Speak Kindly to Yourself Part II
Last week we talked about how, for many of us, we tend to speak more kindly to others than to ourselves.
Many of us grew up with messages from our family and society that speaking kindly to ourselves would make us egotistical and self-centered.
In fact, for most of us, the opposite is true - the kinder we are to ourselves, the more we have to give to others.
Here are three ways to practice speaking kindly to yourself:
Write a letter to yourself as if you are writing to a beloved friend. Extend to yourself the same kindness, compassion, and understanding you would give to someone you deeply value. You can write about anything you want, such as all the things you love and appreciate about yourself. If there is something you need advice about, using this technique of writing from the perspective of your best friend can help you tap into wells of wisdom.
Say kind things to yourself while looking in the mirror. Most of us are in the habit of noticing all the things we don’t like about ourselves when we look in the mirror. Saying nice things instead can be deeply transformative. Doing this three minutes a day for thirty days can change your life.
Use phone apps. I just learned about two phone apps that are great for practicing positive self-talk - I Am and ThinkUp. They both offer free trials so you can test them out. They come with preprogrammed affirmations that you can use, and you also can write and record your own statements that are the loving, supportive words you most need to hear.
The more kind and supportive we are to ourselves, the more energy we have to share with our loved ones, our communities, and the world.
Please take good care of yourself. Our world needs your gifts of kindness, compassion, and empathy now more than ever.
Hugs,
Liz
