The task of gaining self-confidence is much easier said than done. It’s not as simple as learning the right angles when posing for a picture or buying and using makeup that properly compliments your features. Self-esteem is not merely achieved by wearing the right clothes or having the right haircut. Learning to love your body and your appearance is a beautiful thing to master, but true self-adoration can only be obtained once you learn to love everything on the inside as well.

As the new year begins, many people have set their resolutions for 2017. Many of these, along with my own, deal with our physical appearances. One incredibly popular New Year’s resolution is working out more and/or becoming fit. Along with this often comes a change in diet, consisting of more fruits and vegetables. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is certainly something to be proud of and it can definitely boost self-esteem, but even that does not guarantee you will achieve true happiness with who you are.

I have learned over the past few years that achieving true self-adoration comes from discovering what you love about yourself: your aspirations, your goals, your quirks, your likes, your dislikes, your ability to heal yourself, your ability to heal others, etc. The key to my own confidence is remembering all the things that got me where I am today, and how hard I have worked for this. I started to admire myself for my dedication to my future career. Part of this dedication has to do with my motivation to help people and make a difference someday. I have always been a caring person, but it wasn’t until relatively recently that I realized how much I value that trait about myself. Once I truly realized that I had, at some unknown point, become somebody I adore I began to learn how to really love myself.

It took a while for me to get to the point I’m at right now. Learning to love yourself doesn’t come with an instruction manual, but I have devised a list of things that contributed to building my own self-esteem.

Journaling. Writing in a journal has been a way for me to release any thoughts or feelings that bother me. Because I have been doing so for quite a long time, it has also allowed me to look back on who I was years ago and realize just how far I’ve come.

Going for runs. I am not a big fan of the gym. I always feel like everybody is watching me when they most certainly are not. To avoid the feeling anyway, I go on runs in a wooded area by my house. Running helps clear your mind, especially if done so while listening to music. Also, it is a great way to stay in shape which can help you to feel better about your body.

Drinking a lot of smoothies. I’m not a big fan of breakfast. I either sleep in too late and go straight to lunch or simply don’t have time for it. However, when I do, I make sure that I am eating something that is healthy. I love making smoothies in the morning. They are a great way to jump start the day and because they are healthy, they are another way to improve your overall health.

Listening to music constantly. I have found that music is a lot more than entertainment. It is a good emotional outlet. Whether you are feeling up or down, music is a great way to release emotions are ultimately boost your mood.

Changing up my style. Fashion has played a key role in learning to love myself. I enjoy dressing up and looking put together most days. Leaving the house knowing I look good makes me feel good. However, I do get sick of wearing the same outfits on repeat. So, I tend to try to change up something about my everyday outfits from time to time (ex: buying new shoes, wearing brighter colors, wearing more jewelry, wearing bottoms that aren’t only jeans, etc.). It feels great to have a break in routine.

Changing up my hair. When it comes to your locks, I know change can be terrifying. I know people who won’t let a pair of scissors within five feet of their hair for fear of it somehow being cut off. I used to hate haircuts because I always thought that I would only look good with my hair long and flat against my back. However, a few years ago I decided to be daring and cut off a decent chunk of my hair. It felt weird at first without all of the weight, but I grew to love it. Apparently so did everyone else because I received multiple compliments on it. Now, I love changing my hair every so often. It allowed me to realize what hair length and color best suits my features.

These are just a few ways I have learned to love myself and enjoy life a little more. They have steered me away from focusing so much on how much I weigh or how thin my eyebrows are. I know gaining confidence can be difficult. So, if you are setting out to do so in 2017, know that you are not alone in it. It is certainly not easy, but it’s not impossible. Start small. Drink water. Breathe.

You can do it.