We are pretty good at recognizing hostility when it is directed at us, heck sometimes we even imagine hostility coming at us when there is none. But what about the hostility we direct at ourselves?
Yes, we can be hostile to ourselves. Sometimes the hostility is overt; “You fool, you overlooked that.” Sometimes our internal hostility is more subtle; “I can’t do algebra.” Either way it remains hostility. Internal hostility is more damaging to ourselves than hostility directed at us because we are simply unaware of how much we criticize ourselves and limit ourselves.
We keep mental lists of things we have not succeeded in doing, yet neglect to keep lists of things where we have succeeded at beyond our own dreams. Talk about hostility! We heap upon ourselves far more abuse than we would allow anyone else to get away with, and it is time to cease this tendency.
It has been some time since I offered this simple tool to raise our own spirits; talk to yourself in the mirror; tell yourself each day something you have done that makes you happy to be you. No one else has to see you do this so don’t be afraid. The more you support yourself, the more support you can accept from the outside world. Self-support is like a mental health boost.
Before you can help anyone else, you have to help yourself.
