We are our own toughest critics – it's true for a reason! Everyone says it, and the more you reflect on it, the more believable it is. Even though sometimes it may be in jest, we are critical of ourselves from the minute we wake up –
"My hair is a mess!"
"I look old today."
"I wish I could cook better."
"If I wasn't so lazy I could…"
These are just a few examples, but we're usually quite hard on ourselves throughout the day. A lot of the time it takes a special friend to remind us about our best qualities, but it doesn't have to. We have the ability to make ourselves feel good too! Just focus on your most wonderful qualities (ie. all of them) and drive them through the day.
We all deserve to treat ourselves with more respect. We do not need to belittle or undermine ourselves at any point. We all have such admirable qualities, which somehow makes our individuality our common factor.
1. Looking your best
You wake up in the morning, your hair is a mess and all you can see are the bags under your eyes. Fast forward an hour or two later – you've showered, shaved, put your makeup on – and you look great! Your hair is just the way you want it, and your attitude is ready to match. You feel great, you're ready for work, the gala, the dinner, whatever you need to get ready for, and you do it with style.
You're the only person who knows all the kinks in your hair and best side's of your face for pictures. Only you know the best way to dress yourself, the best way to make yourself feel confident and powerful. Keep up the good work!
2. Making your friends laugh
Our friends are special people to us – we've come into each other's lives almost by random, and have decided to keep each other around. Your friends value your sense of humour, your attractive qualities, and all the reasons that make you valuable. They talk to you when they have great news or when they have bad news, and vice versa. You're good at being a good friend, and your friends are living proof.
3. Loving your family
Everyone has a family, and whether or not we are on the best terms with them is not an equal measure to our unconditional love for them. Our family are people that we have to spend a lot of time with, and there are bound to be arguments; but no one else can provide the love for your family that you do, and to each member of your family – who knows you very personally – you are uniquely you, and irreplaceable.
4. Providing for yourself
We use terms like rich and poor too often to describe ourselves and the way we see other people. Whether you think you are rich or poor or not, if you are reading this blog chances are you have a computer, smart phone, internet connection, you can pay for a room to keep all that in, clothes to wear, and a job to pay for it all with. You have a job, that you do well enough to perform and keep, and people there trust you with responsibilities that you have been chosen uniquely to do for the reasons you do it. Be proud of your work.
5. Cooking your favourite food
No matter what your background ethnicity or heritage is, we all have amazing family foods that we eat and carry to next generations – kitchen secrets that only our families know how to make. It can be grandma's special tomato sauce or dad's perogies; the reasons we have friends over to enjoy our cooking and cherish a special time together.
6. Enjoying your free time
We all experience stress and anxiety – internet memes have confirmed this. But you're the only person who knows how to relax and tune out the best way for you. You can find your calm wherever it is best for you, and you don't need to follow anyone else's idea about it. You do what you think is fun, and love it, and other people do what they like to do. Gotta love, the things you love.
7. Being respected
As cinema shows us, sometimes we have to make peace, respect and even congratulate or empower our enemies to show respect or make a draw. Well, if enemies can do that, then imagine how much respect your acquaintances, close friends, colleagues, family, online friends, or whomever show you every day in your day to day life. It's fantastic to think about – our great circle of respect that we all show for each other everyday. And everyday, everyone shows you a unique respect, the only one that can be given to you.