Don’t Forget To Be Kind To Yourself

Have you ever noticed that we rarely have a problem with being kind to others when they are going through something? You may have even helped comfort a stranger or someone you didn’t even like when they were going through a tough time. Why? Because it is hard to kick someone when they are down. Especially when we can relate to how the other person is feeling.
So, why do we not show that same kindness to ourselves? When we are stressed, we do not give ourselves a break, but we force ourselves to push through it. When we are sad, we think of the worst things and relentlessly torment ourselves, whether it is our fault or not (God forbid if it is). If we were half as kind and sympathetic to ourselves as we are towards others, there is no telling how much better off we would be. I have just a few tips below to keep in mind the next time you find yourself being unnecessarily hard on yourself.
1) Remember that progress comes in many forms. We can have these great goals for ourselves that we want to be achieved by a certain time, and if we don’t make it happen, then we tell ourselves that we are the biggest failure. FALSE! As long as you are farther ahead than you were when you first started, you are doing great! Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are not successful if you feel like you keep ending up at the starting line. When that happens, remember it is usually because we have moved our starting line, which is ok. Just make sure you stay focused. As long as you do that, you have no reason to be overly hard on yourself. Success and progress comes in many different forms, but both take time.
2) Remember to celebrate the wins! We all experience more losses than gains; It’s just the way it is most times. Which makes it that much more important to celebrate the wins, no matter how small they are. A win is a win. No one cares if you win by a mile or by a millisecond. So stop stealing your own thunder! Don’t downplay your wins. You worked for it, so accept it and celebrate it! Not to mention, the next win may happen tomorrow or in several months. So enjoy the win while it’s here.
3) Last but not least, get out of your own way! Your mindset could be the main obstacle keeping you from being successful and happy. Yes, it is easier to be negative and pessimistic than it is to find the light in everything, but try anyway. When you keep bringing up negative memories and getting hung up on the worst possible scenarios, you make it that much harder to cross that finish line. Why make your journey any harder than it needs to be? There is a difference between “preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best,” and just being downright negative. No one is saying that life is going to be sugarplums and roses all of the time, but there is no need to constantly remind yourself of the hell you’ve come through. That’s just mental warfare that is not helping anyone.
Save some of the kindness you show to others for yourself. I promise it will make a huge difference in your mental wellbeing, happiness, and success.
“You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head, so be kind to yourself.” – Unknown
-S|20