I think the most important thing that I wish to relay to people who may struggle and feel like their lives are one big emotional roller-coaster (as we all do at times) is that it is okay to not be okay. We’re only human, and our flaws are truly what make us perfect. Life can feel overwhelming and difficult at times, but it is essential that we take care of ourselves and search deeply for self-love. 

Being a natural empath, I have always made it a priority to try and take care of everyone around me. I always saw this as a positive aspect of myself, and it is something which I still love to do, being able to lift another’s spirits is an achievement and feels so rewarding. Having an impact can be amazing, but it was only very recently that I realised I can never do my best in anything without taking care of myself first. That if I continued at that pace without having that important time for solitude, reflection and self-care, I would eventually burn out!  Since making it a goal to make more time for myself, I noticed a visible difference and it is like a weight has been taken off of my shoulders. 

My top tips for self-care are to try and be as consistent as possible with it – after a long day of working or socialising, do things that make you happy such as writing down the positives of the day which could even include the smallest achievements, picking up the phone and calling a friend or someone you trust to share how you feel so it doesn’t remain bottled up, practising activities such as mindfulness if this works for you, making time for self-pamper through face-masks etc and making sure you have that time for the people and things that you love. Different mechanisms work for different people, so experimenting is key. 

Most importantly, it’s okay to say no to others, because you don’t owe anything to anyone but yourself. You are your biggest investment for life! 
You can still be a caring and kind-hearted person without neglecting your own well-being.