Taking fifteen minutes for yourself or even just a minute can have a lasting effect on your entire day. Your overall mood throughout the day can be shifted based on self-care. When you care for yourself, it is one of the many methods of self-love. How many times a day do we truly take the time for ourselves?

Types of self-love can be simple acts of meditation, eating choices, independent time, or any methods used to destress. Meditation or prayer if applicable slows your heart rate and allows you to clear your mind. Eating choices can increase your happy mood and maybe even be beneficial towards your health. Independent time allows you to reflect and learn who you are apart from the people in your life. Along with those mentioned anything used to destress are methods of self-love.

With my personal experience I decided to wake up a little earlier than usual. For the first fifteen minutes of waking up I listened to an inspiring podcast from the self and sanity app. This app is a self-love app for women with inspiring daily podcasts, exercises, mediation, yoga, etc. I listened to the self-love trial and those inspiring words changed my whole outlook on the day and made me feel better than myself. If these methods don’t suit someone they can look at daily quotes, listen to free podcasts online, or on Spotify. Any sense of positivity even looking in the mirror in the morning and admiring something about yourself.

As I woke up I ate a smoothie bowl that I prepared the night before. I did this both during school and during my thanksgiving break I felt not only nourished but just a much happier person. I felt cared for and it was truly mind opening how much better I felt. Some mornings it made me feel like a person who was reborn. Finally, one of the last part of my morning routines was using my oil diffuser while I got ready. In my diffuser I had the scent of lavender oil which is known to help cure anxiety and depression.

It is important for us to take our time loving and treating ourselves. Whether it be a few minutes out of your day or an hour or two. I truly believe that teens as well as adults can benefit from self-love. More than three-hundred million people worldwide have depression. I think the time to do these methods are needed now more than ever. I also truly believe it can cure depression coming from someone who lived it and tried these methods. You might be thinking you don’t have any time but we all need time to care for ourselves. I like to perform these techniques in the mornings because it energizes me for the day and puts me as ease. I also suggest taking these breaks throughout your entire day as you will constantly benefit from it. The amount that it has helped my self-confidence is just unspeakably amazing. One of the most important lessons learned is that self-care is a necessity rather than a “luxury.” It is something every single human being needs once in a while if not every day.