Growing up I was referred to as the blur. I was always rushing from one thing to another and was never really present. A lot of this was because I never wanted to disappoint anyone, I would attend three birthdays in one evening, say yes to every task that was asked of me and slowly I became an expert juggler. Ultimately, this led to a lot of sleepless nights, disappointments and unnecessary stress. Here is everything I have learned along the way.
1. Celebrate your small wins.
Maybe it is a gift you made yourself or a to-do you completed in a day rather than the usual four. It is paramount to celebrate your small victories and I don’t mean with a pat on the back. Indulge in a bubble bath with your favourite candles or have a cheeky glass of wine.
2. Stop blaming yourself for external factors.
It has taken me a long time to realise that I cannot control everything. If you can’t control it, stop stressing about it. Late trains, late friends or late lunches – stop beating yourself up about it all. It is often a small thing that snowballs which can have a huge impact so just breathe and understand that sometimes the world is bigger than you.
3. Stop holding onto regrets.
When you find yourself ruminating over what you could have done differently, or thinking about past mistakes, remove yourself from the situation. You can only win at life, you either win or learn. Blaming yourself can lead to chronic stress, so stop thinking about it and accept that it is part of your past.
4. Focus on your qualities not your flaws.
Self-awareness is empowering so start identifying your fabulous qualities and realise how unique you are. You have something nobody will have, you are you ,the quirky, beautiful, intelligent you. No matter how similar you are to someone else, you will never ever be the same. Embrace it.
5. Practice self-love.
We are so busy waiting for someone to love us that we often forget about the one person we need to love first—ourselves. Explore self-love more, indulge in your favourite activities, work on becoming the best you and make sure you develop your passion project, you know- the one you think you can’t achieve.