Self-love and self-care are two things that are essential to my mental health and well-being in a world where social media consumes most of our lives. Working in a field that allows me to be very active on social media definitely has its perks, but with any upside comes a downside. The first thing I do when I wake up is scroll through Instagram, sad right? I know. I really have been trying to stay present and take time for myself by putting my phone down as much as I can. In order to maintain a work/life balance, I spend time working out and practicing these simple actions that you can add to your daily routine to help acknowledge yourself and learn to love yourself. Loving yourself is something that I think takes time. Does anyone truly love themselves unconditionally? Do people really never compare themselves to others? I for one cannot say, but day by day I'm learning to appreciate rather than compare myself and here is how...

Write it Down

Write down what you love about yourself and what you want to work on. Not anything you don't like. Make all of your words positive and do not write complaints you have. This can be a challenging exercise, or a really simple one. For me personally, I write down things that are not looks-based and rather come from my feelings. For example, you could write something like, "Today I'm feeling really happy because I worked out for an hour, and many people cannot do that." Praising seemingly little actions come with great reward. Give yourself credit where credit is due. Trust me. Focus on the little steps to help you reach the big picture. Life is a climb. (I sound so philosophical, lol, but seriously!!!).

Challenge Yourself

Do one thing a day that scares you. I know that sounds cliche, but it can be something small. For starters, it can be writing down things you want to improve about yourself in a positive light, or trying a workout class, just  something you wouldn't normally feel confident or comfortable doing. You can also brainstorm ideas. Writing down ideas is a great way to challenge your left brain. I was brainstorming and came up with the idea to launch a curated jewelry collection that is coming out in the next month, make sure to follow it on Instagram: @embodylosangeles.

Get the look:

Shop my jeans:Cotton Citizen Strap Jean

Shop my jacket:Cotton Citizen Super Crop Jacket