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It is said that the most important relationship you have is with yourself. Your thoughts and actions have a powerful impact on your inner emotional state. They also determine how you experience life itself.
While putting yourself first and taking care of your needs should be the priority, that isn’t always what happens in reality, Vice reports. It can be easy to forget your needs while attempting to fit in with family, friends, community, or even in a romantic relationship. This can lead to weak boundaries, frustration, and resentment. However, through simple steps and sticking to your values, you can learn to be your own best friend.
Ways to Boost Your Relationship With Yourself
While there are many ways to show yourself love, you can start off by prioritizing your health. By taking care of your mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and even financial well-being, you can feel safe, secure, and stable. Practice self-compassion and make sure your inner voice is a kind one as well. Talk to yourself as if you would speak to a friend and swap negative self-talk with empowering words.
Another positive step you can take is listening to your needs and desires. In life, you may meet people with different goals and needs — but that doesn’t make yours any less valid. By valuing your needs, you provide yourself with your own validation — instead of looking for external validation. Remembering this is the key to finding compatible partners, friends, careers, and lifestyles — because your values and desires matter. So stay true to yourself and have faith in discovering people and opportunities that are aligned.
Respecting your time is equally essential. So work toward a passion project that lights you up, rather than scrolling on social media, and make sure to rest instead of saying “yes” to every invite. Think about how you would want to spend your time if you had more of it, and create moments to do just that. You have the power to fill your own cup by choosing how you invest your time.
Make sure to also surround yourself with people who uplift you. Give your energy to those who bring you peace, support, and love, and don’t hold on to relationships out of guilt. Lastly, spend time alone, take yourself on dates, and enjoy your own company. According to TODAY, setting aside time for self-care involves all of the things that are necessary to help you meet your personal needs.
The Importance of Being a Good Friend to Yourself
Your connection to yourself is foundational. Its impact also has ripples that go beyond your own inner world. In fact, how you speak to yourself, how you listen to your emotions, and whether you meet your needs is the base of any other relationship you have in your life.
“If you’re not responding to your needs, it will also impact your health and overall well-being,” Dr. Kruti Patel, a licensed clinical psychologist, tells TODAY.
So make sure to check in with your thoughts and feelings, treat yourself with kindness, and carve out time for self-care. Through focusing on these steps and treating yourself with compassion and love, you can be your own best friend, while also improving relationships with others along the way.
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