speak kind words to yourself

today, let’s practice speaking kind words to ourselves.

Did you know that the way we see ourselves will translate into how we treat and speak to ourselves? Yes, our thoughts, feelings and actions are connected — the way that we think and feel about ourselves will dictate how we carry ourselves, treat ourselves and allow others to treat us. I actually teach my patients this during our Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) groups.

The purpose of CBT is to challenge our negative thoughts/beliefs and change them because if we have an inherently negative belief or thought about ourselves, others or the world around us, we will ultimately behave in a way that fulfills that prophecy. Before reading further, take a moment to think about how you view yourself.

What do you think about yourself?
Your capabilities?
What do you think about the world around you?
What do you think about other people?
How do these thoughts affect how you show up in your life?

And I want you to be honest with yourself. No one else is going to read your answers, so get very real with yourself — really notice how these thoughts make you show up in your life, your passions, your work and how they affect your confidence, your daily connections, your motivation. Did you notice how your thoughts reacted to what you discovered about yourself? Were the thoughts gentle or did you notice them being more pushy and mean? Do you notice anything that you want to change?

I’m here with those of you who are working to change the sound of your inner voice, and with those of you who would like to strengthen that sound. While we are giving ourselves grace as we work to change these core beliefs, think about the feelings and actions that you want to have in regard to yourself.

How do you want to treat yourself?
How do you want to feel about yourself?

I encourage you to take time today to sit with and answer those questions.

And once you have a clear idea of your intended actions and feelings towards yourself, I invite you to reflect on what thoughts you can implement into your life that will bring you these desired feelings and actions. 

Changing our thoughts can be difficult and uncomfortable, and it can feel "fake" especially if we don't believe these things about ourselves at our core. This process is training your psyche to be kinder to yourself, and ultimately creating space for new behaviors to show up in your life.

I listen to a YouTube channel called “Wake Me Up” and they have such lovely affirmation videos. If you’re searching for kinder words and you can’t seem to find them, watch this video and use the affirmations as needed.

It’s Cancer season, and we are taking time to return back to ourselves. Use this time to reflect on your relationship with yourself and deepen it. I believe in you, and hope this intentional practice strengthens the belief that you have in yourself.

xo

JR