When you're a mega-star with a long list of gigs and shows, self-care can easily fall off of the to-do list; but not for Usher.
Taking care of himself, especially mentally, seems to be one of the R&B star's top priorities. Usher Raymond IV, more commonly known as Usher, plans to prioritize his self care, especially following the end of his Las Vegas residency that was extended twice and ahead of his 2024 Super Bowl halftime show performance.
"When is the last time you looked in a mirror and really looked at yourself?" he asked the culture editor at Vogue who interviewed him for their recent winter issue.
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"When you looked in that mirror, did you tell yourself you loved yourself? Did you tell yourself that you forgive yourself?"
He went on to let her know that he told himself those same things earlier that morning, which appears to be a frequent practice of his.
"It's a little psyched-out to say this, but it made me feel good. I was like: You need to look at yourself and say: Hey, whatever you're dealing with, I love you," he told Vogue.
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Raymond's consistent mirror affirmations may even improve his confidence before hitting the stage.
Reciting affirmations to yourself in the mirror is a simple way to combat imposter's syndrome, according to Dora Kamau, a mindfulness and meditation teacher at Headspace. The practice requires "looking at the evidence, looking at the impact" that you've made and reassuring yourself that you're in the position that you're in for a reason.
Raymond also prioritizes exercising, eating healthy foods, showing up for his partner of four years and raising his four children, according to Vogue. And he takes honoring his mental health a step further by committing to regular sessions with his therapist and practicing meditation daily, according to Vogue.
By meditating, Raymond can counter any negative thoughts that arise before performing, according to experts. Focusing on what can go wrong is easy, Oren Jay Sofer said on the podcast "Ten Percent Happier," but so much greatness can be achieved when you "bring to mind one thing that you appreciate about yourself."
"When we uplift the heart, even a little," Sofer said, "we have more energy and strength to devote to the things we care about."
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