Sometimes self care is just washing your face or putting all your make up on, getting dressed in your best clothes, and just staying in the house. It’s ok, you don’t have to go out. You don’t have leave if that feels too much and if your brain says it’s too much. It’s okay to just look okay for you because self care is about you.

The way you speak to yourself matters.

8 Ways to Build Self Confidence

1. Dress in a way that suits your style: Although there’s more to us than the way we look dress and look, it can greatly affect the way we feel. When we think we don’t look good we often feel less confident. That changes how we act and interact with other people.

2. Increase your pace of walking: People who walk quickly appear more confident. They have places to go; they have people to see; and their life is interesting and fast paced.

3. Good Posture: Slumped shoulders are a signal of lack of self confidence. But if you stand up straight, and you look straight ahead up, then you look more powerful and confident.

4. Develop an attitude of gratitude: Make a mental list of all you’re grateful for – relationships, successes, and things that bring you joy. You’ll be surprised at how many things are going well for you – and that will give a boost to your confidence as well.

5. Compliment others: When we get into the habit of complimenting others, we bring out the best both in ourselves and other people – and that leads to respect and increased confidence.

6. Speak up in group discussion: The more you speak up in a group, the less afraid you’ll feel in time – so taking that first step will have a knock on effect. It will lower your anxiety and increase confidence.

7. Make the effort to exercise: When we’re out of shape, we tend to feel less confident, less energetic, and proud of ourselves. But when we make the extra effort to invest in exercise we feel more in control of how we look and how we act – and that creates momentum which affects the rest of life.

8. Focus on others and the task you’re working on: Ironically, when we focus on ourselves and not the job or other people, we find we start to worry about our weaknesses. However, when we turn our focus outward, efficiency increase, and we feel less self- conscious and more confident.

The difference between confidence and arrogance is how you treat others.

The difference between self deprecation and humility is how you treat yourself.

To be truly confident, you must be humble. To be truly humble, you must be confident. When you are secure with who you are, you don’t feel the need to compare yourself to others.

Things to avoid and not do:

Although some of these things may be common sense, it still feels necessary to address these problematic concerns. In order to benefit yourself as a whole, it’s important to take everything into consideration for future use.

Don’t use products without reading them. Similar to food intake, you would be cautious to eat something if there was an unknown ingredient.. Same thing applies for skin products.

Avoid sugary, salty, greasy foods. I guess Mother was right, the best things in life can be the ones that hurt the most. Regular consumption of these food groups can not only be harmful to your skin, but can begin to slowly damage internal organs. Arteries can be clogged and could lead to heart damage or failure. (Not saying you can’t treat yo’ self, but please do so responsibly)

Bathe. I understand that at times the last possible thing you wanna do is take your makeup off after an exhausting day or brush your teeth because it can be so tedious. Constant neglect can lead to damage of the skin, teeth, gums, hair, and everything else in between. Our parents and guardians teach us this not only for their benefit, but for ours as well. Please wash yourselves :-)

Avoid hot water. The best things on winter days or after stressful events is a nice hot bath or shower. And sadly because it’s under this category, it’s not the best to work with on a daily basis. It can further lead to dehydration or even cause harmful burns without even recognizing.

Overworking. The main component here is realizing when you have just had enough. It’s okay to take a step back and breathe, or even just walk away. There is nothing -- no school, work, person, or place, that should make you feel obligated to do something. Only you know your true limits when you’re on the verge of an extreme emotion. Being stressed is very common in today’s society, and it’s essential to have mental health days or self-care days to reevaluate yourself and your place in the world. Too much friction or workloads are bound to make anyone exhausted or upset, and it’s to know what you can’t take and to problem shoot from there.

At the end of the day, these are all common statements that you’ve probably heard more than a few times. Although you may be thinking that it’s unnecessary, it’s important to recall these matters to avoid any future damage or toxic occurrences. Self care is vital and has a close connection to self confidence, not only emphasizing the individual. Yes, you may argue that you don’t need the one in order to achieve the other, but sometimes it can be easier to go about it that way. Sometimes it’s the little things in life that can create big changes.

Source : alyserurianidesign

Happy Body, Healthy Mind

This post’s focus is on the connection between a happy body and a healthy mind. As briefly touched on in a later post, whatever is put into the body will show and reflect on the body. People take care of themselves differently by either focusing on fitness, nutrition, skincare, or overachievers who want to do anything and everything possible.

Surveys have many suggestions that can promote your wellness overall:

Workout. Whether you want to build muscle, lose weight, or want more energy, working out may be beneficial. I know what you’re thinking. Not everyone is excited about moving and wants to go sweat. (I like to think they’re their own species.) As for the rest of us, it’s not so easy to workout due to time management, location, or just confusion on where to start. It’s best to start small and work with what’s most comfortable for you. Working out also isn’t just lifting or running. You can have a more relaxing experience with yoga or you could dance your way to a more lively lifestyle with Zumba. (Again, this should be done for you and you have the choice what to do with and for your body -- these are just some suggestions)

Beauty Regime. Having a routine to follow daily promotes stability and homeostasis within the body. Using too many products or not enough will be visible on your skin.

Sunscreen. While on the topic of skin, again, it’s important to protect it from the sun’s harmful rays. Long term sun exposure without sunscreen can be damaging. The sun causes wrinkles, dehydration, blisters, sunburn/poisoning, and even detrimental diseases. (I’ll skip all the gorey details, yw)

Meditation. Not only does it unnerve, it can be a great addition to do before bed. By calming the mind and the body simultaneously, you’re promoting healthy sleeping aids to reduce stress, anxiety, or insomnia.

Doctors. Depending on the issues with your skin or mental health, it’s important to discuss these issues of concern with a medical professional. Potential doctors may include a dermatologist, an esthetician, a psychiatrist, or even just a psychologist. They are trained and tested to be knowledgeable of their area of expertise, and it’s advised to go to them with questions. (I’m also stating this because I am a college student studying art education, you should not rely on a blog from Tumblr.)

Helpful apps. Although if suffering from issues of mental health, I don’t recommend long hours on social media as it can sometimes worse symptoms. But apps to indulge are ones like Moodpath, Shine, Calm, and Headspace. Although they have a slight variation, their main focus is you and your concerns. There are calming sounds for sleep and mediation, mood trackers, examples of mediation, and ways to limit stress, depression, anxiety, and toxic energies from plaguing our lives. (these aren’t all free -- I apologize)

By focusing on yourself and promoting your care of your body and mind, you’re guaranteed to not only feel better physically, but emotionally. Your body is a mirror of everything you do, thing, or consume and will affect you justly. It takes time and patience to create the change you want to see in yourself.

gentle reminder that no benefits come out of tearing yourself down

You’re over there doubting yourself while so many are intimidated by your potential.