People tend to be hardest on themselves mentally. The tendency to engage in self-criticism, self-negativity and self-loathing makes it nearly impossible to experience joy. Are you your own worst enemy in how you view yourself?
How you frame your mistakes, missteps, and miscalculations can make a huge difference in your experience. Are your words harsh and your tone intolerant? Be aware of your self-talk, the storylines you tell yourself.
Joyful people have cultivated the habit of self-compassion. They have learned that self-condemnation does little to move them forward. Instead, they are quick to forgive themselves and learn from what has taken place. They don’t waste time and focus on self-recrimination. They don’t indulge in negatives like unworthiness and inadequacy. Rather, they embrace lessons and use those lessons to move forward constructively.
If you haven’t yet been successful in terms of self-compassion, we have some wonderful news: it’s only a pattern and it’s not too late!
Can you take a kinder and more gentle approach with yourself? Can you soften the critical, internal voice? Perhaps, you can be quicker to forgive yourself when you somehow fall short. One strategy we recommend to our clients is to regularly write down and affirm their positive characteristics. Joyful people emphasize what they do well.
By adopting a more compassionate view of yourself, you feel good more often. Own your basic goodness despite your shortcomings, which are a part of your humanity. As you create a self-compassion habit, you’ll experience more joy than ever before!