Mindfulness Helps Us Be Kinder

First, mindfulness makes you kinder to yourself.

Being mindful heightens awareness of your attitude toward yourself. If your thoughts reflect acceptance and amusement about yourself, your Inner Observer is probably a loving, kind, and encouraging friend. Metaphorically speaking, one whom you can count on to have your back and hug your front. On the other hand, if your thoughts about yourself are chastising and disparaging, your Inner Observer may well be a critical and judgmental hindrance to your happiness. Without a friendly attitude toward ourselves, it’s easy to feel lost and alone, less-than and undeserving, plus unlovable. Burdened by such distressing— and usually untrue—feelings, hope is difficult to come by.

The uplifting news is that awareness of inner thoughts, and the feelings they elicit, leads to the ability to change unwanted dialogue to gentler, more supportive self-talk. All of us want and need friends, and the most important friendship we’ll ever have is with ourselves.

Excerpted from How to Stay Upbeat in a Beat Down World by Sue Patton Thoele. Available on Amazon.