Oct. 16 - Speak Kindly

Day 288 of a year of kindnessOne way to be kind to yourself is to speak kindly to yourself. 

Knowing this is one thing - practicing it is much harder.

Recently, I told a friend about my mission to eat more salads. She asked me if I made a salad today. I said: “I was too lazy to make one.”There was a pause.She told me that she didn’t think of me as “lazy” and wondered if I could reframe it. Maybe I could say, “I didn’t make time for it.”I appreciated that. I didn’t even notice that I did it. How many times do I say disparaging things about myself - without even realizing?Her kindness helped raise my awareness on the way I spoke about myself. It reminded me (again) that this is a muscle I have to keep working on. 

Being mean to yourself is a lose-lose game. It’s important that you treat yourself with the same compassion and kindness that you would extend to your best friend. If you wouldn’t say it to someone you love, you probably shouldn’t say it to yourself.

Science of Kindness: Research reveals that kind self-talk boosts self-esteem and improves happiness and mental health. Replacing negative self-talk with supportive language can reshape how the brain evaluates self-worth and decision-making. It activates regions associated with empathy and reward rather than punishment. When you treat yourself with compassion, you’re more likely to extend that same kindness to others, creating healthier social bonds. #BeKind #KindnessCounts #KindnessCounts2025 #kindness #kindnesswins #bekindtoyourself