I know how easy it is for all of us to get down on ourselves. Many times we are our hardest critic. Since moving in to my house in Columbia, my roommate has taught me a few tips about self care and how going the extra mile for yourself can change your whole attitude! Please keep in mind that she is this healthy tiny girl that can do some paranormal moves in hot yoga. When I first moved in and we were talking I was like "Oh my goodness, she's a health freak and she probably spends hours on her body." Some of y'all are probably thinking, "yeah, who doesn't?" ME. I did not moisturize or exfoliate or none of that. This article goes out to the girlies who were like me . I am about to change your life with a few tips I've picked up in the past month!

1. Put color on the pasty skin!

Please just let me tell y'all that I am a pro at looking at the mirror and complaining about how dark the circles around my eyes are. They stand out against my zombie-like pale skin. I know some of y'all can relate to people stopping you and asking "Are you feeling okay? You look a little sick." Well let me give you the solution to this... self tanner. I use the Jergen's brand. It's like $7. Who knew that a bottle of health and magic would be so cheap?!

Before you go out and start slapping on your bronze coat, let me pass on some wisdom...

- use latex gloves (or if you're allergic then an alternative) because when rubbing in the lotion your hands will hold onto a lot it. your body will be glowing and your hands will look DIRTY!

- before applying it, lotion your ankles, knees, elbows, and wrists. These are the parts of your body that have weird wrinkles that will hold the lotion. You will get the new nickname 'Streaks' if you do not follow this step!

After those precautions are taken, enjoy your (hopefully) natural-looking glow! Golden-brown rolls are always prettier than uncooked, pasty ones. (;

2. Achieve a silky mane.

Girl, go out and treat yo self to a nice hair conditioner. Bad hair days set the tone of our days way too often. Skip going out for a few meals and drop some money on a nice hair conditioner! Or do like I did and beg your mom to save your split ends and make then purchase for you.

Normally doing research is not very fun, but it is so important that you get the right conditioner for your type of hair. Look for conditioners that have AH-MAZING reviews and is meant to treat what the mop that you got!

I know there are also vitamins that you could take if you really don't want to risk dropping a lot on a conditioner that may not work. TheSugar Bear Hair vitamins seem to be advertised by a lot of well-known names like Sadie Robertson and Khloe Kardashian. I've never tried them, but if your head is really a mess then you might wanna grab both!

3. Color your claws, mamas!

Do not neglect your nails! You do so much with your hands. You and others have to constantly see what they look like. It is in everyone's best interest that you are showing your nails some love. It is not okay to touch other people or their things if your nails are chipped, dirty, and/or scary looking.

It is $15 to go to a drugstore and get a base coat and a top coat. A nail file is next to nothing. There is really no excuse for scary hands unless it is halloween. This simple self care takes all of 30 minutes! It is so nice to look down and see little pops of color on your hands.

PLUS it is so amazing all the possibilities you can do with your nails. The colors, patterns, designs are limitless. They may be small, but they are so easily another form of self expression. You can tell characteristics about someone by the colors they choose to put on their nails. I tend to lean towards darker colors. They go with everything and I'm just not a neon, in-your-face kind of person.

All of that to say, how you take care of yourself says a lot about who you are and who you want others to perceive you as. Painting your anise is such a small thing, but to me it is such a sign of self love.

4. Work yo body!!!

It should be common knowledge that exercising is good for you! It helps keep you in shape, but it is also pretty important to your mental health as well. Iw as recently in a pretty bad spot and I found myself going to the gym to find self acceptance and self love. When I moved, though, I wasn't comfortable with going to a new gym and I didn't know anyone to ask to go with me.

My housemates and I started walking our dogs together a lot. We try to go everyday, key word is TRY lol. It's such an easy way to get in physical activity in a fun way. More than that my housemate roped me into going to hot yoga with her. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! I thought I was actually suffocating. They turn the heat to around 100 degrees and then expect you to twist in to all kind of noodle-pretzel shapes. Holy moly. We try to do it once a week now and I enjoy it so much. At least I enjoy after we leave.

I strongly encourage you to find a friend or a group of friends and make a day each week where you go out and do an activity that pushes you. After finishing you'll feel a sense of accomplishment and when you look in the mirror you will swear your waist getting smaller even though you just ate five donuts!!!

I listed out FOUR things that you can do daily or every other day. They are so simple, but changing these small things about my life has made me so much happier with who I am and how I live. It's encouraged me to do even more for myself. We focus so much on others and things outside our control and we get frustrated. Instead of getting down on yourself, focus on what you can control and what matters... YOU!