Little Things To Change Your Life | Self Love & Presence

Hello everyone! I wanted to do a post about something a little different than what I normally talk about. We all get caught up in everything around us and we are constantly in a routine. I always forget to remember what really matters and to stop worrying about the little things. Having a small case of anxiety, I set myself up in a trap of negative thoughts about something that I did or something that I should have done. This won't be a post about anxiety though, because I know that it's different for every person that has it. This post is going to share some things about how to make your "stressful" life a little bit better. 

I'm no expert. Let's get that known, but as all humans, I do get caught up in the whole "hustle and bustle" of things. I worry about other people and what they're doing way too much. I know that this may or may not resonate with everyone, and that's fine, but it's important for us to stray away from the things that people are doing. If someone is succeeding at their job or achieving their dreams, good for them. We can't focus on the success of others and let that guide our own futures. I want people to be proud of what they have done and not compare it to someone who has done way better than them. 

Comparing ourselves to others can become a huge issue. Especially with young girls; I see it at my own high school and in the media. Teenage girls are exposed to expectations that they have to look up to. I feel as though that some girls are pressured to live up to the beauty standards in media or at school and are forced to look a certain way by our society. For example, girls might compare themselves to models such as Gigi Hadid or whatever her name is. Doing this can be detrimental and very unhealthy because it can lead to self harm and an increased amount of body image issues. I think everybody has insecurities and flaws, but when we start to look at people who are "better" or "more beautiful" than us, we get obsessed with this ideal and begin to shut down. One step to stop comparing ourselves to others is to learn how to love yourself. Love your flaws, love your traits, love what yo' mama gave ya!

With that said, I think it's important that we celebrate ourselves and our achievements. When I do yoga, I strive to get to the next pose or improve on a pose or flow that I found challenging. I feel rewarded when I can do something in yoga that I struggled with the day, the week, or even months before. I can do a headstand now! I think that's one of my greatest achievements because I never thought I could have ever balanced on my head before. I love myself more and more for the strength and confidence that I have gained. I have developed a much higher self esteem because of it, while not comparing my ability to others that have achieved more than me.

I learned a lot in yoga about presence and I think the message I am trying to get here is that you need to stop worrying about everything that you cannot control. Things happen for a reason in my opinion, and sometimes you just need to go with the flow (as my Dad always says). Or the Vinyasa flow in yogi speak. 

Since my junior year is almost over, I have learned a lot...not just academic stuff—life stuff! I felt like I needed to get all of this out and explain what I have learned over this past year. I want you guys to just remember what I said:

1. Don't worry about what others have or are doing. Obsessing over their lives, will only make yours worse.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others. Everybody's different and unique!
3. Celebrate your achievements and be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished. 
4. Embrace the small things and be in the present moment. Live your life to the absolute fullest (a cliche, but so true!). 
5. Learn to love yourself always. 

These were just some of my thoughts about life that you guys might find helpful. I keep a little note on my side table of things like this so I remember what really matters at the end of the day. I read it or glance at it before bed and I just love having it around. Amidst all the chaos that life brings, I can come back and remind myself about these things. These might be cliches and what-not, but I think they are very important to remember. 

Is there a way you guys remind yourself of what's important and what's not? Do you guys constantly worry about small things like me? What will you guys do to change or better your life?

Xoxo, Nat