Do you treat yourself the way you’d treat your BFF?

Of course we all want to believe that we show ourselves as much kindness as we show our BFFs, however we may not actually have the best relationship. Treating yourself with kindness can be as simple as buying yourself the occasional bouquet of flowers to running a hot bath after a long day, but it can also extend to allowing yourself the time and the space to process difficult feelings. Mary and Sienna talk about the various ways in which they could be more supportive of themselves.

“Know thyself before you wreck thyself”

Why is it so important to “know thyself”? This ancient aphorism goes all the way back to Socrates, and for good reason. According to Z. Hereford, knowing and understanding yourself “leads to better decision making, setting and reaching appropriate goals and ultimately living more a productive life.” All of these results can be applied toward developing strong, supportive friendships.

How to be your own BFF

As previously mentioned, creating a healthy relationship with yourself can have a domino effect on the rest of the relationships in your life. So, how can you be a best friend to yourself? Spending time getting to know yourself is an easy way to get started on the path toward self-discovery. Start by making a list of likes and dislikes, and then move on to your strengths and weaknesses. Alternatively, taking up a hobby like knitting or tai chi can help you develop an even deeper self awareness.

Consider your relationships with other people

By and large, your attitude towards others is a direct reflection of your own sense of self, so it goes to reason that the positive relationships in your life can help influence your relationship with yourself! The same can be said about those pesky negative relationships, so it’s important to recognize the difference between the two.

Setting and achieving goals

When it comes to strengthening the relationship with yourself, you may notice that there are some areas that could use a little more work than others. Ask yourself whether or not your goal is specific or measurable in some way, and remember that the more achievable your goals are, the more likely you are to be successful. In order to keep track of all of the progress you’ve made, it’s important to keep a journal or a diary of some sort. This is a handy way to reflect on your successes in the past and keep you motivated in the future!

Switch it up; go solo!

Get out of the house and go to a coffee shop, go see a movie, or just go for a walk around the park, but whatever you do, make sure you’re doing it for yourself. Remember: you want to treat yourself the way you would treat your BFF! Doing these little things that shake up your daily routine are a wonderful way to get to know yourself better, and you might find a new hobby, too!

Resources

• Know Yourself by Z. Hereford via Essential Life Skills.
• How To Be Your Own Best Friend via WikiHow.
• How To Be Your Own Best Friend by Mildred Newman, Bernard Berkowitz, and Jean Owen.
• How To Become Your Own Best Friend by Aletheia Luna via Loner Wolf.
• 5 Ways to Get to Know Yourself Better by Margaret Tartakovsky, M.S. via PsychCentral.

Do you have a story about friendship? Good, bad, or ugly — we wanna hear it! Click here to learn more about submitting your story and you might just hear it in a future episode or featured on the blog!

Hosted by Mary Akemon and Sienna Mooney
Produced by Alex Papworth
Music by Max Wallace
Episode illustration by Maddy Vian