Be kind to yourself
The purpose of this blog is to touch on ways we can build a stronger well-being, helping to shift negativity and encourage positivity.
To create a strong sense of well-being one of the most important things is to be kind to ourselves. To achieve this we must let go of unrealistic expectations, pressures to be a certain way, and stop being hard on ourselves. Instead of making comparisons, celebrate and acknowledge our individual greatest. In many cultures and philosophies one of the shared agreements is to do your best. When we strive to be the best version of ourselves, it helps us to honour ourselves, and gives us a sense of inner peace. Everyone’s best is of course different, our level of well-being and knowledge we have at any given moment will affect our best, therefore it is worth recognising our best is in constant change, and that's ok. Doing our best doesn’t mean we have to try and please others. Only do what you are prepared to give or do, If it means sacrificing your own needs it could cause you to have a negative outcome.
Another way to be kind to yourself is to find what feels good for you, only taking what you need from any situation. Other philosophies remind us to be aware of the fact that we can only control how we behave, think and feel in life. To keep grounded it’s important not to take anything personally and never make presumptions, it’s alright to ask for clarification.
Our active, I like to call monkey mind often brings us out of the here and now moment. Anything can cause a trigger to remind us of past experiences, if we are feeling low these thoughts can be negative and spiral out of control. When this happens try really hard to disperse them, Identifying past and present tense, telling yourself it doesn’t serve me to think about this anymore. See if you can reframe any negative thoughts into alternative more positive possibilities, or try forcing yourself to think of something that makes you happy. Finding a distraction can be helpful to create a shift, my blog Managing Emotions gives examples and more information.
When feeling stuck and negative emotions have taken hold it can be helpful to remind yourself this is how I am feeling at this moment in time, however as soon as I feel more positive I am going to encourage the shifting into a more balanced state. It can be helpful to set daily affirmations, something that is personal and feels relevant for you. Examples can be; today I will be kind to myself, have gratitude. keep myself focused on the present moment, be controlled, have inner strength, feel positive and content, or calm and relaxed, the list is endless. Reiterating your affirmation throughout the day, especially when negativity is taking a hold.
The more you practice being kind to yourself, the easier it will be to let go of anything that doesn’t serve you, creating inner peace and positivity. Holistic therapies encourage wellness by moving any stagnant qi, helping to balance our physical, mental and emotional well-being. Helping us to go with the flow of life, and more able to cope with any situation.