Most of us are far less patient with ourselves than we are with almost anyone else. Why is that? Why do we have so much difficulty being loving to ourselves?
Joan Borysenko put a post on her Facebook page Saturday morning, 6/15/13, that I loved. She talked about the need to be gentle and kind with ourselves when we make a mistake, and encouraged us to think of ourselves with compassion.
I believe we try to do the best we can at any given moment. We don’t intentionally mess up! If we could be encouraging rather than self-critical, we would lower our level of stress tremendously!
Please try just for one day to be gentle, loving, and kind to yourself, and see how you feel at the end of the day. No matter what happens during the day, support yourself like you would a dear friend! Imagine putting your arm around someone you love and speaking with them gently, reassuring them when things start to go wrong. You know how to do that for others.
Now try doing it for yourself! If you notice a big difference in how you feel, why not try it for another day — and then another, and another. All change is a process, and changing self-talk takes time, but it’s so worth it. You are worth being treated with love and gentleness!!
Until next time,
Linda