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While sitting down with Glamour UK, Selena Gomez shared some of her best self-care tips, especially when it comes to battling intrusive thoughts. According to Harvard Health, intrusive thoughts can be described as "disturbing thoughts that pop into your mind unbidden." Intrusive thoughts affect an estimated six million Americans, as well, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
“I’m a big advocate for therapy," Gomez told the outlet of how she handles her own intrusive thoughts. "I also love to keep sticky notes around my house with positive affirmations. I have a lot of various ones, but “I am enough” is a favorite of mine – I call them 'Rare Reminders.' And taking a scrolling break from social media helps!”
Intrusive thoughts can affect one's body image, which Gomez said was also compounded for her by growing up in the public eye. “Being in the public eye from such an early age certainly comes with a lot of pressure," she explained. "It’s hard to feel comfortable when you feel like everyone is watching, judging, and commenting on the way you look. Self-confidence is still something I work on daily, but when I stopped trying to conform to society’s unrealistic standards of beauty, my perspective entirely shifted."
The Only Murders in the Building star also opened up about feeling pressure to attain unrealistic beauty standards while working in Hollywood. "From the time I can remember, I’ve always felt like I had to be perfect or look a certain way," she shared. "It took me a long time to realize that I only wanted to be myself – that what made me unique was also what made me beautiful.”
If she could give her younger self one piece of self-care advice, she would "tell her that makeup is something to have fun with, but not something you need. I used to think I needed to wear makeup to feel pretty, and I can definitely say that has changed as I’ve gotten older.”