Be Your Own BFF

Can you be your own best friend?
Can you listen with patience and interest when your body or heart has something to say?
Can you celebrate your wins and comfort yourself in loss?
Can you give yourself compliments and encouragement?
Can you stick up for yourself when somebody says something bad about you?
Can you be excited to hang with yourself, and cherish that time spent with yourself?
Can you drop what you’re doing and be there for yourself in a time of need?
Can you forgive yourself when you make mistakes?
Can you laugh with yourself when you do something dumb?

I’m curious, if you were in a friendship with someone who treated you the way you treat yourself, would you stick around? Would you trust, love, respect, or enjoy this person?

Sometimes people tell me they “motivate” themselves to do better by being really hard on themselves. They say it works. I tried it for years—it never worked for me. The way I see it now, I was in abusive relationship with myself. When I finally reached my breaking point and decided to start treating myself like someone I loved, my entire life changed. Joy, trust, laughter, accomplishment, pleasure, and peace are what I now experience on the regular.

Give it a try. Start right now. Give yourself a heartfelt compliment. Forgive yourself for something you’ve been holding onto. Make some plans to do something you’ve been wanting to do. Be your own best friend.