You’re pretty much amazing. The problem is that everyone around you knows this and wants a piece of you, your time and your energy this semester. So it’s times like these that we give you full on permission to be SELF-FUL! Yep, it sounds better than selfish right? See how to master protecting your time + creativity.

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Ummm NOPE! Have you heard? No is the new black. Or whatever color you want it to be. Okay, we’re going help you get  this ‘no’ thing down in four simple rules:  1.) Don’t lie. 2.) Don’t make excuses. 3.) Don’t over-explain yourself. 4.) Just simply decline. And VOILA! You just nailed the art of saying ‘NO’ to people and situations that drain you.

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Love you but love me more- Yeah spread love…when you have it to spread. Passing out your energy when you don’t have any is like  constantly cooking for others while you’re one the verge of passing out from starvation. If your glass is not full with love for yourself you don’t know how to truly love others around you.

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Your #CHEERsquad- Alright, pull out your mic and your speakers and get ready to give the biggest pep talk of your life. Oftentimes we have so much positivity to say to your friends and fam but when it comes to yourself  we run out. Remember to stay positive, be gentle with yourself and bring on all the joy coming form you.

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Love yourself!

Oh, how love is in the air! Hugs, kisses, chocolates, bears and the oh so sweet surprise gifts that Valentine’s Day brings! So it’s great if your boyfriend or girlfriend showers you with gifts but let’s be honest who doesn’t love to spoil themselves a little bit, too?  No matter if you’re boo’d up with your love or kicking it with your girlfriends, it’s all about showering love on yourself and we’re going to show you exactly how to do it.

Let’s get started…

Treat Yourself! – From classes to college applications to the parentals, you barely have time exhale.  We get it.  Being a student is exhausting…seriously. Sooo it’s time to schedule some well needed  ‘me-time’ this semester. We’re not encouraging you to blow your entire allowance BUT we are saying treat yourself to something you love. A cute top, an eye catching nail polish, or just time away from everybody without feeling guilty! It’s your world and you deserve a prize every now and then!

Playlist Party! Feeling yourself? Well, make a playlist that shows it! Create a playlist with all the songs that makes you feel like Beyonce, Michelle Obama + Naomi Campbell all in one. Crank up the volume, lock the door and have your own personal music video in your room. Yes, you’re the star of this party so you have to kill each move.

Dress to Impress- Here at C.O.R.E Mag we’re HUGE believers that it’s all about your beauty shining from the inside out! So if you don’t have a beautiful or kind soul you’ll never a have true outer beauty. Now, since that’s clear….it’s time to dress up how beautiful your personality is to the world. Have fun with your style + appreciate your creativity + beauty!  One quote will wrap this whole idea up—–> “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak’ . -Rachel Zoe

Give IT away- Ok, so this post is all about showing yourself some love but the best way to receive love is when you give it away! Yes, what you put out in the universe is what you get back in return. So share your appreciation to your besties and fam members! It’s the start button to feeling  the love.

Pucker  Up + Say It! –  You are the first person to hear your own words. That’s deep, right? Ok, so we’ve just dropped a little knowledge your way it’s time to head to the mirror, pucker up (we know you’ve perfected this with all your kissy face selfies for Instagram)  + say I LOVE YOU to yourself! Ok, now do it again, again, again and every morning that you wake up! Love every inch of yourself + let it shine bright! *KISSES*

SENDING YOU BEAUTIES TONS OF LOVE YOUR WAY!

When giving people advice on finding love, gaining confidence, or just enjoying life, one of the most popular pieces of advice offered is that you have to love and be happy with yourself. Loving yourself is comprised of having a positive self-image and accepting the things about yourself that you can’t change. When you love yourself it doesn’t necessarily mean that you think you are perfect and therefore don’t need to strive to become better. It just means that you are aware of your value and you know that you have things to offer. It means that though you may strive to change some things about yourself in an effort to make improvements, you still accept and appreciate who you are inside and out.

Why is it so important to love yourself? It’s important because your view of yourself has an enormous impact on your view of the world. When you don’t see yourself properly, when you don’t see the beauty in yourself and all of the gifts that you have to offer, you often won’t be able to see the beauty in the world around you. When you don’t have a clear view of the world, it can lead you to make bad decisions – decisions that aren’t fully based in reality because they are skewed by your somewhat unrealistic/negative view of the world.

Lil Kim is a prime example of what having a negative self-image can do to a person. She didn’t think that she was beautiful, so she tried to change the way she looked. She has gone through several transformations, so it seems that no matter how much she changes her physical appearance, she fails to achieve the look that she wants. Lil Kim went from being a beautiful young woman to a caricature that people laugh at all because her decisions were skewed by a negative self-image. She played herself, and will continue to do so until she learns to love herself.

The whole idea of loving yourself in order to find happiness may seem somewhat idealistic to some, but it really is a necessity. A lot of people make the mistake of searching for someone or something outside of themselves to make them happy, but that happiness is fleeting because it is only there for as long as that exterior factor is around. When you love and are happy with yourself, your happiness isn’t dependent upon outside factors. That means that you can be happy no matter what your situation may be. When you don’t have that, you often end up settling for less than you deserve, making poor relationship decisions, or even worse, harming yourself physically. All of those things fall into the same category as Lil Kim and all her plastic surgery – playing yourself. Don’t play yourself. Love yourself.

-Tiffany Vicks