Self-care has become a hot topic in the past couple years, especially with the increased awareness of burnout being a real thing. And not taking care of yourself is a bad habit that the world has adopted in order to survive. When it comes to self-care I know that it is a struggle to navigate once you enter your 20’s. For so many years, we have had our parents/care takers make our choices. Tell us what is good for us. And having limited choices. Even for me, now in my 20’s, I sometimes find it hard to make my own decisions. But when it comes to prioritizing myself I learned quick & fast that I need to change how I am going about it.
I got to sit down and have a chat with Digital Creator, Nylah , about this topic. She creates lifestyle content about navigating new experiences in her 20’s. Showing her journey with her new move to L.A. to how she tries to show up for herself and making time to enjoy the things she wants to; all while having to explore this new challenge of adulthood. Nylah is the best person I can think of to speak on this topic. I hope you can resonate with this week’s post, take what you learned, and use it in your own life, even if you aren’t in your 20’s.
Originally from Virginia, Nylah primarily grew up in Atlanta, Georgia since she was 4. She studied at Georgia Tech and received a Bachelor’s of Science in Neuroscience. So, a fellow STEM Major. You’re probably wondering, how did she end up in marketing & this social media realm? In Nylah’s junior year , she realized her lack of wanting to pursue a career in medicine. She didn’t desire to be a doctor or any job related to Neuroscience, so, she picked up a marketing certificate and focused her studies on psychology related courses in order to understand the consumer & still tie in her degree to her new found career path.
If you look at Nylah’s Tik Tok (@Nylah.akua.adeji) , you’ll see her series on her new move to L.A. Calling it and I quote , “The best decision of my life”. Currently she works at Apple as an operations coordinator, helping with efficiency , onboarding, & scheduling out campaigns. On the side she is a content creator/ Influencer. Nylah has always been creative , never skipping a beat. She started making content back in 2018 when she was approached by Spotify Premium to be a campus ambassador. This was the first time she worked with a brand. This was her first step into the influencer world.
In 2020, she realized how she can make a living from content creation. With her love for travel & fashion, she decided to have that be her main focus of content on Instagram, while on Tik Tok, she is thriving with posting about her lifestyle content as she navigates her 20’s.
THE INTERVIEW
Nylah:
I would say self-care is putting yourself first. And knowing yourself. If you put yourself first , that opens up time to know who you are & get to know YOU. Which leads to you loving yourself and figuring out what is good for you. What is healthy for you? What makes you happy? And I think self-care encompasses multiple avenues. Your mental health, your physical health, and your spiritual health. Those are the three things I focus on when I think about self-care. So, typically at the beginning of the year, and then each month, I try to set bigger broader goals within those three categories. So, that’s how I’d define self-care.
WHAT ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT SELF-CARE IN YOUR 20's?
Nylah:
When people think about self-care they kinda visualize the glamourous side of things. But for example, therapy. Therapy falls into the mental health sector of the self-care bubble. Therapy is not glamorized. It’s not always fun. You gotta talk the struggles through. It may not always be happy. But at the end of the day people need to realize that self-care isn’t always going to be happy. It’s not always going to be this positive outlook. But it’s a journey. And in that journey there are going to be low days & high days. That’s not bad. That’s just a part of you trying to become your better self.
Depending on if you’re religious, spiritual health can be making sure you’re aligning yourself in what you believe in. Making sure you’re surrounding yourself with people that encourage you, they make you feel good and better your environment. Whether that is religion or whatever you align yourself with.
And then with physical health. It’s whatever that looks like to you. For me it’s taking care of my body. What am I putting into my body? What do I eat? Am I staying on top of working out? But also, feeling good. Make sure you do things to make you feel good on the outside & inside. Knowing exactly what makes you feel good can help you optimize your self-care within those categories.
WHEN IT COMES TO SELF-CARE, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN YOUR 20's?
Nylah:
Couple of things. So, I’ve learned how to pick up on when I’m not doing well mentally. So, for example, when my space is getting super cluttered , I notice my space reflects my mind. You might think you’re fine ,but then you look up for a second. I think it’s helpful to know what your tells are if you’re not doing well. And I think you pick that up in this stage of life. Because in your 20’s you start to live on your own a bit more. So, when you’re in your own space you start to notice that more.
And a second big thing has been dating yourself. It kinda goes hand in hand with self love , which falls into self care. Like literally taking yourself out on dates. Really getting to know what you like at your core outside of your relationships. Whether that is in romantic relationships, friendships, or even with your family. And that’s a really big thing that I’ve learned. You got to take time for yourself. And you have to be very intentional about it. You should at some point doing some activities on your own. And understanding how to spend time with yourself. Cause once you do like to move out, you might have a roommate you might not. And going through that change is going to be hard if you’re not comfortable being alone.
