day sixty-one - inside voice
I imagine that everyone has an inner voice. I’m not talking about, or making light of, schizophrenia (which is an area of mental health I’ve had no experience with). This is about that monologue of you talking to yourself from time to time.
When I talk to people, I always try to speak with respect and kindness, taking into account their feelings, and treating them with compassion. It’s an easy thing to do (and gets better with practice). I always really love it when people do the same with me.
The other day, it was pointed out to me that I often speak horribly to myself. It occasionally comes out in my writing, or if I’m heard berating and chastising myself (usually for something pretty insignificant).
They said they could never imagine me talking that way to someone else, so why would I do that to myself?
And it was true. Like many, I can be unrealistically hard on myself at times, and say some pretty lousy things to myself.
So I’m going to try to consciously be nicer to myself. That is absolutely not to say I’ll be using that niceness to manufacture excuses, or cut myself undue slack, but next time I do something that would ordinarily trigger me to berate myself harshly, I’ll try to be kinder. I know I can’t stop it entirely, especially when my depression isn’t good, but I’m sure that it’ll make a positive difference when I can.
I imagine that I’m not alone with this. We all have the potential to talk down to ourselves. To be the kind of mean that we wouldn’t accept if it were happening to a friend in front of you. Sometimes we need to be our own advocates. It may be time to tell that inside voice to go easy and play nice.
Kilt of the Day - Black Canvas and Black Watch utility kilt
Soundtrack of the day - Joey Dosik - Inside Voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jllqzVubR2I
Link of the day to someone who seems to have the positive talk thing down pat - Jessica - Daily Affirmation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
(oh… and whilst it’s probably not note-worthy or even remotely interesting, but we just planted a lemon tree and named it Bob.)
