Be Gentle To Yourself Today

If you are someone who visualizes their future success with accomplished life goals then I’m sure you can relate to this post!  Have you ever felt like a failure because of one or more delays got in the way? You know what I mean, delays that cause you to believe that you missed out on the “window of opportunity,” or that serendipitous moment when all stars align, every door opens and all you have to do is walk through it! Lets talk about the plans we have when we reach a certain age, like finishing college at age 21 or 22, or “when I’m 25 years old I will be married with two kids, living in my dream house making lots of money honey!” OK with your ambitious self, “by age 30 I’m CEO of a large profitable company earning well over seven figures!” But, reality hits, age 30 rolls around and you are living with roommates still building towards that vision wondering when will things change.  How about, “I will lose 30 lbs in 30 days,” but you work too many hours, come home tired and have other mouths to feed before you can even tend to your goals.  Lets not forget that sometimes you may not feel like tackling any goals and would much rather do nothing all day, Oh but the guilt!  Listen! I didn’t even scratch the surface of the many ways LIFE tends to happen despite our well-intended goals!  *Sigh*  Trust me, I know a lot about delays and the anxiety that follows.  In a fast pace, everything-must- happen-now-world, it is easy to lose sight of the individual experience and that you are a multidimensional human with many layers of thought, feelings and experiences.  Let’s stop, regain focus and center our minds.

These 3 intentional mindset shifts will help you increase self esteem and handle life’s delays in healthier ways.  It’s all about perspective and self love.

1. Draw from Positive Sources – Be intentional about what you listen to, who you listen to and what you watch. If you are on social media, take inventory on who you follow.  
   • Follow pages that uplift, inspire and propel you forward.
   • Learn how to put healthy boundaries between you and negative voices.
   • Take inventory of your friend/family circle, surround yourself with people who have a positive outlook on life.
2. Accept Yourself As You Are – Be present in your emotions and write them down if possible. For example:
   • How do you feel in this very moment, are you excited, frustrated or sad?
   • What do you dislike most about yourself?
   • What is your body telling you? How are your stress levels on a scale from 1-10? 
   • Are you harboring unforgiveness or resentment?  If so, write it down and thank God for lifting those heavy burdens. 
3. Take Tiny Steps Forward – Do one thing each day no matter how small that advances your life goals and nurtures positive feelings within you.  
   • Start with writing, “I am enough, I am valuable, I am gentle to myself today.”

At the end of the day, you are the most constant factor in your life and you ultimately determine the outcome of your journey one positive thought at a time.