LIFE

@justgirlproject

Picture this: you come home from soccer practice later than expected, and you're swamped with HW *and* helping your mom clean up after dinner. Overwhelmed? That would be an understatement. But when your friend texts you begging (like, 10 texts in a row...) for you to FT to help her dissect the text she got from her crush, you feel bad saying no. So, you end up sacrificing your grade on the test (and your sleep sched!) to help your girl out.

There's no doubt that making sacrifices for those we care about is super important, but it's equally as important to become your *own* best friend too. And the start to showing yourself more kindness? Setting better boundaries. From learning to say "no" to not picking up extra commitments, here's how to do it.

Say "no"

Saying no is not rude—it's an important life skill. Whether it's declining an invite to a party after a long week of cramming for finals or saying no to staying after school to tutor when doing your own HW feels like a lot, putting yourself first is something that we *all* have to do at some point. And although it can be hard, but it can truly help you in the long run.

Cut toxic people out of your life
Sadly, cutting toxic people out is something that needs to be done from time to time. If you've noticed one of your friends is constantly bringing you down or makes you feel bad about yourself, try having a conversation with them. And if they try to downplay your feelings? That just might be a sign to move on to new friends.

Take some time for yourself 

This is your sign to start putting your phone on do-not-disturb, bubble bathing and chilling at least once a week. Because the best way to have boundaries? Not letting the outside world mess with your zen!

Put your mental health first
Putting your mental health first is a *must.* Your mental health is something that deserves as much TLC as the rest of your health, so it's time to start acting like it. Whether this means declining an extra commitment for your school newspaper during a test-heavy week or asking for help on a group project that you suddenly seem to be doing alone, make sure to tune into your feelings and act on them.

Looking for more mental health content? Check out these related posts:
🧠 How to get yourself out of a slump 
🧠 5 small habits to boost your mood
🧠 Here's why baking is good for your mental health

How do you set boundaries? Let us know on social media @girlslifemag!

All GIFs via GIPHY

by Eva Mandelbaum | 6/11/2022