You gently run your fingers across your shiny new iPhone. It’s smooth, unscratched, grease and dirt-free. This is your holy baby, and you will treat it reverently. Nobody can touch this. Somehow, you feel that not even you can touch it.

Do we care more about our phones than our lives?

Think about it. How would you handle a new phone? (Admit it, we’re all a bit overprotective of them–especially at first.) You’d put a case on it to protect it from damage–and to give it your own personal flair! You’d notice every new smudge, scratch, and fleck of dirt. You’d get some great apps, use it, and charge it when it’s low on battery.

Now think about yourself.

Do you take care to protect yourself? Do you express who you are? Are you aware of your needs, quirks, hopes, and fears? Do you spend time cultivating yourself and being the best person you can be? Do you know what drains you and how to revitalize yourself? Chances are, you don’t do all of those things. Actually, none of us do every single one of those things. We’re hard on ourselves. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle, we completely ignore what we need. Self-awareness and introspection take the back seat when there are piles of homework to get done or a stack of bills to be paid. Self-esteem can be difficult to gain or maintain when we feel completely inadequate. And so, we break. We run out of charge.

What can we do then? There’s no quick fix. There are, however, some things to keep in mind that I think could really help us in our journey to a better self.

• Password. Or passcode, or whatever the young ‘uns call it these days (I’m fifteen, and I honestly don’t know). Be guarded. No, not in a way that shuts everybody out. I mean, listen to your gut. If you don’t feel right sharing something with someone, don’t. If something feels off, be cautious.
• Case. Surround yourself with a good support system with multiple people included. One person can’t be your everything.
• Backgrounds. Your lock screen is the self you show to the world. Your home screen is the person you are inside. Reflect on both. Who do you make yourself out to be? Is it how you really feel? Compare and contrast.
• Apps. These are your traits that help dictate how you think and what you think about. If you’re hardworking, you may be thinking about the best ways to get your work done. Work on installing character traits that will help you. Delete ones that are damaging. And, as always, take time to clear your head. Too many apps running in the background can drain you and slow you down.
• Camera. What’s your view of the world? Try using different filters, or looking at things through other perspectives.
• Screen. Let this represent your confidence and self-esteem. If treated poorly, this can break. Be kind to yourself. Remember, your case–support system–can help you when you fall down.
• Internet connection. How engaged are you right now? Sometimes we’re spaced out, scattered, and “not all there.” When we’re distracted, things get done much more slowly–or not at all.
• Charge. This is vital to our health as human beings. Be aware of your immediate needs. You’re hungry, sick, overstimulated, or sad. Revitalize yourself as soon as possible. In the meantime, don’t overextend yourself. Know your limits and adjust your plans accordingly.

Those are just a few of the ways you can take care of yourself. If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them!

P.S. This is all from an iPhone user. Other phones might be different–I don’t know. I’ll never have anything to do with anything other than iPhones.