Mindful Hack #81

I’m always struck by how hard we can be on ourselves – so much harder than we are on others. Nobody is perfect and we all know that. Everyone we care about has quirks or isms that we don’t necessarily adore 100% of the time, yet we accept them for the whole flawed package that they are. So why can’t we regard ourselves with the same benevolence? 

Inevitably, we’re going to make mistakes. We’re not going to be our best all the time, we’ll use a sharper tone than we meant to and we’ll offend others knowingly or unknowingly. We’re human and that’s okay! Awareness (mindfulness) of our imperfections can be a good thing, so long as it doesn’t come with a barrage of self-berating. Rather, that awareness is an opportunity for us to reflect on the reasons we may not have shown up in the best way possible and to decide what we want to do next. 

It’s also worth pointing out that contrasts are what make for rich experiences: we appreciate sunshine more when it has rained, music couldn’t be without silence between the notes and water tastes better when we’re thirsty. We all have shadow-sides and they deserve to be seen and loved just as much as our good qualities do.

Accepting all of ourselves, our darkness as well as our light, is the ultimate in self-love.

Be kind to yourself today. You deserve it ❤