Nourish that self love!

Loving yourself sounds incredibly cheesy. 


It's something our grandparents advise us to do, something they've learned during their many years filled with wisdom and wordly knowledge. It's a concept that is rammed down our throats in glossy magazines and self help books alike. Yet it is a mighty challenge that we can only learn about at our own pace. 

Having had a blow to my mind, body and self-confidence, I knew it was going to be a long process (one that I'm still embarking on). For many years, I tried desperately to achieve the unachievable, as I went about it in completely the wrong way: it was a forced, desperate clutch at the goal, rather than a gentle and patient reach for it. Namely, I followed diets, read the books on prestigious reading lists and tried to fit an image rather than just being relaxed and comfortable in my own skin. I discovered that, in a rather cruel way, inner core happiness actually comes about when you fail to over- think it.

By remembering to: 

… I have observed a slight difference in my thinking process. Slowly but surely, I am being kinder to myself (e.g not pushing myself to do things I'd love to be good at but actually don't enjoy) and am noticing that along the way, I am being kinder to others, too. By being understanding when I don't achieve goals, patient when I'm lacking motivation and by laughing at my own silly behaviours, I've become more at ease with both myself and the people around me. 

When a good friend does something that I think is a little out of line, I sometimes bite my tongue but always focus on the bigger picture: that is, their many positive characteristics. 

So, why don't we do the same to ourselves? 

Learning to appreciate my flaws as well as my assets in the way I would with a friend has led to the realisation that I'm not perfect and never will be, just like those around me. Besides, those idiosyncrasies of character that every one of us have should be celebrated, not criticised!

~~~

Teal Swan on self esteem (10 step guide from 6:54) ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFjL62-9Qyw

Veronica Krestow, "Compassion is the doorway for freedom." (From 6:42) ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4xpkOH9DWs