“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; the third is to be kind.” – Henry James

Kindness towards others is one of my favorite qualities in a person. The world need more kindness, plain and simple. Being kind to yourself is equally important. You are your most important relationship. The quality of everything you do in life will be enhanced by how you view yourself and how you treat yourself. If you are kind to yourself, you will be happier, healthier and more whole. Your self esteem will be higher, and you will have more strength to deal with all life throws at you. And you will be to others if you tend to give to yourself first. You may be thinking, “Isn’t this a bit self-centered?” “Shouldn’t I be focusing on others ahead of myself?” Yes and No. I am an ‘others first’ kind of person. We all need to value others ahead of ourselves and we have plenty of life situations where we should prioritize the needs of others over our own. Holistically, however, it is important that you care for yourself. You need a strong foundation from which to serve and support others. It will be very difficult to be kind to others if you are not kind to your first.

Five Ways to be kinder to yourself:

• Take good care of yourself by eating healthy food, drink more water, get outside for fresh air, get plenty of sleep and take a break from sugar
• Be your own best friend – try your very best to overcome perfection. Wake up every day and appreciate one good thing about yourself. This will be a good daily start.
• Find time each day to ‘just be’ – allow yourself to take a break from social media, text messages, emails, demands. Give yourself daily ‘down time’ to enjoy silence, relax, meditate for a few minutes.
• Accept imperfections – show compassion for yourself … we all make mistakes; we all fall short of expectations. These are part of the human experience and allow yourself to be human
• Appreciate your qualities – What do others admire about you? Your kindness, patience, generosity? It’s easy to fall into the comparison trap of ‘compare and despair’. Recognize you have many great qualities!

Do you have opportunities to be kinder to yourself?