#InHerOwnWords: A Gen Z Perspective On Self Care & Worth
By Satarra Johnson-Kidd
As a 21-year-old college student, I can’t say that I have much life experience in every category. But what I can say is that there was a point in time where I didn’t know my self-worth. There was a point in my life when I was with a man who did not deserve me whatsoever. Thankfully when I was going through all these tribulations, I was open enough to grow from the situation and move on, and for that I am grateful.
When I was 18, I went through a challenging period in my life. I was dating someone who did not treat me the way that I deserved to be treated. He didn’t treat me like a queen. Instead of treating me with the respect that I deserve, he was too focused on putting me down instead of lifting me up. On top of that, I wasn’t as focused on my education and career as I should have been. At the time, I was just so concerned with making my boyfriend happy, that I completely neglected my own happiness. I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t putting myself first, which was not okay. I was neglecting my own self-care and undermining my own worth, by prioritizing for a toxic relationship that did not serve me.
We all know that self-care is important, but it’s also a trending term and a term that we hear constantly in today's society. If you think about it, how many times have you gone on your social media and you’ve seen something concerning self-care? It’s everywhere! I recently saw a quote on Instagram, that talked about self-care and having peace. The quote was along the lines of “Not wasting your time with people that won’t understand, is also self-care”. This really resonated with me because it made me realize that I need to love myself by giving myself the care that I need & deserve… which requires me not giving time to people that don’t deserve and value me or my time.
This experience has helped me figure out is that I don’t want other young women to go through what I’ve been through. I want to help other young women of color discover their value, as well as figure out how to maintain their self-care and cultivate peace. So here is my take, on how to begin the journey of self-worth, by practicing self-care:
ACCEPT YOURSELF - Acknowledge and accept the fact that you are smart, beautiful, talented, and capable of everything! Remind yourself that you are worthy and should never accept anything less than the best.
BE HAPPY! Your happiness comes first. It is your job to make sure that you are happy. You are in control of your life, therefore it is your responsibility to make sure you are putting yourself first.
UNPLUG - Give yourself at least a few hours a week to relax, meditate, and self reflect. Start with a few minutes per day in the morning and evening. I know a lot of times we get so caught up in working, hustling, to-dos and just LIFE! So much so that we often forget to take some time for ourselves to just relax & reflect. I know for me that I sometimes feel guilty when I’m not on my “grind”. Well, let me be the first to tell you, that the time to yourself is necessary. It’s very easy to become burnt out. So it is important to take time and relax, meditate, and regroup. Balance is key and this practice will set you up for just that!
RECLAIM YOUR TIME! At all times, whether it comes to friendships or boyfriend/ girlfriend relationships, do not let people waste your time. TIME is the one thing we cannot recover or get back. So, if that person does not value your time, do not allow them to disturb your inner peace… because nothing is worth that.
These are just a few self-care tips that I have discovered on my journey to self-worth; and I’m sure that there are many more. but these are just a few that I find to be most important. They may seem easier said and done, but just know that they’re all well worth it on the never-ending journey to loving yourself and living a fuller more fulfilling life… because life can be hard, unfortunately. It’s inevitable. But it’s important to know the Queen you are at all times, and to practice habits that can equip us to handle it better and shine even brighter!
#loveyourself
Satarra Johnson-Kidd is a senior at Hawaii Pacific University majoring in International Business and Spanish. She loves to travel, education, art, writing, and most of all being a Colored Girl. You can follow her in Instagram @satarraleona.
(Photo courtesy of Satarra Johnson-Kidd)