BE KIND TO YOURSELF

We speak to ourselves in ways we’d never speak to a friend. Missed a deadline? “I’m useless.” Struggled to get out of bed? “I’m lazy.” These voices don’t build you—they break you. Self-compassion isn’t indulgence. It’s treating yourself with the same patience you’d give someone you love. Progress is never built on punishment; it’s built on encouragement. Think of an athlete—would they improve if their coach insulted them every day? Or if the coach guided them firmly but kindly? The inner critic may never vanish, but you can choose not to make it the loudest voice. Next time you falter, pause. Ask: “If this were my best friend, what would I say?” Then say it to yourself.