“the world

gives you

so much pain

and here you are

making gold out of it

-there is nothing purer than that”

-Rupi Kaur

This week I thought it would be good to talk to you about what I do to improve my own self- love. What kinds of activities am I doing regularly or every day to ensure that I am loving myself?

Image Credit: http://tdfitness.net/my-daily-routine/

Some days are obviously more challenging than others, at least for me. I like to think that everyone probably has this issue; I don’t know how some could not, actually. There are days where I take plenty of time to relax and clear my mind and treat myself right and there are plenty of other days that I am forgetting to make myself a priority. At the end of days of the latter kind I feel down, often sad or disappointed in myself. I may be angry or frustrated, and then I realize that I could’ve done different things throughout the day to help me feel at least a bit better.

Of course, there are always things we can’t help. There are parts of our days and our lives that are just negative but that we have no control over. But, as I sit here thinking while I type this, I can’t help but to agree with the cliché that we can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to what happens to us and how we allow it to affect us. Always easier said than done, of course.

So what do I try to do regularly to be at my personal best? For a while I would meditate when I woke up in the morning. While I slowly stopped doing that, I have wanted to get back into it. I personally am someone who always has a ton on my mind so meditating is a huge challenge for me. However, I think that further proves the point that I need to try to stick to it and I feel it is still a good way to start my day feeling fresh.

Image Credit:https://www.headspace.com

It is also important for me to start my day with a good breakfast. Of course, I have days here and there when I don’t really eat breakfast or I take that frightening trip to get McDonald’s breakfast. However, I feel my best when I wake up in the morning with enough time to make myself a nutritious, protein-rich breakfast and maybe even a cup of coffee. The mornings that I do this typically lead to days where I am not as hungry and have more energy.

Image Credit: https://www.onnit.com/academy/skip-breakfast-get-ripped/

Something else that I am definitely good at is relaxing. I always have a bunch of schoolwork to get done or other productive things I could be doing like checking off my “To Do” list. That said, while I try to be productive, I also recognize the importance in checking items off of my Netflix List as well. We all need to take moments to sit down and just do something that we enjoy, or something that will take our minds off of all the other stuff we are “supposed” to do. Of course, sometimes I get carried away and catch myself binge watching my new favorite show (okay, a lot of times), but it’s okay as long as I’m still completing the To-Do list, right?

Image Credit: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/netflix/deceagebecbceejblnlcjooeohmmeldh

I’m sure that many people show themselves some love by making sure they get at least eight hours of sleep a night, or whatever magic number works for you. Personally, I like to stay up until at least midnight and fit in time for a quick nap throughout the day; who’s with me here?

Finally, something I try to do regularly in order to feel my best is go to the gym. I am far from perfect when it comes to the gym. I fail to go every day, and I am certainly not the most impressive performer while I am there. However, I notice that mentally I feel my best when I go to the gym. Even if I only go for twenty minutes and get in something quick, or even if I do some small activities in the comfort of my home, I love how my mind is clear and my body feels great afterwards. Of course, life gets busy sometimes and I will admit that personally it is easy for me to give up the gym before something else sometimes, but I try to get back into it as soon as possible!

Anyway, these are my personal ways to regularly love myself. Hopefully, this gave you some ideas of what you can try doing to improve your own self-love. If you have different ways that you improve your own self-love that I did not mention, I would love to hear them!

By Chanelle Surphlis

Chanelle Surphlis is a Campus Clipper publishing intern, who is graduating from FIT this May. Passionate about giving back and pursuing volunteer opportunities, Chanelle aspires to work for a fashion or beauty company that includes philanthropy in its core values. If you like Chanelle’s writing, check out her blogs here and here. We have the most talented interns ever and we’re so proud of them! For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.