It is so important to treat yourself with respect and why is it easier said than done?
If you are anything like me, you go through periods of your life where you are so hard on yourself and are your own worst enemy. Sounds silly doesn’t it but I know I’m not the only one here. Being in the pandemic it has allowed us more time to get deep in our thoughts which could be a blessing and a curse. It is a great time to fix things that aren’t working but it can also be a time where you are getting caught up on negative aspects of your life.
I wanted to put together a list of things that you can start doing today to be nicer to yourself. It won’t be an easy task but consistency is key and you will get there after you try. In the world that we live today, self love is so important because how can you be a better person in society when you aren’t nice to yourself?
affirmations
I have never been someone who does affirmations every morning (or night) but I’ve been reading such great articles about them. It sounds silly but in some instances you look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself what you love about yourself. When you repeat them often you start to make positive changes. These positive statements can help you overcome those negative thoughts in your mind that continue to get you down. I have read that it isn’t an easy exercise and you need to start small but soon enough your biggest insecurities will become things that you love the most about yourself.
talk to yourself like you were talking to your friend
Remember the saying treat others how you want to be treated? Well to switch it up.. TALK to yourself like you were talking to your friend. Would you tell your friend that their hair looks hideous or their skin? Probably not. Sure we joke with our friends and tell them what they are wearing isn’t our favorite or we are constantly honest with them but we are never MEAN to our friends. Challenge yourself to do this and more importantly catch yourself after you say something negative and be like “would I tell this to Kelly?” the answer likely will be no.
say no
Saying yes to absolutely everything can be your worst enemy. Don’t feel inclined to do everything because you feel like you have to do it. If you don’t want to go out to dinner, don’t go! Do what makes you happy and don’t feel bad about doing what you want to do. Over the past few years I’ve really challenged myself with saying no just because of how overwhelmed I have become but also overcoming my fear of disappointing people. Trust me, everyone is just fine after I say no to a couple of things. They get over it.
write down small accomplishments every day
Little wins add up BIG time. I recently started a new job and just feel completely defeated and frustrated with myself. I am taking my own advise and writing every single task, big or small, down on a piece of paper and saying “good job” to myself as I accomplish each task. At the end of the day I have been reflecting on what went well and things I can work on tomorrow to give myself an internal high five as silly as that sounds.
stop comparing yourself to others
This is a BIG one and something that I am constantly working on and have been working on for years. Whether it is comparing yourself to others on looks, timeline, you name it, it isn’t easy. The relationship you have with yourself is the most important and no one can judge you for what you are doing in your life. Whoever invented the “timeline” or what a girls body “should” look like was ridiculous and I think we can all agree with that statement. You are YOU and we are thankful for that. Imagine if we were all the same and did everything the same? How boring would the world be!
What do you do for yourself?
Thanks for reading Elle’s Edit. If you have any topics that you would like for me to discuss, feel free to email me at elizabeth.lane.dooley@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! xo
