Here’s the thing: self-love is unfairly underrated. In fact, not only is it underrated, it’s given a bad rep. Somehow, being good to your body and soul has often been termed lazy, selfish, or even a waste of time. Think about it: when was the last time you got a chance to paint your nails, take a really long shower, or enjoy a scoop of your favorite ice cream without feeling a little guilty for one reason or another?
First of all, know that you have nothing to feel guilty about.
Secondly, being good to you does not mean you’re hurting anyone else, even if other people make you feel that way. You prioritizing the way you feel about your body and your mindset doesn’t inhibit other people from doing the same thing, nor does it mean you’re not working as hard as other people. Plus, its actually scientifically proven that doing things for YOU will help make you happier and healthier!
That being said, it can be hard to make yourself a priority, especially if you have a lot going on. There’s always that little voice: I could be doing something for someone else right now. I could be making dinner for someone. I could be doing more work for someone. I could be supporting someone.
To make things easier, here are some little ways to love yourself throughout the week. And they all avoid straining your wallet, your heart, and your mind.
Fancy Drinks
I don’t know about everyone else, but there’s something about fancy beverages that just brighten up my day. No matter what time of year it is, an icy beverage to take with me to class or a warm mug to sip on in the mornings always makes my day just a little bit better. It’s about having something that is just for you (hard to share a drink you got specifically fo yourself where the serving size is one!) that you get to enjoy in the middle of events that may otherwise be very familiar, and therefore feel mundane. Not to say there isn’t lots of joy to be found in day-to-day activities, believe me, there’s lots of lovely details in daily events. But, for days that they might be harder to see, fancy drinks have always been one of my favorite solutions.
Some suggestions I would have to carry this out would be stopping by Starbucks to grab a warm coffee in the morning, bring yourself an aloe vera water to drink at lunch, or treat yourself to a homemade smoothie when you get off work!
Miniature Makeover
Never forget that how you feel about the way you look tends to make a difference in how you feel about your daily experiences. The better you feel you look, the better you do the things you need to do, and the better you feel when you reflect on your day. It sets you up for success, and the devil is in the details. So it’s important to take time during the week to do little things that will make you feel beautiful every day!
I know for me, washing my hair and doing my nails are little things I do to make myself feel good, and they are just for me. I know other people may not notice if I put my hair up because it’s dirty, or if my nails are bare, but I notice it! And that’s a perfectly good reason to make time to take care it. Plus, doing little things to pamper yourself is a good reminder that you are worth the time and effort you are putting into your body. It’s also important to pick things to do here that make YOU feel good about being YOU. You’re not trying to satisfy anyone else with what you choose to pamper yourself with, you just want to feel good in your own skin.
I would recommend taking the time to do your nails (OPI nail polish will stay on without chipping FOREVER!), take 20 minutes to do a face or hair or even beard mask from LUSH, or take a bath with some epsom salts to calm any tension in your muscles that may have built up throughout the week!
Sweet Lil’ Treats
It’s been studied that humans love to eat, and I know I am no exception to this rule. Food has this crazy way of tasting great and making you feel like you’re doing something good for your body. If you’re anything like me, I tend to forget to eat if I get really absorbed in my work, so when I do eat, I become really proud of myself (Lol- as if taking care of myself is a massive accomplishment. Small victories!).
So food can be great, it makes you feel good and it tastes good. But, especially for women, its also the source of a lot of anxiety. We always feel like we’re not eating the right foods, we feel like we’re eating too much, and then there’s always that nasty little voice in the back of your mind who’s nagging you about your body while you’re trying to enjoy your food.
To put that little voice to rest, I think it’s very important to purposefully treat yourself with food, however you like to do that. I know the things I tend to crave that are not conventionally good for me are flavors like really sweet, super salty, or creamy. And there are ways to satisfy all of these without letting that little voice in the back of your head get to you! Whatsmore, when it’s a purposeful treat, it’s a lot easier to shut that voice off and take the time to enjoy and acknowledge the love that you’re providing yourself through what you’re eating.
My suggestions here would be, if you’re feeling creamy, go for Metagenics chocolate milk mix and throw it in a milkshake! Or, if you love salty things, try homemade chocolate peanut butter bars and add some pretzels or sea salt on top. Finally, to satisfy that sweet tooth, there are tons of flavors of Halotop ice cream that are packed with protein and that sugary goodness you’re craving.