Today's happy thought for me is being glad I found this site. I've met people who understand and offer me support, I've met people I can offer support to, I'm working through the sessions and find the guidance from the support staff is exactly what I need to hear. Thank you all!!!
Today I will think about what you said, Gabs ... being kind to myself. I did have a handle on that at one time, but it seems the handle has fallen off. :) The negative self stuff is back. Sneaks up when I forget to pay attention, it seems.
I need to remember to treat [b]me[/b] with the same kindness I'd treat any one of you. So my house is messy, I'm behind in projects, I just want to crawl into bed and get warm and read ... that doesn't make me lazy or a failure. If one of you told me you felt that way, I'd suggest you take care of yourself, nurture yourself and do exactly what your body tells you. I get to have the same privilege.
Gabs, I have spent a lot of time feeling guilty and selfish over the years. I got that message drilled into my starting at a very young age.
I finally found something that works for me ... "enlightened self interest". That means I have permission to treat myself with exactly the same degree of kindness I treat my loved ones with. If I don't take care of me, I have nothing to offer anyone else. It seems like NOT taking care of myself is the selfish thing to do.
Selfish, to me, means giving in to my fears, my guilts, my negative self talk. All that stuff makes me so focussed on self that I can't really give the best of me (or even much of me) to anyone else. Taking the time to be good to me, making myself strong enough to look outward is the unselfish thing to do. ~shrug~ Everyone has their own way of doing things and that's mine. :)
