“You can’t always expect others to treat you right, but you can treat yourself right.”
~Bryant McGill
“Treat yourself as you want to be treated.” ~ Unknown
Treat yourself better every day, not for anyone else, but for YOU. You are worth whatever effort it takes to love on YOU. Many people break promises to their self, self-sabotage, eat poorly, don't get enough sleep, are self-critical and lack self-compassion. In fact, if most people treated others the way they treat themselves, they wouldn't have many friends! This does not have to be you. Give yourself the grace to be human. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Today is a new day, new choices, new decisions, new opportunities to re-evaluate yourself, forgive yourself, accept yourself just as you are, and give yourself PERMISSION to begin to work on a better you! A healthy mindset is a game changer and a learned behavior, embrace this knowledge and pursue the greatness in YOU.
A method for treating yourself better is to develop that inner nurturing within you. Imagine you had a loved one in your care. You'd make every effort to keep them healthy and safe; to love and support them; to be forgiving of their mistakes, and to let them know how precious and important they are. That's what you’ll do for others, do the same for YOU.
What We Need Mostly Is Not Always Outside Of Us, It Is Within.
Turn the goal of treating yourself better into AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT. Send loving messages to yourself. Tell yourself, "I love you and appreciate who you are." Show yourself some love in the form of a self-hug with a grand of a smile. When you do something well, give yourself a pat on the back. Say, "Great job! I'm so proud of you." When you're struggling or feeling low, be supportive by saying, "I'm here for you. You're not alone." This may seem mind-boggling at first, but give it a try; you’ll be impressed with embracing loving on YOU. What we need mostly is not always outside of us, it is within.
Take good care of yourself. Make sure you eat right, drink lots of water, get plenty of rest, sleep, fresh air and exercise. Keep yourself healthy and fit. We get one life and it is not a dress rehearsal, you are important and you count. You are the only you, make a statement. Practicing good self-care is an essential part of this process. Do nice things for yourself. Get into the habit of doing special things for YOU. Make yourself a candlelight dinner -- a delicious meal in a special setting. Coddle yourself.
Become Your Strongest Supporter, Coach and Friend
Setting healthy boundaries with others let people know what you want and don't want. Tell them what's okay for you and what's not. Speak up for YOU! If you have a friend who's always late and you end up waiting for her/him and feeling annoyed, tell them how you feel. Your time and needs are just as valuable and precious, make sure your needs are met. Become your own advocate. If someone is disrespectful or hurtful to you, stand up for yourself. Tell them. Protect yourself as you would protect a loved one – this is self-preservation.
Believe in yourself. Highlight your uniqueness, remind yourself how special you are, be encouraged to build on your strengths and support you in a loving, non-judgemental way. "You can do it." "I believe in you." Become your strongest supporter, coach and friend. Most importantly, be compassionate with yourself. Have compassion for your humanity, faults and your flaws. You're human and you're going to make mistakes. See yourself as God sees you, no condemnation or criticizing yourself. Reassure yourself. Comfort yourself. Accept yourself unconditionally. God loves you unconditionally.
Questions to Ponder:
What will you do to appreciate YOU today?
What are 3 things you feel grateful for right now?
Best Wishes,
Tracy Diamond