Kindness Challenge Week 1: Self-Love

The first week of the Kindness Challenge, created by Niki of The Richness of a Simple Life, is about Self-Love. It’s about being kind to yourself and the assignment is especially perfect for people who feel worthless, believe they are not ‘good enough’:

“This week’s kindness prompt is about self-love. Is there anything more kind than love? We often think of kindness in relation to others but we can’t forget that kindness must first start with ourselves. I want to remind you there’s nothing you need to do to earn or deserve love from yourself or others.

Loving ourselves and being able to accept love is our birthright.

This week’s challenge is going to be based on the work of Brene Brown. I absolutely love what she’s doing and the open conversation she’s having. In order to incorporate the benefits of her research and life work into our own lives, we’re going to work on cultivating our self-love. One of the most powerful parts of Brene’s message, in my opinion, is how she highlights that we don’t need to do anything to be worthy of love and belonging but we do need to believe we are worthy of it.

Self-Love exercise

The exercise for this week is to take note of all of the ways we think we have to earn or prove our love to ourselves. If you have a hard time, you might try to notice the times you find yourself feeling like you’re not good enough. After you’ve taken a couple of days to observe and take notes, I encourage you to come up with your own personal mantra or affirmation. Whenever you find yourself falling into the habit of thinking you aren’t good enough or deserving of self-love, repeat your mantra to yourself. Some of you might want to write it down and put it on your mirror or screen saver.

Another option is to create a self-portrait. It can be a photo, a drawing, a mosaic, or whatever form of artistic expression you’d like. Make sure the self-portrait is of your royal self and reflects your birthright to love and be loved. Keep this someplace you can look at it as often as needed to remind you of your birthright.” Originally posted here: Week-1-Self-Love

My input: 

Believe we are worthy of love might not seem easy and being kind to yourself, might even feel awkward. The exercise above is a great way to start being kind to yourself.

However, you may feel good enough and know you are worthy and therefore think, you don’t need to take (extra) time to be kind to yourself. From a personal and professional perspective, I can tell you it is important, it really is.

This doesn’t automatically mean you have to meditate, join yoga classes or go to a therapist. Being kind to yourself is all about creating time to pay true attention to yourself. Recognizing your positives and limitations, the strengths and weaknesses which make you the unique person you are.
Treating yourself with a 15-minute break, sipping from your favorite beverage and just do nothing, is already a great way to pay attention to yourself. Be honest:

“When was the last time, you really did NOTHING for a few minutes?

Going to the bathroom doesn’t count, because you go there already with a purpose on your mind ? The goal is to be kind to yourself, breath and just enjoy your own company for a short amount of time: acknowledge to yourself, you are a wonderful unique human being.

Another way to be kind to yourself is taking the time to do something totally different from your normal routine. Fill up the bathtub and relax in the warm water, read a book (maybe in that bathtub), listen to a favorite CD (meanwhile not doing anything else), or any activity you like to do you normally don’t take the time to do and just focus at that what you are doing and how you enjoy doing it.

Creating a poem with one of my dear friends is for me a way to be kind to myself. At the same time, I fulfill two another personal needs; forwarding the message that you indeed have a birthright to love yourself, to acknowledge your own uniqueness. Reaching out to a Beautiful Soul and thus connect is also a way to be kind to myself.

My dear friend Manuel was so kind to write the following poem together with me:

~~~~~~

Kindness

Do not be indifferent,
There is a limit,
But you need to care,
Not compare,
But care
And don’t forget to share.

Don’t neglect your needs,
But do not forget other’s deeds.
You need your own kindness,
Dissipate your own blindness.

Be kind to yourself, to that Inner Child
You might think it’s too shallow or wild
Be inspired or inspire
Find within the fire
It’s ok to desire
Even to admire

Since, nobody should prevent you
To follow just that, you feel is true
A dream to pursuit
Or your neighbors view
Whatever takes away the blue

Kindness to yourself and to others,
Shouldn’t feel like it’s a bother
Sharing kindness with an open mind
It is a key to peace for humankind

~~~~

It is never to late to be kind to yourself! If you would like to join this years challenge, this is the link where you can find all info:

Kindness Challenge 2017