WHAT HABITS DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT IN SELF-CARE?
Nylah:
I would say eating breakfast in the morning. I’m a huge advocate for eating breakfast. But I know a lot of people that skip it. And I learned this in college, it is a fact that it is good for you to fuel yourself in the morning. Another habit, I would say, is practicing gratitude. Recently , I got the five minute journal from intelligentchange.com. Waking up in the morning and the first five minutes is you thinking positively or practicing gratitude. It has a really big impact on you. Three: Doing something active. Whether that is taking a walk outside or doing yoga, something physical is always good. That kind of takes care of the physical aspect of self-care.
Honestly, I really advocate for therapy. Even if you’re fine, you’re not struggling. I think it’s good to have that in your life. Just like we go to the doctor every year & the dentist every 6 months. Going to a therapist once a month, just to have check-ins. Because at some point you might hit a bump in the road. And it’s nice to have someone there already that knows what you’re going through & what your story is. Because it’s better to be prepared. Instead of you just waking up, something happens, and now you’re struggling to find a therapist to help you through that. So, I’m a really big advocate for therapy, even if you think you’re doing just alright.
Lastly, and this doesn’t work for everyone, but my personal habit is creating a checklist. Remembering that if you don’t finish everything on the list that it’s okay. So, having a balance between what you need to do in the day. I just think it’s good to keep yourself organized.
HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE YOUR HAPPINESS IN YOUR 20's?
Nylah:
This definitely ties back to knowing yourself. Because you might not know yourself. So, how can you get to know yourself in order to know what makes you happy? Go out and try new things. If you already know what you like, make it intentional to do what you like once a week. Like for me I love seeing the sunrise. So, I try to wake up early enough at least once a week to see the sunrise.
You just…and this is hard to do. It’s not just a flip of a switch. But you just can’t care about what others think of you. I think that’s a really big thing that stops people from being happy. I would encourage people to remember to put yourself first. And to be selfish. And I think there is a negative thing to being selfish and a positive thing. And putting yourself first isn’t a bad thing. So, if you start to put yourself first and try to figure out what you like, that will help in the process of prioritizing your happiness.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING THEIR 20's?
Nylah:
My biggest advice that I always give people wherever they are is : focus on your own journey & stop comparing yourself to others. I’m sure people hear this all the time ,but it is very true. And you’re going to feel a world difference in your life when you stop comparing yourself to others and when you stop comparing your journey to others.
You have to remember you’re unique . There is literally no in this entire world ,out of the billions of people, that is like you. So, why would your life be like someone else’s? Comparison is the thief of joy. It really is. And if you find yourself doing that just try to remove yourself from that situation. Remove yourself from that environment. Because it’s gonna hurt you feeling happy about your own life.
THANK YOU FOR READING !
Nylah was such a joy to talk to. That’s one of my favorite things about this blog. It let’s me reach out & connect with different people, people who may have different lifestyles, experiences, advice, etc. I personally follow Nylah and love her content on Instagram & Tik Tok. Links are below! She makes lifestyle Tik Toks on her life in L.A. Then on Instagram she does Travel content. Such an awesome Black Woman to follow. So, go check her out 🙂
Don’t forget to share and check out my other posts. If you wanna talk more about this week’s post or any other post, shoot me a DM on Instagram! Follow me on all my socials to know when I post a new blog. Also, follow my Facebook page! If you didn’t know I have a shop! Head over there and check out the essential oils, perfumes, and other goodies. Don’t forget to share and leave a comment down below! Welp, until next time!
Join the T.A & Co. Community ! Weekly Emails
Follow me on Instagram TikTok Twitter Facebook for more content!
Check out my recent posts!
Healing: 5 Powerful Ways How I Heal As A Black Woman
FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn Hello T.A & Co. readers, AND HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! Welcome to this week’s T.A & Co. Tuesday blog post. Whether you are a new reader or a returning
Journaling for Growth: Unlock Your Creativity and Clarity
FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn Hello T.A & Co. readers, and welcome to this week’s T.A & Co. Tuesday new blog post. Whether you are a new reader or a returning one, I am
Rejection is Redirection: 5 Helpful Ways to Handle Rejection
FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn Hello T.A & Co. readers, and welcome to this week’s T.A & Co. Tuesday new blog post. Whether you are a new reader or a returning one, I am