WAYS TO TREAT YOURSELF AND OTHERS!
Stop All Criticism
Criticism never changes a thing. It leads to defensiveness, non-listening, no problem solving, and disaster. Refuse to criticize yourself and others. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Do the same for others. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive. The same is true for others.
Don’t Scare Yourself
Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It’s a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure (mine are mountains and oceans), and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.
Be Gentle And Kind And Patient
Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you really love.
Be Kind To Your Mind
Self hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don’t hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change your thoughts. Remember the proverb: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
Praise Yourself
Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Samuel Taylor Cooleridge says, “The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions–the little, soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or smile, a kind look or heartfelt compliment.” Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.
Support Yourself
Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. Be strong enough to ask for help when you need it. Great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.
Be Loving To Your Negatives
Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now, you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So, lovingly release the old negative patterns.
Take Care Of Your Body
Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.
Mirror Work
Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back. If you smile at it, it returns the greeting. Look into your eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself as you look into the mirror. Talk to your parents as you look into the mirror. Forgive them too. At least once a day say: “I love you, I really love you.”
Love Yourself
Do It Now – Don’t wait until you get well, or lose the weight, or get the new job, or the new relationship. Begin now — and do the best you can. As was said in the movie, Dead Poet Society, “Carpe Diem!” Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.
If you don’t think every day is a good day, just try missing one. And if you don’t think you are a person of value and worth, just think of the emptiness so many would feel if you were not in their lives.
Treat yourself and others RIGHT today!
And these are just my thoughts on a Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving!
THE PEOPLE BUILDER,
Steve Siemens, CSP
Siemens People Builders
