Kristen Bell’s 5 Tips for Self-Care in 2017

Written exclusively for Shine.

2016 felt like the year we woke up about self-care. As The New York Times wrote, a “search on Google Trends showed that self-care peaked in interest popularity from November 13th through November 19th, the largest increase in the last five years.”

We're all way too hard on ourselves about how we're doing in managing the many responsibilities we have to balance, which can quickly lead to burnout.

As a result, self-care isn't a ‘nice to have,’ it's a ‘need to have.’ Let's show ourselves the love we deserve in 2017.

Here are my five tips to practice self-care this year:

1. If you are low on self esteem, find an estimable act.

Giving yourself to others takes the focus off yourself and allows for immediate perspective, which inadvertently boosts your feelings of gratitude and worth. Helping others truly is helping yourself.

We're all way too hard on ourselves about how we're doing.

2. Forgive yourself.

Be a Disney Princess and LET IT GO. That song became a sensation, because the message is universally powerful, defying gender and age. The kindness and acceptance that we bestow on others, should also be turned inward on ourselves. The most effective way to move forward and experience growth is through self-pardon.

3. Re-evaluate your current measure of stress.

Cher once told me, "If it doesn't matter in 5 years, it doesn't matter." I think about this often and find myself consistently applying the rule. If I'm feeling caught up in routine annoyances, I start to consider what I will be thinking about on my deathbed and my entire perspective shifts. It allows me to focus on what is, ultimately, worth remembering.

If it doesn't matter in 5 years, it doesn't matter.

4. Lean on people.

Don't let your ego prevent you from obtaining support from others. There is a mightiness that comes with asking for help, being vulnerable and not going at it alone.

5. Order pizza.

Sometimes, you just need to order pizza.

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