For many students, self-love time can easily get lost in prioritizing their busy schedules. Developing habits that encourage self-love can actually reduce the symptoms of burnout. Having a positive attitude towards yourself will make school feel much less stressful.
Narcissism is a high degree of attunement to one's own positive qualities, says Joseph M. Cervantes, a clinical psychologist and director of counseling at California State University, Fullerton College of Health and Human Development.
With the help of Cervantes, here are some ways to make self-love a good habit in your life.
surrounded by community
“What we've learned over the last few decades is that the best cure is not medication or necessarily therapy, but having a caring community around you,” Cervantes said.
Surrounding yourself with people who spread the same positivity you want in the world will likely give you a sense of self-actualization.
Stay busy with purposeful entertainment
Whether it's meditation, a form of martial arts, or yoga, such practices can provide support for personal centering and grounding, Cervantes said.
A key component of self-love is a practice known as grounding. Finding stability within yourself can give you inner calm while the world around you is constantly changing.
One inexpensive way to strengthen this connection to yourself is to simply get out there.
Michael Praderus, a third-year English major, puts this into practice every day.
“One of my favorite ways to practice self-love is to get outside,” Praderus said. “Bathing in the sun, touching grass, and spending time in nature can help you feel a little more connected to yourself.”
Stay grounded while introspecting
Introspection not only keeps one humble, but also keeps one in tune with one's feelings and emotions.
Knowing one's strengths and weaknesses and focusing on relationships can put a person on the path to contentment and avoid narcissism.
“Spend up to five to seven minutes for personal reflection,” Cervantes said. “Because I need a chance to be quiet every day.”
charge and refill
Perhaps the most overlooked factors for a healthy lifestyle are the time you spend recharging and the type of food you consume.
“We tend to downplay things like that,” Cervantes said. “They are really the machines that drive us as humans and determine how we manage our daily lives.”
Just as a car cannot run when its fuel tank is empty or its battery is dead, people should not force themselves to run. Eat healthy and go to bed early if possible. All social media platforms and other forms of entertainment will remain available throughout the morning.
Add color to your boring daily life
It may be scary, but safely pushing yourself out of your comfort zone every now and then can lead to new learning experiences and memories that you can always refer to and reflect on. .
“Try to do something different maybe once a month,” Cervantes said. “Take a different route, take a bus for the first time, and see where it takes you. It's something different that breaks up the routine. It brings vibrancy, creativity, and freshness.”
please be careful of your actions
The golden rule we learn in childhood is to treat others as you would like to be treated. It is important to never lose sight of growing throughout life. This can be achieved by practicing kindness, gratitude, and compassion every day.
“When you practice relationships that legitimize contact with yourself and other people around the world, it comes back to you,” Cervantes said. “And it really increases your chances of feeling like a valuable person, and your sense of purpose becomes clearer.”
Treat yourself as you want to be treated and remember to enjoy the little things. Self-love isn't something that comes easily, but with time and patience, you can become your own best friend.
