Be kind to yourself always, in all ways!
When talking about kindness, we are usually referring to how we should treat others. Kindness creates a sense of safety in our relationships. It lets others know that we respect them and that we will be thoughtful in how we communicate with them.
How about if we applied the same consideration and "kindness" to ourselves.
There are many ways to turn kindness inward.
Begin by listening to how you talk to yourself and how you talk about yourself to others.
Are you patient?
Do you hold yourself to an unrealistic standard and then feel defeated?
Do you treat others in the manner that you would like to be treated?
Do you take time to replenish your overused mind or body?
Is self-care in your vocabulary?
As a young girl and during my college years, I was very hard on myself. I was my biggest critic. My negative, insecure self-talk popped up regularly. I was not nice to myself, and it affected my self-esteem.
At some point in my 20's, I told myself "enough was enough," and I decided that I needed to change. I was hurting myself and I didn't want to put myself down anymore; I needed to become a friend to myself, not a critic. And I worked at it every day.
Since then, I make a conscious decision to be kind and patient with myself, and now it comes much more naturally. This way of thinking also lends itself to having a more positive outlook, even when times are tough.
Most importantly, I express gratitude every day. Gratitude keep me in check and helps me to feel grounded and calmer.
Are you kind to yourself? I sure hope so.
Do you express gratitude daily? If not, give it a try. You'll see an immediate shift.