How To Be Kind To Yourself
Of all the life lessons yoga’s taught me so far, this might be its best – it’s taught me to be kind to myself.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist. And I have a tendency to be hard on myself.
In the past this often lead to burnout.
I’d run myself into the ground. And I rarely asked for help.
Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar…
The first yama of yoga is Ahimsa – non-violence.
But this doesn’t just mean non-violence to others. It also means being kind and gentle to yourself.
Here are four ways you can practise Ahimsa – both on and off the yoga mat.
1 – Get The Support You Need
In yoga you use props – like blocks and straps – to help you into positions you find difficult.
Say you have tight hamstrings – you can use a strap to reach around your feet.
You ease the strain.
Just as yoga has its challenging positions, life has its challenging moments.
People like to help.
Sometimes just talking to a good friend can help offload the pressure. It can make a problem or a situation feel less overwhelming.
Asking for support is not a sign of weakness. It makes you stronger and healthier in the long-run.
2 – Run Your Own Race
In yoga, you’re taught not to compare yourself against anyone else in the class.
Even if your neighbour is in a perfect headstand – while you’re struggling to so much as lift your first leg up.
Yoga isn’t a competition.
Neither is life.
But how often do we compare ourselves against friends, or colleagues, or maybe even family members?
How often do we scroll through pictures on Instagram of everyone “living their best lives”?
Run your own race.
Do things because they make you happy – not to keep up with the Joneses.
3 – Honour Your Limits
At the start of a yoga class you listen to your body and tune in to how you’re feeling.
Some days you might be full of beans ready for a challenge! Other days your body might need more of a gentle class – so you take it easy.
You learn never to push yourself beyond your limits.
You don’t always have to put on a brave face.
You don’t need to run full-steam ahead, all of the time.
You don’t have to be the life and soul of the party if you really just need a cosy night in.
Check-in with how you’re feeling. Look after yourself.
4 – Thank Yourself For Showing Up
At the end of a yoga class you take time to acknowledge your practice – even if it didn’t go so well…
Even if you were completely off-balance and kept getting your lefts muddled with your rights…
You simply thank yourself for showing up.
Perhaps you stumbled on your words giving that presentation… Or you didn’t get the top grades in that exam… Or you could have said things better in that conversation…
It isn’t possible to be perfect all of the time – that’s part of being human.
Instead of beating yourself up over it, thank yourself for showing up in the first place.
Thank yourself for doing your best.
P.s. Be kind to you but be kind to others too 🙂 Please share this post with someone who might need it.