Stop Being So Mean To Yourself

Give yourself some grace and compassion instead

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The other day I got frustrated with myself for not getting all the things done that were on my long, long To Do List. I thought I should just plow through them and get it all done — NOW!

So I turned mean girl and started berating myself for this shortcoming and lots of other things that I didn’t like about myself.

The result: I got nothing at all done and started thinking about raiding my hidden cookie stash instead for a pick me up.

Being mean to yourself never works. There are plenty of other people in the world who will do it for you, but you don’t have to be one of them.

So what can you do to stop being mean to yourself?

Here’s some actions to break the cycle.

1. Deep Breathing — Clear your brain of toxic thoughts by taking a deep breath in through your nose and hold it for 4 seconds and then exhale for 4 seconds. Continue as needed until you feel calmer and more relaxed.
2. Walking — Take a quick walk around the block and notice the world around you and focus on the sounds and sights of what you see.
3. Tidying Up — Take out the trash, put dirty dishes in the dishwasher, dust a shelf, or do a quick vacuum pass of your living room. Doing these daily tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment and lift your mood.
4. Singing and Dancing — Put your favorite music on and start singing and dancing around the room. This will immediately change your mood and push those dark thoughts away.
5. Going for a Swim or Playing a Sport — Physical exercise helps you concentrate on action and weeds out the mean thoughts from your mind.
6. Direct Talking — Talking directly to your mean self and tell it to Knock It Off right now. Tell it you are not going to listen any more and for it to get lost immediately. Then go do something fun!
7. Call a Friend — Talk it out with someone you can trust and let them help you snap out of it.
8. Visualizing — Take a moment to calm your mind and visualize yourself in a favorite place, like the beach, a lake or a forest. Lie down or sit in a comfortable chair and take some deep breaths and relax into the peaceful atmosphere of your vision for as long as you like.

Key Message: Being mean to yourself is a complete waste of your time and your potential. No matter how you learned this negative habit, you can overcome it and treat yourself with the compassion and grace you deserve.

© Linda Locke

Linda Locke is a writer, and life/writing coach. She is the **Publisher/Lead Editor for the Midform Publication** and the author of ***Medium Momentum, Launch Your Blogging Journey in Just 7 Days*.

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