We’re often very concerned with treating others well. We want to be kind and treat others how we want to be treated, but do we treat ourselves like we treat other people? As you’re being good to others, don’t forget to be good to yourself.
That was Stupid
“You’re such an idiot.” “Why would you say that, you moron.” “I can’t believe what a loser you are.”
It’s amazing the things we would never say to another human, but we unload on ourselves like silly string at a high school graduation.
We demean, belittle, and dismiss ourselves with wild abandon. If there was a physical manifestation of our self-directed anger, we would be bruised from head to toe.
If you want to be better to other people, you need to be good to yourself.
Improving the World
The fact is that most of us talk worse to ourselves than we would to anyone else. That means that most of the negativity in the world starts and ends between our ears. This negativity then spreads, not only because pain breeds pain, but because that negative self talk leads us to believe the worst even in good scenarios.
It’s hard to make the world better when we can’t even believe the best in ourselves. It not only makes the world darker, but it makes it more challenging to believe there’s light.
It’s important to be good to yourself not just for yourself, but for the people you interact with.
How to Be Good to Yourself
You’re probably onboard and you want to be good to yourself, but you just aren’t sure how. It’s one thing to want to be better to yourself, it’s another to make it happen.
Just like most things, it takes time. You have to work at it, but that doesn’t mean it has to be challenging. Here are three things you can try to treat yourself as you would want to be treated:
- List Your Accomplishments: Each morning and each night list 5 things you accomplished in the last 24 hours. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, just be sure to praise yourself the same way you would praise someone else.
- Turn it Around: When you find yourself talking bad about yourself, make note of it. Don’t let it go unanswered. Find something positive to say in its place.
- Reward Yourself: When you do big things, give yourself a reward. After all, you are making progress. That should be rewarded. Make sure to highlight the good you do.
Sometimes you just have to remember that you need to be treated well, just like everyone else. It not only benefits you, but it benefits the people around you that you care about. If you want to make the world a better place, start by being good to yourself.
