Life often feels like one giant contest especially in this age of social media. Society is constantly pointing out who’s the prettiest, the smartest, the most successful, the best dressed, the list goes on. And you know the baffling part, who actually determines those standards, can anyone tell us? With all these in our faces, it’s really no surprise if you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin.
With the whole social media’s ‘the perfect life‘ kind of update, you might start to feel like your life isn’t up to par. You might even feel intimidated by other people’s lifestyle judging from the things they display on their page that find their way to your feed. Dig a little deeper, not a massive dig, just a wee bit and you’ll discover that the majority of those posts are nothing but fake lives, which is kind of funny if not pathetic and disturbing. If you really consider it, those people that live fake social media lives are probably crying out for help, for validation. In some cases, it’s a case of ‘fake it until you make it’, but other times, sadly it’s not. It’s really a genuine cry for help masqueraded as ‘living large, success, slaying’ or whatever fancy terms that are trending at the moment.
So, my point is, you really have absolutely no reason to feel inadequate, or uncomfortable or defeated. By not joining the bandwagon, you are already winning. Originality is a scarce commodity and that’s what you are. Continue to be you.
And to help you in your journey, I have summarised the six tips below, which were originally described in Bustle, to help you to be self-assured, confident, content and comfortable with yourself.
Here we go:
1. Take care of yourself
Taking very care of yourself is an important way of being comfortable with your self. Eat properly, eat fruits, take enough water, exercise, get enough sleep, think less, celebrate your body. Avoid too much stress or anything that easily breaks you down.
2. Meditate to figure out you
Even if you have a lot of great stuff in your life, it can still feel like something’s missing. Take time to meditate and figure out that thing that is missing in your life. Spend quality time in self-discovery.
3. Do what makes you happy
One way to figure out who you really are is by doing things that make you happy. When you’re feeling bad about yourself, it’s easy to get swept along with the flow. Now, this is why self-discovery is necessary. Find out the things that make you happy and do them. Go to the library, play your guitar, hang out with your buddies, etc. Whatever works for you, do it.
4. Love you physical ‘flaws’
Everyone has something they don’t like about themselves, but that ‘flaw’ is often what makes them interesting, unique, and lovely. Embrace them, that’s part of who are.
5. Embrace your unique personalities
We are all unique in our own way. There is something that comes naturally to you. But when people tell you to stop doing something that comes naturally — like a loud laugh, a dark sense of humour, a quirky eccentricity — you start to feel embarrassed and apologetic for who you are. If we were all the same, the world would be a pretty dull place. So laugh away.
6. Learn to be alone by yourself
With so much going on in life right now, coupled with the rantings on social media, it’s so darn difficult to be alone with yourself. Peace and quiet can be downright hellish, but that’s precisely why you have to find time to yourself. No distractions, no chatting, no streaming videos — just you, your thoughts, and (hopefully) a sense of comfort.
A version of this article first appeared in Bustle.
Helpful tips. So many are suffering from low self esteem as a result of these.
It is funny how people feel so uncomfortable about themselves. They go about comparing themselves with their friends.