There are certain people we can’t imagine living without. Maybe it’s a parent, a spouse or a child. Perhaps it’s a best friend, a neighbor or a favorite aunt who just gets us.
These are the relationships that we care about enough to nurture. We place tremendous value on them, and we want to make sure these individuals know much they mean to us. We set aside time for them, treat them with kindness, love with excess and lift them up with our words whenever possible.
But, when we make that list of important people in our lives, how often do we include ourselves?
It’s a rather startling thought. We don’t think about nurturing our relationship with ourself, and yet it’s the most important relationship we will ever have. It’s the only relationship that is a presence in our lives 24/7, 365 days a year.
We often short-change the relationship.
We don’t make time for fun.
We don’t make time for exercise.
We don’t encourage ourselves to pursue our dreams.
We don’t make time for self-care.
We don’t make ourselves a priority.
We don’t speak to ourselves kindly.
But what if we took a few moments each day to treat ourselves the way we treat those we care most about? How different would our relationship with our self be if we gave it the care and attention it deserves?
Take a moment now and jot down one thing you admire about yourself. Maybe it’s your creative mind; your kindness to others; your ability to appreciate the wonder of a clear blue sky. Or maybe no matter how deep you dig, you can’t find something to admire about yourself right now. Maybe that’s when you applaud yourself for the fact that you got out of bed this morning and in this very moment are pushing forward.
Life is not easy, but when the rest of the world is getting you down, choose to lift yourself up. Open yourself to the idea that your very existence is a wonder. You matter.
Thoughts have power. Words have power. Choose them kindly.
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