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Home » Exercises » Being Kind To Yourself

Being Kind To Yourself

Give yourself a break and accept the way you are

Speak to yourself as you would to a friend

Challenging situations are a normal part of life but sometimes it can feel like you’re not up to the challenge. It’s easy to be your own worst critic and for your head to fill with doubt and harsh judgement about your own abilities. If your friend was struggling, you’d reassure them so they could feel less anxious and get back on top of things. Do the same for yourself. It doesn’t mean you’re being soft or letting yourself off the hook. High performers across most fields understand that self-compassion (being kind to yourself) is an essential part of developing a healthy, positive mindset.

How to turn it round

Take time each day to notice how you’re feeling. If you’re being down on yourself, challenge that negative voice, acknowledge how you feel and then give yourself a break. It could mean just talking to yourself more positively or it could be doing something nice for yourself, even if that’s just making yourself a cup of tea. So you can reset. Because if you feel less negative and anxious, you’ll perform better.

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