausing to take everything in. Rushing through our day-to-day life causes a build-up of stress that takes away our attention. There are simple ways to increase our awareness throughout the day, starting right when we wake up. Instead of looking at a device right when we wake up, taking some deep breaths to really ground ourselves is a better alternative. These deep breaths are calming and allow us to really take everything in. Throughout the day when we notice ourselves nonchalantly scrolling through social media, taking a pause to ask ourselves why we are carrying out that action is helpful in being mindful. When doing a chore as simple as folding clothes or doing the dishes, we can pay attention to the textures, the colors, etc. in our hands. Pausing to notice how we feel/what we are doing in the moment gives ourselves a much needed break. It is okay to say no. Being assertive in our responses helps benefit ourselves. It may feel weird if we are used to being passive, but pushing through that weirdness will do a great deal of positivity. Society deems taking care of ourselves as a selfish action. The stigma around self-care must be deconstructed. The concept of self-love is essential for wellbeing, and it definitely is not something that is optional.