Most of us have been doing the "quarantine-thing" for a while now. By now, you may have learned a thing or three about how to stay happy at home. But let's face it: Those dodgy DIY haircuts can get a bit old. Indeed, sometimes quarantine bites.
Boredom, of course, is a factor. But for many, there's also the deeper emotional fallout of social isolation. Some of us are discovering we have a bit of a self-esteem problem on our hands.
Here's the good news, though. Self-esteem is an acquired skill that we can improve on over time. To get the ball rolling, here are three science-backed hacks you can use to give your self-esteem a much-needed boost after that next bad home haircut.
1. Learn Something Frivolous
It turns out that learning is quite good for us. In fact, a growing body of psychological research reveals that learning something new doesn't just keep us mentally agile and alert; it also actively contributes to our happiness.
Moreover, focusing your concentration on a new skill removes your mind from other stresses and gives you a sweet little endorphin jolt with each new success. Most importantly, learning reinforces your capability of doing and achieving something new and gives you a sense of personal agency. All of that adds up to — you guessed it — improved self-esteem.
Sure, you could take a course in project management or something equally stuffy and sensible, but now is a unique opportunity to invest brain cells in frivolous pastimes devoid of other stresses and free of serious consequence. Take up juggling, perhaps, and amaze your grandma with an impromptu circus performance on Zoom. Embrace the mysterious Cube of Rubik and challenge someone to beat your time. Or, find a board game that you and your quarantine-buddies can happily immerse yourselves in for hours on end.
It doesn't matter what it is, so long as you can soak your mind in the pursuit of a new and unusual "thing" to master. So, step one: go out and learn something frivolous.
2. Cook Something Delicious
Cooking at home is, of course, cheaper and more nutritious than ordering in. So, right from the get-go, you're doing yourself a favor by embracing the culinary arts. But the value of cooking something delicious for yourself goes deeper.
According to Psychology Today, home cooking is a veritable fruit salad of healthful brain ingredients. To start, you gain the meditative clarity of setting your mind to a series of careful, tactile tasks. Additionally, you get the opportunity to apply a spicy dash of creativity to your life, tweaking a recipe precisely to your liking.
If you're cooking with someone else, you also benefit from a nice sneaky dollop of nutritious relationship strengthening. After all, you're making something together and then sitting down to eat it — and hopefully basking in the knowledge you did it as a team.
Oh, and if you're lucky, someone might even thank you for the meal. This is never not good when it comes to bulking up that flagging self-esteem. So, cook something delicious. It's nutritious for your soul!
3. Flex Like You Mean It
Finally, be sure to move around. It's a common misconception that the only "good" exercise is the extreme stuff taught by scarily attractive people in lycra pants. Sure, rock-hard abs, a chiseled chest and a ridiculously resilient rhumba section are all nice to have if you have the time and determination.
But here's the thing — you can start small. Exercise doesn't have to be a big thing; any kind is good for you, both physically and mentally. Studies show that even mild exercise creates a sense of empowerment. Additionally, it brings the art of self-care back into your life, promotes self-awareness and has a proven positive impact on your mood and emotional well-being.
Stick at it long enough and double down on proper nutrition (see point 2!) and you'll experience that magical bonus of feeling better about your reflection in the mirror. You then have the perfect excuse to go out and grab that little black dress or that sublimely cool pair of jeans. Looking good isn't everything, but it definitely helps.
Find Your Happiness
Surviving quarantine isn't always easy, but finding a few ways to bring a bit of self-care into your life can make all the difference. These science-based tricks are a good starting point to giving your self-esteem a much-needed shot in the arm. And remember, a good haircut isn't everything.
