Be Kind To Yourself

“Three things are important in human life: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” – Henry James

Not too long ago, and over a few years, anxiety crippled me. During this period looking after and being kind to myself was put on the backburner, when instead this should have been at the forefront of my mind and actions.

While it’s one thing to extend kindness to others, when we neglect extending kindness to ourselves our quality and impact of living is dramatically diminished. How we treat and what we think about ourselves sets the bar for how others treat us.

Lately, being kind to myself is something I’ve been trying to be more purposeful in doing. Some may think it’s a selfish act when we should be focusing extending it to others instead. However, when you know your value you’ll treat yourself to a standard worthy of it.

What does being kind to yourself mean or look like?

Being kind to yourself means listening to your gut. Not every opportunity you’re presented with is a good opportunity. You know your capacity and how much you can handle. Just because you can do something it doesn’t mean you should.

On the other hand, embracing opportunities means taking you outside of your comfort zone. Take the opportunities that make you scared because that’s how your capacity and life experience will grow. If you fail, you learn. If you succeed, you thrive. Be kind to yourself by saying yes to healthy opportunities.

Being kind to yourself means nourishing yourself — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Eat well. Do well. Speak well. Sleep well. Push the limits. What you feed yourself is what fuels you.

Being kind to yourself means being your number one fan. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy, when we should really be our loudest cheerleader.

Being kind to yourself means telling yourself “it’s okay”, because it is. Whatever situation you find yourself in or emotion you may be feeling, remind yourself that it’s okay. These two simple words bring perspective back into the situation.

Being kind to yourself means not taking yourself too seriously or being offended. Laugh at yourself. Choose to have an unoffendable spirit. Live your truth while seeking to understand the truths of others.

Being kind to yourself means investing in yourself daily. Take some time out of each day to recharge by reading a book, watching an episode of your favourite television show, having a massage, or going to the gym. Everyone recharges differently because we’re all wired uniquely. Once you discover what recharges you, invest in it; it puts you in a better frame of mind.

When you extend kindness to yourself it promotes inner strength, peace, goodness, a fresh spirit, and cultivates a healthy environment for you to thrive in.

Be kind to yourself, always.

“You have a unique gift to offer this world. Be true to yourself, be kind to yourself, read and learn about everything that interests you and keep away from people who bring you down. When you treat yourself kindly and respect the uniqueness of those around you, you will be giving this world an amazing gift… you!” – Steve Maraboli

– image by Elizabeth Lim