Be kind to yourself

Do you find it hard to be kind to yourself?

You may have noticed you can be kind and generous to friends, family or even acquaintances, while being quite critical and judgmental of yourself in the same situation.

For example:

Your friend Jessie forgot to join an important meeting at work. Feeling quite upset, Jessie calls you and tells you about it.

How do you react? What do you say to Jessie?

Now imagine you forgot to show up for an important meeting at work.

How do you react? Do you say the same things to yourself that you said to Jessie?

How does this affect you?

Lack of self-compassion and harsh self-criticism can lead to chronic stress and poor mental health.

What can you do?

It IS possible for you to start being kinder to yourself. Here’s how:

Ask yourself:

What would I say to my friend in this situation?

Remind yourself:

Everyone fails sometimes, and I am no exception. I am human.

I value being kind, so I’ll start with myself.

Celebrate yourself:

I am okay with being imperfect. I have had successes and proud moments, just as I have had my share of failures and mistakes.

How will this help?

Extending kindness to yourself and allowing yourself to be imperfect creates space for failures and faux pas that are inevitable in life. It allows you the freedom to move on beyond setbacks, to grow and to live a full life.

You can be a healthier version of yourself, be more satisfied with your life and have more meaningful relationships by nurturing compassion and kindness for yourself.

Be kind and stay healthy.

Dr. Sayanti Bhattacharya MD, MS