\begin{tikzpicture}
\umlbasicstate[name=state]{I am a state}
\umltrans[recursive=-10|10|2cm, arg=a, pos=1.5, recursive direction=right to right]{state}{state}
\umltrans[recursive=-170|-110|2cm, arg=b, pos=2, recursive direction=left to bottom]{state}{state}
\end{tikzpicture}