Be Kind to Yourself: The Tips and Tactics You Need
Be kind to yourself. That’s what she kept telling her, the voice echoing out from her body as she stood outside. Show grace and show love. The voice kept ringing in her ears. Love yourself, who you are, and where you are. It all serves a purpose. Trust the process. The voice repeated this as the wind began to die down and the silver blades of grass caught the withering sunlight. The girl still stood there, heavy but empty. Her mind a junk yard of irrational thoughts and confusion. The voice was quiet now. The girl felt her skin prick up and her heart brim with an indescribable feeling of joy. The voice had been coming from her, her reminder to take care of herself and to love herself. The girl smiled as she felt full again repeating in her mind what she had intuitively been telling herself. She walked towards the far mountains, spilling out from under the sunlight. She breathed in the calm morning air, embracing the moment. Showing kindness to herself was needed and is always needed. She was reminded that. I know this first hand because I am that girl.
***
As the first blog entry since Mindset Makers rebranding, I knew the subject of being kind to yourself was something I wanted to cover. It is a topic that is often shoved to the side and is majorly overlooked as a forefront when it comes to your wellness. With this blog, I want to shine light on the importance of self-love and how it is a necessary practice to implement.
During the reconstruction of my site, I was very tough on myself, to the point where I was feeling empty and unaccomplished. It was during this process I realized, why? Why am I treating myself this way? The whole point of my brand is to inspire and uplift others. If I can’t do that to myself, then what’s the point of this.
So, with my coffee stained keyboard and the loud West Texas wind brushing up against my sun-swept hair (I am sitting outside a coffee shop in Marfa) I type to you my thoughts and analysis of why being kind to yourself is so critical to your overall well-being. For me, there are 4 sections that I want to cover as they pertain to how you can show yourself love, kindness, and grace.
I’d like to start off by saying, we are all unnecessarily hard on ourselves. The world that we live in has very high expectations and sometimes assumes that we have to resemble this perfect lifestyle. So, with that in mind you need to know that you will face many temptations and numerous obstacles that will make you unnecessarily question yourself. But in order to combat that, focus on these 4 below “mindset starters” to propel yourself to embrace self-love.
The thoughts you channel
What you are telling yourself will affect who you are and who you will become. Fueling your mind with positive thoughts and self-love is crucial in living fully and living happily. Channeling thoughts of confidence, strength, and trust are what builds you up and keeps you going. But your thoughts can be dangerous because they can quickly transform within milliseconds into something else, something darker.
We are sponges, in the sense that we absorb what is around us. That then influences our way of thinking. You need to remain above that and know when to avoid absorbing something. Know that you are in charge of your body and your mind. Remind yourself, you can do this! You were equipped with ALL you NEED. The thoughts you channel are what gives you that drive in the morning, it’s what gives you that motivation, that push to be your best self and to love everything about you, including your flaws!
The people you surround yourself with
Surrounding yourself with people that make you better, I know you’ve heard it so many times, but it’s so true. Having people in your life that push you and love you unconditionally will make you better person. When the people in your life encourage you and also humble you, this will inspire you to channel beautiful and kind thoughts. Ask yourself “Do the people around me make me better?” “Do they make me want to work harder and to be stronger?” Be aware of who you are with and who you are spending most of your time with.
Your social media intake
Social media can be great! With its entertaining content, exciting pace, and possible revenue stream, everyone is somehow and in some way on social media. But you know that phrase, “too much of a good thing is a bad thing” well that very much relates to social media.
Make sure your social media intake is not overbearing and not consuming special and irreplaceable time with your loved ones. Be as present as you can in the NOW. Being on social media that takes you out of the present and puts you in an almost augmented reality. It has so many wonderful perks and gifts, but stay grounded and stay present.
The thief called comparison
“Don’t compare yourself to others.” I try to tell myself this as often as I can. You go nowhere by doing that. You remain stagnant and stuck in this cyclical thought process of self-denial and self-doubt. Compare yourself to yourself. Every morning I ask myself, how can I be better today than who I was yesterday. Have that drive you to be better.
Not trying to fit into the mold was huge for me when I started this brand, because I found myself focusing on looking like others instead of creating my own separate brand identity. Comparison is a lie, something that tries to trick you. Avoid it as much as possible by comparing yourself to yourself.
***
Those are my 4 Mindset Starters to help me channel self-love. Now I want to give you tangible methods you can adopt that fuel your energy levels, give you clarity, and inspires you to embody time in the day for self-love and self-care. Making sure to have a balanced intake and output of energy is essential in feeling your best and channeling thoughts of self-kindness!
How to maintain strong energy
- Staying hydrated throughout the day. Try my detox water- slices of strawberries with mint and lime.
- Do something physical for at least 15 minutes. It could literally be you walking to your favorite coffee shop in the morning!
- Eggs is your energy boost. Its quick, easy, and yummy. My breakfast go-to’s are eggs and avocado on toast.
- Cucumbers on your eyes for 10 minutes. Listen to some relaxing music. This gives you time to decompress and prepare. Your body needs it. Try it!
- 10-minute lymphatic facial massage. Grab your favorite face oil and spend time massaging that into your skin. Watch a tutorial on YouTube.
- Embrace the middle moments. When transitioning from one task to another say thank you, OUT LOUD. Be grateful and pat yourself on the back.
- Self-love mantras. Write it out or say it out loud, “I am beautiful.” “I am worth it.” “I am strong.”
- Increase your magnesium intake. Dark chocolate, avocados, nuts.
- Instead of coffee try a matcha latte with almond milk.
- End the blame game.
- Put your passions on your schedule
In conclusion, just be kind to yourself. I know sometimes it can be hard, but you will benefit so greatly by changing what you think about yourself.
Your mindset matters.
Create time in the day to focus on you. Do something you love and take care of yourself. Remind yourself you can do this. Where you are right now serves a purpose. You are beautiful inside and out. It’s all true. Of course, we will always grow and learn along the way. Acknowledge that growth but love where you are right now: it is a beautiful piece in your design of becoming you!
Be kind to yourself,
Rachel