RESPECT YOURSELF TOO

Treat Yourself as You Treat Your Friends

Why don’t we show ourselves the same love and respect we show our loved ones?

As I’ve shared recently, I left my job and am taking a career break to focus on personal learning and development.

The decision wasn’t easy; however, the overwhelming love and support I received from my friends and family was amazing.

Their genuine encouragement gave me the courage to follow my interests and turn over a new leaf.

One of my best friends was so excited for me and regularly told me how proud she was of me for taking the leap and following my intuition. She expressed how happy she was to see me happy and how amazing she thought this path was for me. She is part of my cheer team and I love her for that.

This same friend decided to take unpaid leave this year and move countries. I, too, cheered her on. I congratulated her on her courage and shared my excitement for her.

When I visited her, it took me by surprise how hard she was being on herself.

“I feel guilty not doing anything.”

“I should be working, shouldn’t I?”

“It feels wrong to be in this position.”

“I can’t do nothing.”

The change in her language and tone when she was speaking to and about herself was so different from the way she had spoken to me.

Why wasn’t she showing herself the same love and support she had so easily shown me?

After a conversation, she realised it was a question of her finding a new routine and getting comfortable with it. Understandable.

I just wonder: if she spoke to herself the way she had spoken to me, would she find this transition easier and more enjoyable?

Why are we so hard on ourselves? Why don’t we show ourselves the same love and respect we show our loved ones?

Shine bright.

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