By J.D. Eddy, Editorial Editor
Being there for other people in your life is important, but taking care of yourself has merit as well.
I talk a lot about mental health, its importance and ways to keep yourself mentally healthy. Nevertheless, two things I don’t talk about are investing in yourself and being your own No. 1 person. This is not altruism. It’s more like self-worth and finding it.
If you’re like me, you love to be around people and are outgoing when you want to be. However, at the same time, there are things about people that you are tired of.
You might be in your later years of college realizing the party life is over; you may be tired of trying to pursue a relationship; or you might be worn out from being around people (including your friends) 24/7.
There are things that can break someone down, and one of them is thinking we need others to validate our existence. We become so reliant on others to boost our self-confidence or worth that we lose sight of what we want as individuals. What I am trying to say is that you need to invest in yourself.
Find things that make you feel more like you. It could be anything that you enjoy doing. A few things that I enjoy are: working out, playing Xbox, fishing, shopping for new clothes or just going for a drive.
Something I did recently was I started my own photography business.
At first, I didn’t believe it would be anything. Neither did some people, but I still did it. Sure, for a while, I rarely went out and did anything. Instead of spending my summer at the lake, I took pictures and worked in a school system.
Now I am back at school, and my photography business is seeing success. I’m writing for the paper again. Heck, I even work as a vet technician. The point is to bet on yourself; you are capable of so much more than you think you can do. Find the activities that suit you, and show yourself that you can do things you didn’t think you could.
Now, the timeline is not the same for everyone. You could have experienced these emotions and know who you are right now. Now I know I am speaking from the male perspective because that is the only one I have.
I’m not 6’2, I’m not going to the NFL like I wanted to when I was a kid, I’m not a millionaire yet and I didn’t play Division 1 football. That’s OK. I have found other things that I love to do, and that’s all anyone needs. You don’t need to conform to other people’s standards or your parents’ standards. What should matter to you is the most important aspect of this article.
I talked earlier about relationships. This is for men and women. Before you are able to commit yourself to someone physically, spiritually and mentally, you have to know your value, and your partner should be able to see it as well.
Both of you need to see if it is not going to work because of insecurity or any other reasons. Then it is best to wait until both or one of you are ready for commitment.
I mentioned how knowing your self-worth can mean the party is over. I get it. I’m in college, too, and there are parties to go to. But at some point, I realized I did not need to go out all the time. It just isn’t what I enjoy doing.
Find something that makes you happy. If you enjoy partying, keep going out. Don’t do these things to fill a void in your life. With the way that I am talking right now, it seems like this is instantaneous. It’s not. This process takes time. It took me 23 years to figure out my own values, not letting others influence how I see myself.
If you feel this way and agree, go out and start your metaphysical journey of accepting yourself. Also, you can write a letter to Northwestern News and share some of your personal experiences down this path. It would be really appreciated and help to boost the point of finding yourself being beneficial.