How Do You Habitually Treat Yourself?

In order to learn how to relieve ourselves of self-defeating patterns, the obvious first step is to become aware of what these patterns are.

The easiest way to do this is simply to become a casual observer of your own behavior and to take stock of how you treat yourself. Note both the negative and the positive aspects.

Don't make a big chore of this. Simply intend to "hear" what you tell yourself as you go about your business. Notice how you "look" at yourself. Do you ever smile at yourself in the mirror? Do you ever greet yourself as someone you're glad to see?

After you've monitored yourself for a day or two, ask yourself which one of these categories you fall into.

1) You always look at yourself with a hypercritical eye and you often mentally refer to yourself as stupid, lazy, clumsy, ugly, gross, or other demeaning terms.

You constantly require outside validation in order to feel even halfway decent about yourself.

2) You maintain a "neutral" approach to your own person, hardly even noticing anything in particular about yourself. You just take yourself, your appearance, and your performance for granted.

It's almost as if you were a non-entity whose job it is to just keep showing up, but you certainly don't take any real pleasure in your own company. You base your worth primarily on how others react to you.

3) You make a point of it to treat yourself with the utmost respect. You speak to yourself in only the most courteous and encouraging tones. You actively note and register appreciation for your most likeable qualities and you enjoy your own company. You maintain this outlook despite what others' opinions of you may be. After all, it is your opinion and validation that matter to you most.

Clearly, this last option is what we are striving for. Contrary to what some may think, this is not vanity or egotism. It is self-affirmation. It is creating a friendly "alliance" with someone who will be with you the rest of your days.

Other people come and go, and among the ones who stay, they are primarily focused on their own lives.

It is no one's responsibility but your own to validate your existence. You are the only one who can provide yourself with the constant, abiding, unconditional acceptance that we all crave.

~ Tips for Improvement ~

Tip #1 - Every time you look in the mirror, look yourself in the eye. Stay there, don't look away. (Some people have trouble doing even this much.) Now, smile at yourself with just your eyes, nothing phony.

Acknowledge the face in the glass as a dear friend, whose opinion you admire, whose support you feel privileged to have. THIS is the person you most want on your side. Not the big "they" out there, as in "What will 'they' think?" It is now: "What do YOU think, my dear friend in the looking glass?"

Tip #2 - Immediately drop any negative, hateful or belittling remarks to yourself. This includes any unspoken comments.

For example, do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and groan? I'm sorry, but I must tell you that this is just plain rude! How do you think you would react if someone else did that to you? Wouldn't you be insulted and hurt and just a little appalled at that person's bad manners?

And would it ever occur to you to treat one of your friends that way? You wouldn't do it! You would realize how unkind and tactless such a reaction would be. You would probably look at your friend with compassionate concern. You might wonder if he is sick or if he's been getting enough rest, but you certainly wouldn't look at him and say, "Ugh!"

So why is it that people let themselves get away with treating themselves so shabbily?

Perhaps no one has ever pointed this out to you before. Or maybe you have never given yourself permission to treat yourself gently before.

Now that you've been made aware of this, I trust you will find it easy and highly desirable to make these simple changes. And these two changes alone will result in some profound internal shifts.

So the new order of the day is this: If it's not something that you would say or do to a cherished friend, then you do not say or do it to yourself, period.

I hope that you will give these techniques a serious workout. Your emotional well-being is well worth the effort. It is the foundation upon which all else is built.

Rosella Aranda, international marketer, editor and author, helps entrepreneurs escape their limitations and enjoy greater freedom and satisfaction. Sign up for her free mini-course at http://www.sabotagethyselfnomore.com/ Kind encouragement at http://www.sabotagethyselfnomore.com/

cleaning team near Winnetka ..
In The News:

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.
South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.
Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

You Are Magnificent! Creating Self-Confidence

The image you hold of yourself determines your success or... Read More

Get Out of Your Way!

We hear a lot these days about accepting responsibility for... Read More

The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee

As if choreographed and rehearsed the night before, one lays... Read More

Down On Your Luck? Heres How You Get Over The Hump!

It's time to put a bad rumor to rest right... Read More

Your Mediocre Mind

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.... Read More

Creating Positive Environments, Part 1: Using Art

One of our most active senses is sight. What we... Read More

How to Deal with Discouragement and Develop Exceptional People Skills

Ever feel like giving up? Do you ever feel so... Read More

Top Three Secrets To Becoming A Better Thinker

We all know there are ways to become a better... Read More

Affirmations to Improve Your Life

An affirmation is a positive assertion, a solemn declaration, a... Read More

Self-Confidence Sliding Downward!

There are times in all of our lives where our... Read More

How You Treat People Matters

I encountered several interesting people that really taught me something.... Read More

Anchoring Positivity With NLP

There was some sunshine this weekend while I was writing... Read More

Growing Optimistically

Spring is here at last! The season brings with it... Read More

Self Confidence and the Way You Use Your Words

The way we use language can have a huge impact... Read More

Taking Yourself Too Seriously? - Suggestions for Reclaiming Your Perspective

"We can change our circumstances by a mere change of... Read More

Self-Opinions---Can Limit Our Lives

Dr. Phil says each of us has a personal "truth"... Read More

Life, The Greatest Ride of All

Life is the greatest roller coaster ride we will ever... Read More

Self-Sabotage - Are We Prisoners of the Past?

Many people who suffer from low self-esteem would give anything... Read More

Fear -- Feel It and Keep Moving

Many of us allow our fear to stop us in... Read More

Reframing Rejection

So people will reject us no matter how good we... Read More

Develop Yourself - The Power Within

Living without limits. Living your life to the fullest. Living... Read More

Such Is Life, And Its Getting Sucher And Sucher

Problems, disappointments and trouble; the three skunks that sometimes think... Read More

Important Days Ahead

Humans tend to categorize things by large or small, bright... Read More

Power Talk: The Two Most Powerful Words In Language

I don't know about you, but for me, the technological... Read More

Impact of Positive and Negative Catalysts on Events in Human Lives

Have you ever noticed what can happen if you just... Read More

family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..