You Are Your Own Best Friend
The most important relationship you will ever have in your life is with yourself. It seems crazy that we often seem to get caught up in the drama of relationships with other people having all sorts of expectations that they are going to help us feel happy and whole. If we step away from expecting anything from other people and realise that the only person we can change is ourselves, we will definitely lessen our own suffering and find more joy and fulfilment in life.
“You are your own biggest enemy. It is your negative thoughts that hold you back, nothing else.” Leon Brown
Ultimately we are with ourselves day in and day out so It makes perfect sense to prioritize our relationship with our self. We all need to become our own best friend and supporter through the good and the bad times.
The most important place to begin is by changing the way we speak to ourselves. How often do you find yourself speaking critically – blaming, shaming and hurting yourself with your negative self- talk? Stop, and ask yourself if you would ever speak to a friend or anyone in your life that needed support and comfort the way you do to yourself?
Have you ever called yourself stupid, or fat or ugly? The more negative and harmful words we use the more we begin believing the negative, untrue story that we create in our minds. We do more self- harm to ourselves than anyone else can ever do to us by believing any negativity that other people project upon us. We have the power to choose kind encouraging and loving words for ourselves and to choose not to believe unkind words projected onto us from others. By making positive self-talk a habit, we re-wire our brains and the story of our lives.
There are also habits you can create in your day to keep taking care of yourself and to make sure that you don’t neglect your mental and physical well-being:
Evening Routine: create a nurturing, calming evening routine to ensure you are getting enough sleep.
Practice Gratitude: Think of 3 things every morning that you can be grateful for and in the evening think back on the day and 3 things that brought you a moment of joy.
Get Creative: regularly do something creative that you love. Painting, cooking, dancing, gardening or reading are some ideas.
Diet and Exercise: look after your diet and exercise moderately so that you enjoy staying healthy and fit.
Environment: create an environment that brings a sense of calm and makes you feel happy. On your desk or in your bedroom simple things like a special stone, a candle or a vase of flowers.
Downtime: don’t forget to take time each day for yourself. Allow your body and mind to relax doing an activity you enjoy, like listening to your favorite Yellow Brick Cinema track. Below is one of the tracks I’ve really been enjoying of late.
Remember, only you can change yourself and create a positive and much happier life. Practise mindfulness to become more aware of the areas of your life you’d most like to improve, and build small habits that put the wheels in motion to help you work towards your goals. Consistent action will create a snowball effect that builds momentum to help you reach your goals quicker.
Always remember that you can choose to be your biggest enemy or your own best friend. Choosing to be your own best friend is the first step in helping you to create your ideal life. Love, Margie.