10 Ways to Be Kind to Yourself on World Kindness Day
When is the last time you focused on doing something nice for yourself?
As we get older and have years of memories stored up, sometimes we focus too much on what went wrong instead of what went right. One day a year, the calendar reminds us to be kind not only to others but also to ourselves. November 13 is World Kindness Day, and it offers a chance to revitalize your spirit through simple acts of kindness.
Be Kind to Yourself!
Our culture today seems to value working hard over enjoying each day and it can push us to feel like we are always trying to catch up instead of focusing on what our body and mind truly need for balance and sustained happiness.
Today, let’s take some time for you. We have come up with ideas that will give you inspiration for today on how to be kind to yourself. Today isn’t the only day you’re allowed to be kind to yourself. In fact, living a wellness lifestyle is all about that. Some times we don’t realize that we have permission to live that way. It’s never too late to learn to love yourself even if you never had any role models in your life that taught you how to do so.
Try These Simple Acts of Kindness
Kindness creates more peace inside of us and when we are peaceful, our energy starts to help those around us too. It’s true.
Think about the last time you were in a great mood and your smiles helped boost someone else. Don’t think about being kind to yourself as being selfish either, it’s important to care for your well being so that you can give more of those good vibes and energy to others.
1. Flowers Just for You
Instead of waiting for someone to buy you flowers so you feel special, let yourself know you are worth it and get yourself a bouquet of nature’s oldest gesture of goodwill. We all get them for people we love, and this is a great way to improve your relationship with yourself. You can even have them delivered with a special note to yourself you can read over the next week as they sit on your desk.
2. Treat Yourself to The Movies
Pick out a movie that tickles your fancy and get yourself a big bag of popcorn so you can just enjoy the moment. Enjoy an evening on your own without any of the social requirements of seeing a film with another person.
Don’t want to go to the theatre? Create a glorious blanket fort for yourself to lay in as you watch one of your nostalgic faves on your couch and layout your favourite snacks.
Sometimes having fun like you did when you were a kid is the perfect way to show yourself some kindness. This is also a healthy way to relax and check out for a little while that is not going to hurt your piggy bank.
3. Make a Collage of Awesomeness
You may feel silly even thinking about doing this but challenge that feeling and override it. Making a collage of your great qualities and accomplishments can really remind you of things you are good at and bring them out in a more pronounced way in your life. If you’ve been struggling with a strong inner critic, this is the perfect exercise for you. Notice if you feel like rushing it or hiding it and face those feelings down by telling yourself it’s important and healthy to be kind to yourself.
Start with positive words that you would use to describe yourself and build-out. It can be fun to discover ourselves through different mediums!
Related Article: A Mindfulness Practice For Self-Love
4. Take a Luxurious Bubble Bath
We are talking candles, bath bombs, essential oil-infused salts, rose petals, sitar music, or whatever you want! A luxurious bubble bath is just the perfect way to spend an hour or so unwinding and giving yourself a chance to just be and feel the stress melt away.
5. Get Yourself New Vitamins & Supplements
When was the last time you took an inventory of your nutrients and energy levels? Maybe there is a great herbal supplement that could help reduce your inflammation or a soothing herbal blend to help around that time of the month. Vitamins and supplements help you regulate your energy and bring your best self to whatever you do so let yourself be spoiled by getting what you need. Nothing says I love you like magnesium.
6. Give Yourself a Fun New Experience
Sometimes just checking in with yourself to see what feels like fun or piques your curiosity is a great way to show kindness. Whether it’s a fun class, exploring a new shop, zip-lining, buying a pet fish, or perhaps something that you’ve always wanted to do, it’s important to have fun. We have a lot of things to be serious about such as bills, careers, and health but we also need to just be goofy and find a sense of adventure sometimes too.
7. Read an Inspiring Book
Curling up in your favorite big sweater, warm socks, and sweatpants with a book that inspires your soul can be an amazing way to connect to yourself and feel a deep sense of who you really are so that you can love yourself fully.
Sometimes we get caught up thinking we are defined by our external world when really, it’s our spirit that wants to come through and helps us see the world and our place in it. This is a great way to feed not just your mind but your soul which is just waiting to help you discover more ways you can think kindly and act kindly towards yourself.
8. Get a Massage
Book yourself a spa service whether it’s a massage, a facial, a seaweed wrap, or a saltwater float tank. There are so many great ways to spend your money that can help you have really relaxed energy for the whole week. Doing this kind of gesture for yourself is a productive use of funds and time too because lower stress means more creativity and a stronger immune system.
9. Celebrate Your Accomplishments
Celebrate what you’ve accomplished this year! Look at you go!
Plan something special to mark your accomplishments and make sure it’s meaningful. You work hard and sometimes we all forget to make it a point to reflect and celebrate when we do to reach a goal. Push the humble pie to the side for once and at least go out to dinner to celebrate!
10. Have a Delicious Meal
Even though this act of kindness is last on our list, we may have saved the best for last. Food is the ancient form of medicine that stimulates our senses and gives us nourishment. Try a recipe that really calls to you or treat yourself to your favorite restaurant as a simple act of kindness to yourself. A healthy meal that is rich in flavor and made with love will help you feel worthy of all the love in the world.
Being kinder to yourself can also have an effect on your overall success in life! For more on that thought, visit our friends at Mind Movies to get 18 Self-Care Tips for Success.
Our recommendation: Feed Your Body Friday: Grilled Vegetable Wraps with Spicy Tahini Sauce
Closing
Any of these things could be an inspiration for the day, but they could also turn into habits. The more you make wellness living a priority, the more you will enjoy each day. Come back to this list for motivation daily and use the many resources on Daily Life for all the self-love remedies your life needs. There’s a funny thing about kindness. When we make it a regular practice, we begin finding more of it in our lives.
The Universe mirrors back to us the energy we generate. When we are cultivating loving intentions daily for ourselves, the Universe sends us those kind vibrations in the outer world. The esoteric idiom says, “as within, so without.” The world of quantum physics calls this quantum entanglement.
Our culture certainly idealizes Marvel’s Avengers team of superheroes, Endgame was the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide. Well, this may be the closest real-life thing to that. The World Kindness Movement first began in 1997 by global kindness centered NGOs that came together to make it their mission to bring this day to the world. Members of the movement include 27 countries that want to inspire greater kindness in the world. Their goals are pretty heroic including, “the expectation to implement the global strategies developed to bring about a positive change whereby all nations of the world can be united under a Coalition of the Good-willing.” Wow!
Related Article: 20 Things You Can Be Grateful For Right Now
