What do we do when we are hard on ourselves? - Mindful Moment Monday

Greetings fellow mindful friends,

Welcome to another Mindful Moment Monday.

Today's topic is one that I personally struggle with and it's very close to me.

What do we do when we are hard on ourselves?

It's so easy to go through life and see what we're missing or what we didn't accomplish or do.
And we get so caught in the stories that are usually just in our heads.

So as we begin, let's find a comfortable position and notice how we are in this moment.

Noticing our breath and if there's any tension or sensation that we're just now aware of.

Most of us have a little voice in our head.
This voice can be critical, judging, and harsh.

Typically that voice speaks with a lot of shoulds.

I should have done this.
I should have done that.
We ended up should-ing all over ourselves.

It's so easy to create the story.
It's so easy to compare ourselves to others.
It's so easy to be judgmental.

All of this happens in an instant and often we're not even aware of that voice.
It just pops in.

It becomes so common that we don't distinguish that voice from the reality of a situation.

Even when we have good intentions, the desire to be productive, the desire to get ahead and accomplish as much as possible in a day.

And nothing is inherently wrong with these desires.
But often it comes with a price.

Thinking because I didn't accomplish this very high standard in my mind that somehow I am less than.

So in this moment, as we acknowledge that maybe we've been a little hard on ourselves...

Let's take a moment to breathe into that awareness and be kind and gentle.

As if we were talking to our best friend.

We might give them advice to take a break, pause, relax.
We might even laugh a little and tease them about trying to be superwoman or Superman.

And yet when it's us, it's a different story.

Continuing to breathe.
Sit with the awareness and the acknowledgement that we could probably ease up just a little bit on ourselves.

What if we didn't compare ourselves to the magazine?
Or the Instagram video?
Or to a sibling or parent or friend?

What if we dropped the comparison all together?

What if we looked at what we did accomplish or what we would consider a win for the day?
These are moments when we can see as positive rather than negative.

What went well for you this week?
What did you do for yourself yesterday?
Where have you put you on the calendar?
When is your next date with yourself?
Do you have any quality time planned?

Again, taking a deep breath in...

Simply acknowledging that we have choice over how we treat ourselves.

What about if we turned comparison into self-compassion?
What about if we turned judgment into grace?
What if we turned our criticism into acceptance?

Feel your breathing...

Feel yourself in this moment,
being present,
listening,
being connected to our bodies.

Grateful that we're able to listen or read.
Grateful that we're taking these few moments to connect.
And possibly even grateful that we can turn that voice around.

It can be so easy to lift others up when they are having a difficult time,
And yet to give ourselves a pat on the back is one of the last things we do.

For our last few moments, I invite you to breathe and allow this moment to be what it is.

To invite the possibility that we can change our internal dialogue.
It's not a request.
It's just an invitation.

It's a possibility.

Feeling into our body,
Connected to our breath.

You are worthy.
You are valuable and precious.
And you are okay just the way you are.

Breathing,
Breathing,
Breathing.

In this moment, you are held and you are safe and you are loved.

In this day, may you find compassion for you.
If things don't go exactly as planned, may you find forgiveness for you.
If you forget to do something, may you accept that It's okay.

And may you turn down the volume of the harsh voice that speaks to you and turn up the volume of kindness to yourself.

Breathing breathing, breathing.

You are held, you are safe and you are loved
You bring so much to this world.
May you have a glimpse of how important you are that we all are to this world.

Let's take one last breath together.

Bringing in peace, self-acceptance, and kindness.
May you walk a little lighter today.
And may you talk to yourself with love.

Sending you so much love, joy and peace in this season.

From my heart to yours be well, my friends.