Ah, it’s a new year! January. The month when most of us go from celebrating and perhaps over-indulging with family and friends to being bombarded with advice on how to be a better us. That can set us up for believing we are less than or unworthy. And that often leads to failure.
The only advice I would like to share with you today is this: Start loving yourself more and the rest will take care of itself.
Imagine you are your precious child, esteemed elder or very best friend. What would you tell that person about who they are right now and their potential? When you show compassion and appreciation to yourself, it’s easier to make changes and take even the smallest steps in the right direction.
In The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg explains that when you establish “keystone habits,” like expressing gratitude, those habits spark a cascade of positive changes. It’s like a chain reaction that helps other habits take hold.
Starting today, what’s one simple, loving thing you can do for yourself that can become your keystone habit? Here are some suggestions:
- A few nights a week, write a brief list of what you are grateful for, including one unique entry.
- Drink more water, to increase your energy and control your appetite.
- Nurture relationships with supportive, positive people and limit your interactions with toxic, negative people.
- Speak more kindly to yourself with affirmations like, “I deserve to be happy” and “I love to take care of myself.”
As you begin 2018, resolve to love yourself more. Make conscious choices throughout the day—like what you will eat or who you will spend time with—that aligns with this commitment.
What’s one loving thing you will commit to do for yourself?