Relax your mind with your company.

5 ways to spend time with yourself.  

Having friends and family to hang out with is fun but most people don’t take time out of their days to hang out with themselves doing something fun or that they enjoy. Being in your own company may sound boring to others, but it is a good way to learn things about yourself and ease your mind. Here are 5 things you can do to build a better relationship with yourself while also having useful and fun outlets.  


The first thing that you can do to spend time with yourself is journaling. There are no specific rules to your writing when it comes to journaling which is one of the reasons, I suggest journaling as a good outlet for expressing yourself.  You can write down your feelings, what you did during the day, qualities that you like about yourself or others and more. While doing this process you could possibly find out that you're a good writer and explore different forms of writing such as poems which you can share with others or choose to keep for yourself. 


A second activity you can participate in is painting, which is another type of creative outlet. Like Journaling there are no rules to painting. Painting allows you to express your emotions through colors, shapes, and textures. I enjoy painting on canvases then hanging the finished products in my room. You can paint something small or large, paint self-portraits, or paint objects and characters you like.  


An image I took of a cool art image by Ernie Barnes apart of his Sugar Shack art collection. It showed me how much emotion you can display with the help of a canvas, paint and other tools.

Self-care is another form of spending time with yourself, and I think it is one of the most important ones because it can build your self-esteem and overall create healthier habits for yourself. Self-care can consist of trying new products, going to get your hair done, or simply taking more time out of your morning or night to take care of your skin, body or hair. Our bodies are things that we should cherish and love and if we aren't taking care of it or spending time to maintain our wellness then it can affect how we see or feel about ourselves.  


A fourth way to spend time with yourself is a healthy non intense form of exercise but I don’t think about it that way. Walking is something we do constantly every day but not for the purpose of relaxation nor for an extended amount of time. While walking you can listen to a podcast, take pictures of nature, or simply clear your mind. Nature is a beautiful thing that unfortunately many people take for granted. Walking allows you to appreciate nature and yourself. It also allows you to get extra steps in for the day at your leisure. 


My favorite bridge to walk across back home in Downtown Des Moines to clear my mind. I took this right before I got drenched by the rain.


Lastly, listening to music is something you can do by yourself, which is an activity I enjoy the most. Music is so versatile, and you can find a song for just about anything. Music helps me express my feelings when I'm sad, happy, or feeling confident without having to tell someone how I'm feeling. It also lets me explore different cultures and regions of the world which can expand my knowledge of other communities. Something fun you can do is find songs you really like and create a playlist for yourself.  


Now that you have heard of a few things you can do to spend time with yourself I hope you will take time out your week to try one of these activities. You may do them monthly but if you want to gain a better relationship with yourself or simply find new hobbies, I recommend doing it weekly to build the habit. Enjoy keeping yourself company.  

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Homework or relax?

Image
3 Ways to balance work time and down time. Being able to manage your time and have a life outside of school or work is something that most people struggle with. I am a part of that group of people also. I did not realize how important it was to make sure you sustain a balance between work time whether that is school, or job related, and down time for yourself or with friends and family until I entered college. I am now in my second year of college and have learned from mentors and peers how to keep track of the time you spend with schoolwork and without schoolwork . Creating a planner, setting boundaries and not being too hard on myself or creating unreasonable goals for myself have improved my time management the most and understanding that down time is important.   I used to think planners were only necessary to keep up with your assignments or things that you needed to complete or remember. After I beg an to use a planner, I realized though it helps you remember things you mu
Read more

Black Girl Tug of War

Image
The Infinite Criticism of A Black Womans Hair  Tug of War  Since I was a little girl, I always felt like I was playing a tug of war game with society about my hair. On one side of the rope was the group of people who told me I need to wear my hair out and be proud. On the other side were people shaming me for showing off my kinky curls and fluffy edges , and looking at me with disgust when it is not in a protective style such as braids or under a wig . I used to wonder how there could be such a huge debate about something as simple as hair follicles then I came to the realization that as a Black Woman I will be judged for ever y part of my identity.   As a child me along with many other Black girls would have chemicals put in our h air called perms, which would strip away the natural curls that spro uted from our heads and made them pin straight. Every few months  you would be sitting between your mother's legs as she put the cream on your head and told you to holler at h
Read more

Vibrant Coffeehouse & Kitchen review

Image
Coffee is one of my favorite drinks. Most people indulge in coffee after the sun rises for breakfast or simply drink it to give themselves energy, but I love it so much I will drink it at any time of the day . During my Thanksgiving break I went back home to Des Moines, Iowa and while I was there, I had the opportunity to try a new coffee place in the East Village called Vibrant Coffe ehouse & Kitchen .   Me & my friends catching a quick pic for memories. Vibrant Coffee house & Kitchen is a restaurant that serves coffee, breakfast foods, salads, energy drinks and fresh baked goods. The things that I tried while I was there were the peppermint mocha iced latte and the rise & grind sandwich with a side of fruit.   My meal 10 seconds before I devoured it. It was delicious . Though it was pricey , it w as worth it because it wa s pretty go od , and I enjoyed the vibe of the restaurant. Peppermint is one of my favorite coffee flavors which is why I love the winter
Read more