Tender Tuesday Don't Be a Bully

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 Don't be a bully; be tender with yourself. That statement is the most important thing I have learned on this mental well-being journey. I have also discovered that it is the hardest thing to do in any form of recovery. I understand the struggle, and I hope this blog will help you be kinder to yourself because when you are kind to yourself, you will also be kind to others. 

Many, including myself, struggle to be tender with themselves. This challenge transcends mental well-being issues. I've personally grappled with both cognitive well-being and self-kindness for many years. While medication has been a part of my process, I've also come to understand the importance of cognitive work. You're not alone in this struggle. 

The most essential thing in this process was for me to forgive myself. I have to do it daily, sometimes even multiple times a day, but I remind myself that I forgive myself. If my higher power can forgive me, I can, too.

Forgiving yourself is not an easy task—it could be the hardest of them all—but you have to in order to be tender to yourself. 

A few other things you can do to be tender to yourself are to allow time to relax. This is not being lazy. It is required to function at your best and talk positively to yourself. Stop saying things like I'm not good at that. Say something like I need to learn how to do that better. 

Try these things: forgive yourself, talk positively about yourself, and allow yourself time to relax. See if they don't give you an excellent foundation for being more tender to yourself. We can add more later, and if you fall off track, get back on and continue being kind to number one, you. 

You have heard the saying, "You can't pour from an empty well," so please

remember this quote when you think about being kind to yourself, "We win by tenderness; we conquer by forgiveness. -F.W. Robertson