5 Practical Ways To Help You Develop Better Relationship With Your Ownself

The famous French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre once said, “If you are lonely when you are alone, you’re in bad company”.

Your relationship with yourself is arguably the most important relationship in life.Having a good relationship with yourself gives you important insights into your life and improves your relationship with others. Self-relationship, as it is popularly termed, is the foundation of everything else in your life.
So what do we mean by self-relationship? A clinical psychologist and author of the popular book The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens, says, “It means simply considering yourself, every day. That consideration includes self-care, self-respect, goodwill and self-love.”

Regardless of whether or not you’re used to extending love and kindness your way, you can build and bolster that healthy bond. These are 5 ideas on cultivating a good relationship with yourself.

* Take care of your needs

It is best to start with the basics. Taking care of your basic physical needs is of utmost importance. This includes getting enough sleep and rest, eating nutrients and exercising. These are not only the things that keep you functioning properly, they also determine good psychological health. You feel good when you take care of yourself and it helps you consider the needs of others as well.

* Focus on your inner world

This simply means acknowledging and tending to the things going on inside you. It is important to stop and ask yourself, “What am I feeling? What am I thinking? What is bothering me?” Actively engaging with yourself in these conversations on a regular basis help you in becoming more self-aware. It also gives you more control over your emotions.

* Take time to do things that give you joy

It is okay to take some time off just for yourself. In fact, taking just 10 minutes a day with your cup of tea/ coffee all by yourself, away from conversation with others and in conversation with yourself can help you refresh yourself. Likewise, it is important to prioritize the activities which make you happy and dedicate time to that; it is called taking some ‘me’ time. Whether you like reading, painting, watching movies, taking long baths or going for a long walk, make time to do these things for yourself without any guilt or stress.

* Be kind to yourself

In the social setting we live in, there is no dearth of people who would criticize you for anything or everything you do. However, it is important to remember that the negative comments you hear about yourself or about something that you do or say is nothing but the other person’s point of view and you should acknowledge it as just that. You need to actively keep negativity away from your head because you will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head.Be kind to yourself. Give yourself some love.

But remember, it is also equally important to be candid with yourself and take responsibility for things.

* Be your own best friend

The only relationship which you are guaranteed to have every day of your life is the one which you have with yourself. Love yourself and learn to treat yourself the way you would treat your best friend, with kindness and encouraging words. Stand by your own side, especially in times of failure. Constantly coax yourself to be better than yesterday.

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” - Buddha