Studies show self-kindness has incredible benefits for wellbeing. Self-kindness triggers the release of oxytocin (one of your brain’s feel-good hormones), increases feelings of happiness and optimism, builds resilience and helps you bounce back from stress.
Here are 11 small ways you can start practising self-kindness today.
As often as you can, stop and just breathe for a few minutes. We’re often rushing from one thing to the next without pause – but we’re humans! Not machines. Give yourself the gift of stopping to breathe and just be.
Doing something from each of our 6 Pillars of Wellbeing every day will help you to build resilience, feel good, and bounce back from stress. The Enjoy Pillar is a great place to start as it’s all about the things you do for pleasure, fun, and self-care.
Saying no is difficult for many people. But it’s extremely important that you set healthy boundaries for yourself, because no one else will! Self-kindness is not spreading yourself too thin across many different tasks and commitments – as you’ll only suffer in the long run. And that’s not fair to you.
It’s easy to beat yourself up when you make a mistake. But guess what – everyone makes mistakes. So next time you ‘stuff up’, ask yourself what you learned for next time.
No one else will prioritise your self-care. So book it in yourself! Everyone deserves time to fill their cup and that includes you, too. Here are 32 free and easy self-care ideas to inspire you.
When our friends are being too tough on themselves, we’re usually the first to rush to their side and remind them of what makes them so special. Imagine if we spoke to ourselves this way, too?
Noticing small, good things in our lives helps to minimise negative thinking and build mental resilience. Try thinking about one good thing before you go to sleep each night.
From big to small and everything in between, if you’re feeling proud about a job well done, or achieving a goal – celebrate! Just like you would do for a friend, you’re allowed to cheer yourself on. If you're struggling with this, check out our Celebrate Pillar for some ideas.
Getting things down on paper can be quite therapeutic. It could be a list of the things you like about who you are, or telling yourself a story about how much you have grown over the past few years. Perhaps you want to forgive yourself for a past regret, or make plans for the future – put pen to paper and see how you feel after.
This doesn’t necessarily mean buying yourself something material. But more like indulging in something that’s self-nurturing. It could be cooking a delicious meal and then taking the time to sit down and eat it slowly – enjoying all the flavours. Or it could be curling up with a good book and cup of tea.
No one knows our faults like we do. But guess what? Everyone has them. No one is perfect, and even if it seems like someone is – it’s pretty much guaranteed they won’t be. So practice the art of accepting yourself for everything you are, flaws and all.