We talk to ourselves in ways we would never talk to someone we love.

Being kind to ourselves is so important but it’s often easier to focus on being kind to others.  To be kind to others, we must be kinder to ourselves first.  The most important relationship you have in life is the one you have with yourself.

I’ve been around enough college students to know how important it is to them to be nice to the ones they care for the most.  Often, they neglect themselves.

Many of us have an inner voice that is harsher than any critic we will ever encounter. We readily forgive mistakes in friends, encourage them when they struggle and remind them of their strengths when they lose confidence. Then we turn around and deny ourselves the same grace.

Real self-kindness isn’t self-indulgence or lowering standards — it’s treating ourselves with the same patience, understanding and encouragement we so willingly offer to others.

Kristin Neff is one of the world’s leading researchers on self-compassion:

“With self-compassion, we give ourselves the same kindness and care we’d give to a good friend”.

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