Welcome back! I hope you’re continuing to enjoy the semester, despite the circumstances, and are continuing to implement self-care time into your schedule. This week, I’d like to make a circle back around to where we began and help round out your routine, for a happier and healthier you.

Remember, self-care is important! Just taking a little time each day to devote only to yourself makes all the difference, and you should notice improved quality of life as you follow along with the tips laid out in the previous posts. While mindfulness, meditation, music, exercise, proper diet, hydration, and reading are super important, so is positive self-talk, which will really round out your self-care routine. 

You might not exactly know what self-talk means, but that’s okay! Simply put, self-talk largely encompasses your feelings and thoughts about certain situations, and yourself. We all get down sometimes, but positive self-talk helps to counteract that, while negative self-talk can magnify the stress of a situation. In fact, positive self-talk has a variety of benefits, ranging from reduced stress and anxiety, to better cardiovascular health and even a better immune system. It also allows for clearer thinking, especially during tough times, which can lead to smarter decisions and more innovative problem solving. 

Now this might sound great, but chances are, you’re wondering: “How am I supposed to engage in positive self-talk?” Or maybe you realize that you tend to be more pessimistic at times (I myself am guilty of this). And that is okay – you are not alone if you’re having those thoughts. What you should do, however, is consider times when you tend to get down on yourself, or “make a mountain out of a molehill.” Then, maybe with a pencil and paper, write down what you tend to say to yourself in those types of situations – don’t worry, it’s okay if it’s something negative! Once you are done, rewrite the negative phrases so that they’re more optimistic. For example, let’s say you have an exam tomorrow, and you find yourself thinking, “oh no, this test is going to be so difficult, I have no idea what I’m doing, I’m going to fail,” write that down, and then change it: “Okay, I have a test tomorrow. I will study and do my best, and that’s all anyone can ask for. One test does not define me – and even if I don’t do well, it’ll be a learning experience and an opportunity for growth!” Now, I realize that doing this by habit might not seem easy, but like anything, it takes practice. So keep persisting, and eventually, you’ll find yourself doing it with ease! Additionally, those mindfulness exercises will help make this process even easier – by practicing self-awareness, you’re much more likely to be able to catch those pessimistic moments and be able to convert them into positive self-talk.

Figure 1-1. Complete Runner. Positive Affirmations.

Now, there are different ways to go about positive self-talk. Most of the time, you can just tell yourself something positive in your head. You can also try positive self-affirmations, where you essentially write down positive thoughts about yourself and your goals. I’d recommend taking even just 10 minutes to write down some positive affirmations at least a couple times per week. They don’t have to be about anything specific, but they should highlight something good about you; they should inspire you, remind you that you’re trying your best, and celebrate your successes and hopes for the future. There’s really no wrong way to do this, just as long as you keep it optimistic. The act of writing these thoughts down allows you to see just how far you’ve come and that there’s really a lot to be happy about, even in times like these. You might have a lot of criticism of yourself, but try to find something positive – I absolutely guarantee that you have dozens of good qualities and successes, even if you might not realize it now. And remember – every success for the day, no matter how small, is worth writing down. 

One more technique that you should try is repeating a few general positive affirmations to yourself each day when you wake up. They can be different from this list, but I’d recommend doing at least five everyday. You can repeat them one, five, ten times – it’s really up to you. No matter how many times you repeat them, doing this persistently will gradually lead you to really believe in them and allow you to start your day on the right foot! 

Figure 1-2. yesvibes. Positivity and Happiness.

Overall, it’s all about keeping a positive attitude and outlook on life, especially on yourself. Engaging in positive self-talk will allow you more success with the other tips and greatly improve your quality of life, so I highly recommend it. Keep practicing, and you’ll soon arrive at a happier and healthier you!