“Being a friend to your SELF is no mere metaphor or purely sentimental idea. It is the basis of all relationships, because it is a fundamental recognition of soul.”
Thomas Moore
While the concept of being your own best friend, or having self love, acceptance and compassion is a simple one, it is often hard to know what to do to begin to make that shift. Here are five ways that can help.
1. Listen to how you speak to your self
Let go of self-bashing, become aware of the voices in your head—the overt and the subtle ones. Commit to shifting to kinder gentler thoughts. Stop self-abuse!
2. Make time for real self-care (VS self-indulgence)
Begin by discerning what is self-indulgent and what is truly caring for yourself. What do you need in terms of basic care? How can you begin to make time for these basic needs to build a strong foundation so you can expand in freedom and expression of your best self?
3. Listen more deeply to your true voice and your real needs
How can you give yourself time and space to listen deeply and acquaint yourself with the real you?
4. Be compassionate with yourself, you are a work in progress
You are continually learning, growing and developing as a human being whether you are conscious of it or not. Become more conscious and aware can smooth your journey. You can only be where you are at any given moment in time–mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Start from where you are and be tolerant and patient with your learning curve. Actively work at embracing the feeling of ease with yourself rather than having it remain an “idle” thought.
5. Make time for enlivening your soul
What brings you alive? What nourishes you at a deep level? Can you commit to providing time and space to find out and then allowing that to come into your life?
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