In this era we live in, a lot of people are very quick to encourage others, show kindness to others, forgive their mistakes, and even help them when they fail. This is absolutely very good and it is part of our demands to humanity. However, some people do not even extend the same kindness to themselves. More often than not, the world will constantly tell you to do more, to become more, to take more steps, yet in all these, you may forget a very important person; yourself. Imagine forgiving someone of their mistakes to you, and even reminding them that tomorrow is another opportunity, yet you cannot even forgive your own self of your past mistakes. You are quick to become your own biggest critic. You have to learn to be kind to yourself.
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Being kind to yourself does not mean that you should make excuses for errors, nor does it mean refusing to accept your weaknesses, or being lazy. But it is learning to treat yourself with the same kind of patience, understanding, goodness, and compassion that you would have shown to the person you love. The truth is that you are not perfect, you will make mistakes at some points, you may even take regrettable steps, and some days may just not go according to how you had planned. But you should understand that this is part of being a human. Do not allow just one single wrong step that you took to make you to believe that you are a bad person. Failing at an attempt should not make you to judge yourself as a failure.
One of the things you need to keep reminding yourself is that you are still learning. Some people are quick to compare their lives with the lives of others. They see someone's success and feel sad that they are not there yet. But the truth is that they only see the successes, the achievements, the progresses, and the beautiful moments, but they may not see the struggles behind them, the sacrifices, and even the disappointments. You should know that someone else's journey should not determine your own. Your own journey is yours. That someone has gotten to their destination does not mean that you are late on your own, and it does not mean that you will not get to your own destination.
There are times you need to take some rest. This is not a mark of weakness. That you took a break does not mean that you have given up. Even the strongest people also take out time to rest too, so as to recharge themselves. You will agree with me that no one can successfully pour from an empty container. This is what happens when you are stressed out and worn out without taking time to rest. Resting is also a form of kindness that you show yourself. More often than not, the difficulty in the challenges you are experiencing might just be because you are tired. When you rest, you will discover how easy the solution may become.
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By being kind to yourself, you also need to be careful about how you speak to yourself. Imagine telling someone that you love that they are useless or that they do not have sense, or that they are not good enough. They will feel bad, right? But that is how some people talk to themselves. What you tell yourself continually will become what will determine your actions and what becomes of your life. This is why you have to replace harsh criticism with constructive encouragement. Even when you failed at an attempt, do not tell yourself that you are a failure, rather tell yourself that you will learn from it and try again. Your words carry so much weight, and they matter. The words you normally hear is your own words, so make sure that the words will build you up, not destroy you.
Being kind to yourself also means that you are recognising your progress. You do not have to wait first until you have achieved everything that you need to achieve before you appreciate or celebrate yourself. Learn to see yourself in positive light. Be proud of yourself that you kept going even when quitting may have seemed like an easier option. It is true that you may not be where you want, but when you look back and remember where you started from, you will realise that you have made significant progress.
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