Kind Thoughts, Starting With Yourself

Kind Thoughts, Starting with Yourself

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

Proverbs 16:24

While coming up with some goals for the new year, I realized that many of the things I wanted to accomplish—while very good things—came from a place of being unhappy with myself. I began to see that many of the thoughts I was having about myself were critical and condemning.

These thoughts I allowed in were things I would never say to anyone else, or even think about anyone else. But somehow, I had no problem saying these things to myself. For example, I would never ask someone, “Why can’t you just lose those last ten pounds?” Yet I feel completely justified in asking myself this question on a regular basis.

I often berate myself for saying the wrong thing, when I would totally offer grace to someone else in the same situation and tell them not to give it another thought. I can be hard on myself when I make a mistake, but I would offer mercy to another when they mess up, even reminding them that no one is perfect.

This year I have decided that this double standard of kindness needs to stop. It will be a hard habit to break, I’m sure, and it will take time, but if I want my kindness toward others to be truly effective, I have to start by being kind to myself.

Often it seems that unkindness will creep into our thoughts unchallenged. We can go months or even years thinking unkind or critical things about ourselves privately without even realizing it. Because we know that kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy to the body—the truth is simple: we all need kind words and actions. We can begin by assessing how we treat ourselves. Don’t let yourself be bullied by your own thoughts. This year, let’s take control of what we think about ourselves and be willing to extend grace, love, and mercy to ourselves first, just as we would to another.

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

When you find your thoughts toward yourself being critical, stop and respond in kindness instead.