Your relationship with yourself is one of the most important ones you’ll ever have
It not only improves your own insight, understanding and acceptance of yourself, but it can also improve your relationships with others. The quality of your relationship with yourself, determines how you think about yourself and treat yourself and ultimately impacts on how you teach others to treat you.
Of course, this is easier said than done and many may wonder what a healthy relationship with oneself may look like.
According to Julie Hanks (LCSW),
“a healthy self-relationship is the ability to value yourself as a person and embrace your strengths and weaknesses.”
SELF-CARE TIPS FOR BAD DAYS
Self-care is an important ritual that we need to cultivate and implement into our daily routines and activities even in the midst of stress, uncertainties and distress.
Unplug
Turn off your phone and be present on days when surviving and thriving seems like a chore, unplug and take a step back.
Create healthy boundaries
Setting healthy boundaries requires self-awareness. Be clear about expectations of yourself and others, through clear communication.
e.g. Declining anything you don’t want to do. Expressing your feelings responsibly and talking about your experiences honestly.
Get physical
Go for a walk, exercise or hike. Do a physical activity that’s good for your well-being.
Be thankful
Practice gratitude. Transformation can be painful, know that you are not falling apart, you are falling into something different with a new capacity to be beautiful so be thankful always for every shift.
Create and say your positive self-affirmations
Saying positive affirmations can help brighten your outlook on the world when you say them to yourself regularly, such as,
“You are loved just for being who you are, just for existing”,
“I am enough. I am enough.”,
“I am grateful for another day of life.”
Start journaling / meditation
Spend time alone, practice mindfulness and jot down your feelings and developments.