It's time to be a better friend to yourself
The chances are you treat your friends with love and kindness – but do you give yourself the same treatment? If not, it's time that you did.
Are you a good friend? We'd all like to think that we are. We spend a proportion of our time supporting friends through troubled times and celebrating with them when they have good news. But answer this: are you being a good friend to yourself?
It might seem like a strange question, especially if you’ve never considered it before, but many of us don’t invest much time in treating ourselves kindly.
Are you a good friend? We'd all like to think that we are. We spend a proportion of our time supporting friends through troubled times and celebrating with them when they have good news. But answer this: are you being a good friend to yourself?
It might seem like a strange question, especially if you’ve never considered it before, but many of us don’t invest much time in treating ourselves kindly.
So when we came across this great animation from The School of Life, it was a timely reminder to treat ourselves as we would treat a good friend:
How to be a better friend to yourself
Accept the things you can't change
There are some things that no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot change. Things such as your childhood and past decisions. Rather than regret them, learn to accept them; you'll feel more relieved and happier if you do so.
Focus on your strengths
We're all unique; you're likely to have strengths in areas that your friends don't, so recognise and embrace them.
Write down your successes
We've written before about the advantages of writing in a journal and when it comes to being your own best friend, we'll extol its virtues even more. By keeping a mindful journal, you should find that you begin to treat yourself more kindly.
Accept the things you can't change
There are some things that no matter how hard you try, you simply cannot change. Things such as your childhood and past decisions. Rather than regret them, learn to accept them; you'll feel more relieved and happier if you do so.
Focus on your strengths
We're all unique; you're likely to have strengths in areas that your friends don't, so recognise and embrace them.
Write down your successes
We've written before about the advantages of writing in a journal and when it comes to being your own best friend, we'll extol its virtues even more. By keeping a mindful journal, you should find that you begin to treat yourself more kindly.
Pay attention to negative thoughts
It's totally normal to have negative thoughts; the key is to pay attention to them, recognise that they are there but to understand that you don't have to believe them. They are, quite simply, just thoughts and you are so much more than them. If however you find your negative thoughts consuming you, read our piece on mindful ways to manage stress.
Related posts
6 reasons why you should keep a travel journal
To be mindful, you must learn to be kind
Header image via Pexels
Article by: Katy Ratican
Date published: 29th August 2017
It's totally normal to have negative thoughts; the key is to pay attention to them, recognise that they are there but to understand that you don't have to believe them. They are, quite simply, just thoughts and you are so much more than them. If however you find your negative thoughts consuming you, read our piece on mindful ways to manage stress.
Related posts
6 reasons why you should keep a travel journal
To be mindful, you must learn to be kind
Header image via Pexels
Article by: Katy Ratican
Date published: 29th August 2017