What is the most important thing in this world?
Friends? Family? Money? Society?
No, dear, it’s you. Your smile, your worth, and your happiness are the most important things in the whole wide world.
One should love themselves unconditionally. Loving yourself in your own skin is essential. I know ‘love yourself’ sounds so simple but it is easier said than done. We share the world with more than 7 billion people. That means more than 7 billion opinions, more than 7 billion perspectives, and more than 7 billion beliefs. With all these perspectives and opinions being poured on you, it’s hard to love yourself unconditionally but remember one thing, it’s not easy for everyone to be on the same page in a blended community of people right from the boomer babies to the millennials to the generation alpha. So opinions differ but the only opinion that must matter to you is yours. What you feel is more important than what others have to say about you because you are the one who knows yourself the best and you are the one who is going to lead your life.
Not others.
The best way into loving yourself is self-care. So here are 8 simple yet amazingly feel-good tips for self-care:
1) As soon as you wake up in the morning, go to your mirror and take a good look at that beautiful face. Add a beautiful smile to it and say something positive or just something nice about yourself. Say it out loud and you will see all the difference it makes.
2) Your priority list should always and always start with you. You can't spread love to others until you love yourself unconditionally. So put yourself first.
3) I do not agree with Dr. Viru Sahastrabuddhe aka Virus. Life is not a race so pace down a little. Eat slow, breath slow and walk slow once in a while. Take in the beauty around you. Right from the birds chirping to the flowers blooming, everything is beautiful around you. So soak in the beauty and let your body feel the bliss.
3) Do what makes you happy. Whether it be your career or your daily hobbies or just to pass time. No matter what it is, just do what you like. Play some tunes on your guitar or write something, sing songs on the top of your voice (even if people around you go deaf 😂.), paint your heart out, dance till you get breathless, run around like Phoebe or just do nothing. Whatever makes you happy.
4) Never ever give up on your passions. Where is it written in the books that you can only do one thing in life? I am a doctor and a writer. I balance both of them. Tejaswi, our CEO, is a doctor and an entrepreneur. She is balancing them too. Your career is important to survive but your passion is important to keep you sane and make you feel alive.
5) Ask for help. If you ever need help do not hesitate to ask for it. There is nothing wrong with taking a little support in order to help yourself get out of the darkness. It's important to be independent, but sometimes you need those extra hands to get out of the pit. So if someone is willing to get you a torch in the darkroom, let them.
6) Learn to say No. 'No' is a very simple word but it's the hardest thing to say. But if it's too much for you to do, then just say no. You gotta do what you gotta do for the betterment of your mental health.
7) To love yourself you need to know yourself completely. Spend some time with yourself. A little me-time in a scented candlelit room, writing your thoughts down in a journal will help you know yourself better and then you can love your true self.
8) Make a wish list. Pen down everything you want to do in a notepad and start striking them out. The bliss of striking out the things in your wish list is out of the world. Do it today.
So if you want to go on that trek, go. If you want to go on that trip with your friends, go. If you wanna buy that dress, buy it now. If you want to spend a few days on yourself, give yourself some quality me-time, do it. If you don't want to do something, say no. If you need some support, ask for it. Don't be quiet about it. You want to eat that pizza, eat it. You wanna go to the gym, go or don’t. It’s your choice. Start loving yourself. Love your soul and your body and block out all the chaos that doesn’t matter.
Keep loving yourself and spread love.
Manaswini Velidi
Team CON