When was the last time you checked on yourself? Or when was it that you paid heed to your needs! Well we are sure that you wont even remember when. We have this constant urge to fix the world around us but when it comes to us, we take a step back! We by nature are compassionate beings, being there for our loved ones is something that comes naturally to us. But then why not be there for yourself?
We are so much engrossed in being there for our near and dear ones that we often forget that we need that love and care from ourselves too. Before we know how to be there for yourself, let us understand what it means to be there for yourself.
To be there for yourself means to validate how you feel, giving yourself time to heal and allowing yourself to grow. It means to love yourself no matter the situation and be your own constant companion. To be understanding, kind and compassionate to yourself. How would you treat a friend who you love dearly? Imagine loving yourself in the same manner.
Now that we understand what it means to be there for yourself, let us introduce you to few ways of how you can practice it:
KNOW YOURSELF WELL
Only when you know yourself, you will be capable of being there for yourself. Become aware of what your strengths and weaknesses are. When you know yourself, you become self confident. You automatically start taking charge of your thoughts and personality.
BE ON YOUR OWN SIDE
No matter the situation, remind yourself time and again that you gotta be on your own side. And when we say so, we mean to recognize your values despite of your flaws. To be grateful for what you’ve accomplished and trust yourself for whatever the future holds for you.
DO NOT COMPROMISE
Expect nothing less than what you deserve. May it be your job or your relationship make sure you do not settle for anything else. Because only then you shall do justice to what you are worth it. Compromising your value, integrity and pride will only result in you losing yourself. So make sure that you do not compromise
BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF
“I am not getting better at this”, “I am bad at this”, and “I am good for nothing”, do you often find yourself in the spiral of such self-doubting thoughts? Well, it might be because you are less patient with yourself. When you are impatient with yourself, you reject yourself, judge yourself and become unkind towards yourself. On the other hand, when you become patient with yourself you start handling yourself well.
DRAFT A SELF-CARE PLAN
It could be adopting a healthy meal, exercising, or anything that contributes to your well-being. A self-care plan enables you to look after yourself efficiently. It not only helps generate positive feelings but also increases your self-esteem. It’s with self-care that you feel better and when you feel better you are automatically there for yourself with increased energy.
OVERCOME THE NEED TO PLEASE OTHERS
Many of us seek approval from the outside world to feel better about themselves. This is indeed a toxic trait as how we feel about ourselves now depends upon other people. Not only is it an exhausting way to lead life but also opposite to being there for yourself. Overcome the need to constantly please others and you are half way there on being on your own side.
DONT BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF
Or we would say, take it easy! Aiming to become the best version of yourself isn’t bad but constantly setting high standards for yourself can be unhealthy for your mental health. Especially when the times are tough, we are too hard on ourselves for not being able to cope. Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect. So we ask you to not be too hard on yourself.
