On July 31, I decide to do something nice for myself every day of August, in honor of my birthday month. Yes, I am one of those people.
But I say why not get into the practice of being kind to yourself?
Some of these kindnesses cost money. Some of my favorites were free. One of those favorites was a Sunday afternoon nap in the hammock. Another was a morning spent writing in the quiet of a library. Dinner with a friend and time spent dabbling with watercolors at the kitchen table top the list so far too. Adam and I went adventuring yesterday to browse an art museum and book shop. That was a real treat.
The above image is a barn that I always admire and got to photograph one day this month. That felt good.
We have a responsibility to be kind to ourselves. The world is comprised of distraction and problems, of people who take and others who lecture. It's an exhausting world. If we can't escape all that or remove the negative people from our lives, we must fortify ourselves. We must replenish our own selves so that we may face another day of the so- called real world.
I have thought about how this little 31 day experiment might be extended to become a permanent habit. There have been days that I forgot to be intentional about this service to self project. Yet, when I looked back over my day, I could point to something or even multiple things and say "I did that for me."
Even on those days when I can't intentionally do something special, I can at least think back over the day at the small things that brought me joy. It could be breakfast on the porch or sitting down to read in the evenings - things I would do anyway that are good for my mental health.
It isn't selfish to care for yourself. I have been happier and more productive this month and I'm sure it has been because I'm consciously showing myself a little kindness.
Whatever stage of life you're in and no matter how much money you have, there's likely something you can do for your own wellness and mental health every single day. Trust me when I say that it gets easier and that it's worth the small effort to be kind to yourself.
Try it and let me know how it goes.
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