Mindfulness: Making time to be kinder to ourselves

Since I began learning and understanding the concept of Mindfulness three years ago, I realised that a big part of it relies on Mindfulness based self compassion. This loosely translates as being mindfully kinder to ourselves, noticing when our mind has started turning negative and slowly but surely turning it into a positive state.

There are many activities that we can do, to help us become more compassionate to ourselves. Journaling out our thoughts and feelings, and practicing gratitude are just a few examples. There has definitely been a lot more press coverage around self-care and while it is necessary to prioritise ourselves, we need to break the constant taboo about this being seen as a selfish act. After all, we can only be our best selves for others, when we are at our best.

So, where do we begin to be kinder to ourselves? A good place in start, is allowing yourself to meditate for 10 minutes or so, paying close attention to your current state of mind. You will begin to notice if it is being positive or negative and what is currently bothering you.

Next, you can take a look at your week and see if you can carve some time out for yourself during it. It is so important to try and give yourself a fun activity, or time to focus on a hobby, during the week as this can give you the mental boost that you need to feel better when things get stressful.

Since the pandemic, it’s not surprising that our worries will have doubled and our social abilities will have changed. We must remember that not only are we all different when it comes to coping with these new experiences, but we are all prone to burn out and so mustn’t pile too much on our plates, all at once.

With the upcoming festive season, if your reading this blog post and feeling inspired, why not make November your month for resetting your routines and focusing on your wellbeing. Spend some time doing the things for yourself that you otherwise wouldn’t normally do. This could be a lavish pamper routine or a weekend filled with fun activities. Pay close attention to your inner critic and stop it in its tracks with some mindful meditation and self care. Notice how much better you feel after investing in this positive change and you won’t look back.