We often think and are told that random acts of kindness are for others only. BUT, what would life be like if we adopted this for ourselves too? Our subconscious is having a party with all our self deprecation, especially in the UK. It's a funny trait right, but with a sinister and far reaching undertone!
Anna Pinkerton
You see self-hatred creates hatred for others. What we see inside is what we start to project. SO, the kindest thing you can do for others is to be kind and loving towards yourself, you then build a kindly and considerate attitude and relationship with other's in the world and in fact with the world itself. To be kind to yourself means your kindness to others is a real gift and not a need which props you up.
"YOUR GREATEST ACT OF KINDNESS IN THIS WORLD IS TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
HOW YOU TREAT YOURSELF IS HOW YOU AFFECT THE WORLD - IT'S NOT JUST YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IT'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE GREATER GOOD"
Random Acts of Kindness to yourself
- Ask yourself what you do every day that isn't your thing? What would your Kindness Day be like if you didn't do that thing?
- Challenge yourself to do a RANDOM ACT of kindness for yourself every 2 hours. That's 6 acts in 12 hours make them count!
- Remove one thing from your home that you don't like. Put one thing you love in pride of place within your home.
- Don't eat one single thing that you don't LOVE today (if you've always hated cooked carrots but eaten them DON'T do it to yourself)
- Wear something today that you LOVE, AND THROW away one piece of clothing you HATE (free yourself from your wardrobe nightmares- pass your kindness on by taking it to a charity shop)
- Purposefully go out without aim, and decide to do something you've wanted to do but never get round to. Take yourself out for coffee, tea, chocolate, a small thing.
- Spend the day talking kindly to yourself, don't swear or berate yourself ABOUT ANYTHING.
- ALLOW yourself your mistakes, and know that kindness is true responsibility (inner cruelty is a smoke screen and letting yourself off with feeling bad about stuff you're not proud of).
- Send yourself a greetings card, to remind yourself in a few days time, that you've thought of you.
- If you find you have belittled yourself you MUST counteract it, with a gift, a cup of tea, calling a friend, whatever your gift is.
- Ask yourself every hour of this day 'What do I want?' There is no kinder question than to listen to your own desires.
- Light a candle to remind yourself to be kind in thought and action on ALL DAYS not just this one.
- BUY or FIND an object that will remind you always of your inner kindness towards yourself and that you have the power to change your world and that of others by this very act.
Anna Pinkerton is a leading Psychotherapist and author of new book Smile Again: Your Recovery from Burnout, Breakdown and Overwhelming Stress