Hi Everyone,
It’s in moments of uncertainty that we need to be even more aware of being kind to ourselves. People often say being kind to yourself is key to success but it’s more than that it really is key to happiness as well.
I remember sitting in the office many years ago doing an online training. It took me 5 attempts before I actually passed. I felt like I was the dumbest person ever. On top of it all I was silly enough to say really loudly that it had taken me 5 times to pass. Needless to say the rest of the office made me feel even more stupid once they heard this.
Later my boss at the time came up to me and told me I should stop beating myself up and start being kinder to myself. He said what I must realise is that if I am finding something difficult the chances are high others will too! As it turned out most people in the office had taken even more attempts before they passed. They just weren’t beating themselves up about it. Plus they certainly were not going to advertise their failures!
Moral of that story – be kind to self. Just because something doesn’t work strait away it doesn’t mean I am a failure!
Keep reading to find out more about why being kind to yourself is key to happiness & success!
Why Being Kind to Yourself is Key to Happiness & Success!
Self Compassion Improves Performance
Being kind to and accepting ourselves for what we are eliminates feelings of guilt and inadequacy. Simply realising we are as flawed and imperfect as everyone else on the planet can be the one thing that gives us the courage to move forward – to keep on trucking on!
Remember it’s ok to have a bad day – even the most successful people do. They simply give themselves a break and know the next day will be better!
At the beginning of lockdown, in a very lethargic moment I once found myself lying on the kitchen floor, feet up in the air, talking to a friend of mine. It was during that conversation that I had one of my best ideas ever!
Builds a Better Support Group
Once you learn to show compassion and kindness to yourself you will also find it much easier to do the same to those around you. They in turn will also be more compassionate and understanding towards you. The circle keeps going.
This thought can also be useful to keep in mind when someone is being unnecessarily hard on you. Think about it – perhaps the problem lies with them and not you. More often than not they are simply unhappy with themselves.
Self Acceptance means Freedom
Accepting that you may not have all the answers and that you might be wrong but it’s OK will also give you the freedom to move forward. Instead of being afraid of the result we are free to try something new and learn from the result either way.
Just before publishing my very first blog post ever I sent 3 pictures to 3 good friends of mine asking if they thought it would be ok to publish these pictures of me. Each of them (true story), told me if I chopped my head off the pictures would be OK to publish. It was at that point I realised if I was ever going to start a blog I would have to accept that I may not be perfect but have the courage and conviction to do what I wanted without relying on the opinions of others. I needed to give myself the freedom of acceptance.
Remember:
To be perfect would be boring! Be yourself and love yourself for it – others will too!
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To be Perfect would be Boring!
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Thank you for your blog and you are so right only when you believe in your self you come to something then when you ask all the time first then you never get the answer you want to hear so stick to it and be a free thinker
Hey Yvonne. It’s very true that authenticity is the only way to feel liberated, , A good friendship is in the heart, accepting and supportive and sometimes when asked given a constructive critic. We at nzpacific are getting so much positive feedback and I think it’s that overall package of being what we say and do.
Your news letter is always refreshing, keep going.
Greetings from a wintery, sunny Lowry Bay.
Maya
Thank you so much for your lovely comment Maya.
Greetings down to NZ – can’t wait until it is ok to travel there again without such extreme quarantine. Even simply being allowed to stay at my Mum’s for 2 weeks would be OK – I am sure I am not the only family member feeling this way but I do understand that NZ had to be careful for awhile. Hope all is well with you.
xx Yvonne