Sydney Sweeney gets candid about self-confidence, body image: 'Sometimes I'm not happy with myself'
The Unwind is Yahoo Life’s well-being series in which experts, influencers and celebrities share their approaches to wellness and mental health, from self-care rituals to setting healthy boundaries to the mantras that keep them afloat.
Sydney Sweeney is just 23 years old, but in her journey to making it in Hollywood, the Euphoria actress has learned a lot about the importance of self-care and implementing both rules and rituals in order to put her best self forward. She even reveals to Yahoo Life that finances have been a big part of that.
"My family has always ingrained value in stretching a budget and the importance of money in my mind. And I grew up on a smaller budget with my family," Sweeney says. "I still believe in all of that and I still practice that and follow my mom's very ingrained rules in my head."
The actress says that this is the very reason why she recently partnered with BIC for the Value For Money campaign where she's had the opportunity to explore the particular advantages of affordable and quality products like BIC razors — something that's also a part of her self-care routine — while encouraging people to understand the importance of saving.
How have you come to understand finances as an integral part of maintaining your mental health?
I grew up in a family that when we moved to Los Angeles, the prices were so different from where I grew up in Spokane, Wash. And it was really financially hard on my parents to the point that they had to file for bankruptcy when I was a teenager. So I watched what money can do to families and how it can tear them apart. And when you don't save correctly and you don't spend your money on important things where it's supposed to be spent, what the damage can be. So always in my mind, I was like I'm never gonna let that happen to me. And so I've been very conscious of my money and how I spend it and what I do with it and I will hopefully maintain that for the rest of my life because I think a lot of people forget that yes, acting and entertainment and Hollywood are so glamorous, but it also is a business, and if you don't run the business correctly or smart, then you will lose your way.
What does self-care mean to you?
I think self-care is a daily process. I think you can be OK one day and it's totally OK if you're not the next because I think you have to start every day new and you have to start every day trying to appreciate and love yourself, which can be difficult sometimes. Take one step at a time and try your best and just make sure you love yourself. Your body does so much for you, and I think a lot of times people forget that and how hard it works. And so taking care of yourself, grooming yourself however way makes you feel best, I think it's important.
What does your self-care routine look like?
I've tried to get into yoga, but my mind just races too much so I can't get there yet. I love HGTV, I live on HGTV. And I try to take baths and I love candles and lighting candles, and I actually use the BIC lighters too, which is fun because they have all the colors. So I'm really into candles, HGTV and hanging out with my dog.
What has your journey to self-confidence been like?
I think it's the same as self-care, it's a daily process. Some days I will feel great and some days I don't want to get out of bed and I think that it's OK if you feel both ways. It's definitely hard because I know I'm a role model and I want to show that I am confident and I'm also a real person. And sometimes I'm not happy with myself or something just doesn't feel right. I think it's important for everyone to know that everyone's a real person and everyone has feelings and it's OK if you don't feel confident one day, but just know that you're beautiful, no matter what.
How does being in the public eye impact your body image?
It is your body and there are some people looking at it, but at the same time, something that I've really started telling myself is this is the one body I'll have for the rest of my life. And it does so much for me and I need to appreciate it and I need to love it because I'm not going to get another one. So I'm just kind of loving myself more and thanking my body for everything it does. And sure, more people than myself get to look at it in my profession. And I hope that the love that I have for my body and the thanks that I give to myself inspires other people to be like, I need to approach myself that way too, because I think loving yourself is number one before you can actually love anyone else.
Why is it so important for you to inspire others with your positivity?
I want to make sure that I am what I wish I had to look up to when I was little. That's something that I've always kept in my mind. If I was myself at 13 or 16 or however old, would I be what I wish I had? So that's kind of how I approach different things like social media. I mean, it's an up and down journey.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
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