It’s time to become a friend to yourself and it starts with self-compassion. Self-compassion helps us to see ourselves clearly and make the necessary changes because we care about ourselves and want to live life to our full potential. Life is precious and meant to be enjoyed, enjoy yourself.
Treating ourselves with love, acceptance, kindness, gentleness and forgiveness, must be an intentional, conscious act that we believe we deserve, because we do, just as much as we would give to a loved one or a friend. Simply being the kind of friend to ourselves that we are to others. As we learn to acknowledge and embrace all of our emotions and thoughts, WITHOUT JUDGMENT, our ability to love ourselves unconditionally increases. Your worth, value, and existence is as important and significant as anyone else’s.
Sometimes we take care of others and overlook, or completely ignore, the need to take care of ourselves and to love ourselves. You are worth whatever effort it takes to love you. When practicing self-compassion we recognize that we have needs to be met as well and are worthy of creating the space for it.
A Few Tips for Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is empowering and can make us more resilient in the face of failure or during difficult times.
Practice mindfulness during difficult situations by getting still, taking a deep breath, and being in the moment.
As human beings we are known to be our own worst critic, pursue self-forgiveness, self-kindness, and show yourself unconditional love.
Give yourself permission to be imperfect and embrace it, break any habits of perfectionism, give yourself the grace to be human.
Embrace a growth mindset in the midst of challenges, focus on how you can learn and grow from whatever comes your way.
Accept your mistakes, and then focus on ways to retry and move forward. Self-compassion is the key.
The Importance of Rest and Self-Care
Be determined and unwavering to make your care and needs a priority. Take time for sleep, exercise, eating healthy, and whatever fills your cup. Imagine a loved one, how would you want them to be treated? How would you take care of them? These are vital questions to consider for your own needs, hence, the importance of rest and self-care.
Practice generosity without sacrificing or denying yourself. Focus on and express gratitude and find ways to be generous to others in ways that still serve your needs. Remember, your own needs must be met before you can help others. Write advice to yourself as though it is to a friend. What would you say? What would you share? What wisdom would you hope they would embrace?
Keep a daily journal to regulate your thoughts. Notice how you talk to yourself in moments when you are experiencing negative emotion. Change your self-talk. Work to reframe any self-sabotaging internal dialogue in a more positive, nurturing way. Take care of and be kind to yourself, put your best foot forward and proactively take care of your well-being. It must be INTENTIONAL!
Questions to Ponder:
What is one thing you do to show self-compassion?
What is one thing you love about yourself?
Best Wishes, Tracy Diamond