“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

Good morning! How easy it is to love another, and how hard it can be to love ourselves. We are often our own worst critics, holding ourselves to standards that no one else would ever consider doing. A few years ago, I learned an exercise from a therapist. It involved treating my failures, weaknesses, and shortcomings as I would those of my daughter. What a revelation that was! I would never say the things to my child that I often say to myself when I make a mistake. While I nurture and respect her, I often treated myself much differently.

Instead of criticizing your shortcomings and holding yourself to unrealistic standards, ask yourself how you would treat a friend who made a similar mistake, or had a similar shortcoming. Offer yourself the same kindness, for: “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”

I, just as much as anybody else in the universe, deserve love and affection.