Very often, we respect and lavish praise on others more than we do on ourselves. We’re kind and forgiving to strangers but harsh and brutal with our mistakes. The truth of the matter is that you can’t love anyone more than you love yourself, and if you don’t respect yourself, it doesn’t matter if anyone else does. You’ll always feel a sense of dissatisfaction and unhappiness that gnaws at your heart and soul… and no matter what you do, it won’t go away. What you really need is self-forgiveness, self-love, and self-respect… and here’s how you get it.
Don’t overwork yourself
When you’re tired, stop. All the motivational guru mumbo jumbo talk about you hustling and grinding or ‘sleeping when you’re dead’ is not going to serve you well. Pressure may turn coal into a diamond… but it also turns it to dust. There are business owners who give their employees more time off than they take themselves. You’re just working yourself into a grave if you obsess about work and neglect your own health and life. You MUST find balance in your work and personal life. Resting when you’re tired is the first sign of self-love.
Keep your promises to yourself
If you say you’re going to do something, then you have to do it. Keeping your promises to yourself builds self-respect… and with it comes confidence. There are countless people who tell themselves that they’re going on a diet but they either keep postponing it or eating what they know they shouldn’t. They don’t even try to be disciplined. This lack of discipline leads to unfulfilled goals until it reaches a point where your mind automatically deems your new goals as failures because you keep breaking promises to yourself and failing at whatever you want to do. Keep your word to yourself. It’s just as important as a promise you make to someone else.
Watch your diet
The food you eat has a direct impact on your health and emotions. Stop eating junk food and processed food all the time.
Your body is a temple, not a woodshed. Give it the nutrition it needs. It’s the only place you have to live. Strive to eat clean and exercise because you love yourself enough to want to be fit and healthy. You’re all you’ve got when it comes to your health. Don’t let yourself down due to your own complacency.
Keep a jar of awesome
Keep a jar where you write and keep short notes about your wins. One of the mysteries of life is that you can have 20 wins and 1 loss… and still, agonize over that one loss more than you celebrate those 20 wins. Your jar of awesome will be something you can fall back on when you’re feeling down. Life is full of trials and tribulations. It’s important to note that a failure is an event, not a person. If you fail, don’t blame or curse yourself. Just look at your wins in your jar of awesome and know that another win is on the way. If you’ve had a miserable past, just know that it doesn’t define your future. Stop moping over what happened 20 years ago. You’re still around. Reward yourself for coming this far. Give yourself a pat on the back. No matter how low you sink in life, there would always have been times when you did something worthy of mention. Times when you won and did yourself. Remember those and use these precious memories to build a foundation for your future successes. You are enough.
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