Tuesday, March 12, 2024

I often tell my students that the longest relationship they will have in their lifetimes is with themselves.
How do you speak to yourself?
Are you kind to yourself?
Here are things I do for myself that I equate with being kind to myself:
Candles – I light a candle in the morning, evening, or when I sit outside. I’ve been trying to “use up” old candles and haven’t bought one for quite a while, but I will buy a new one soon.
Warm drinks – Ahh, when it hits just the right temperature is there anything better than drinking coffee or tea?

Clothing myself – in things that make me feel great and not clothing myself in stiff, scratchy fabrics, ill-fitting garb, etc.
Time – I give myself the gift of morning quiet time, after school quiet time, unhurried time when I can.
Say NO and not over-fill my calendar – I know that my job is intense and full of people and decisions. Teachers make about 1500 decisions a day. That’s why I like routine and I already have my list of meals written out for me. I want to automate as much at school and home as possible. So, I don’t say yes to everything because I know I need down time.

Smells – I give myself good smells. I love nice smelling shower products and this is important to me. I like nice smelling lotions, too. This is why I splurge on Diva laundry liquid.
Laughing – I laugh every day. This is why I love my favorite funny podcast! Watch What Crappens makes fun of Bravo shows. I know they are good for a laugh if I haven’t had much to laugh about that day. I also laugh at myself and don’t beat myself up for the goofs I make on the regular.
Cooking – I cook for myself almost as much as I cook for Tom and my kids. I really enjoy the act of cooking and I’m proud of myself when I cook something great. I like the act of chopping. I’m so happy that I can feed myself the foods that I enjoy.

Exercising or taking walks – This is one I am working to incorporate in a more routine way. I know this is one of the kindest things I can do for my present and future self. I am also trying to walk with Tom because I think it’s good for us and a great way to talk.

Reading- I give myself the gift of time to read.
Nurturing my relationships – I am kind to myself by allowing myself to nurture my marriage, my relationships with my kids, and all my other relationships. That may sound odd, but they require work and care. and even the constant re-evaluating of what stage you are in with that relationship.
Maybe I am getting off topic a bit with my list…but have you been kind to yourself lately?
One thing I think we can all do to be kinder is to stay off social media or reduce our time on it. Sometimes I think it evokes the worst emotions in us. Comparison is the thief of joy, right? For some reason, I don’t think blogs do that to me. I do get ideas from reading blogs, though!
How have you been kind to yourself lately? Any recommendations?
Amy































































































































