A small act of kindness can go a long way. A smile can brighten someones whole day. A thank you can make someone feel appreciated. And giving yourself some positive self-talk can completely change the way you feel about something. Kindness matters, especially being kind to yourself.

When the topic of being kind is discussed, it’s usually about a kindness someone else has done, or something you might have done for someone else. All types of kindness are important. Every single act of kindness (no matter who is doing it) helps spread more kindness. But in the process of being kind to others, are you also being kind to yourself?

You can be kind to yourself in many ways. In this post, I have listed 5 ways to show more kindness to yourself.

1. Positive Self-Talk is one of the biggest ways you can be kind to yourself. It can be easy to fall into the pattern of negative self-talk. In fact, you probably do it all the time, but may not even be aware of it. I challenge you to see if you can catch how you talk to yourself.

Are you being your own cheerleader? Are you giving yourself positive feedback? Are you being encouraging and compassionate? Are you forgiving yourself for past mistakes? I bet you say these kind of encouraging words to your friends and family all the time, so why not say them to yourself as well?

2. Do Something Nice For Yourself is a really great way to put yourself in a good mood. Maybe you deserve a nice massage? Or perhaps a new hair cut? What about a new outfit that makes you feel fabulous? Or maybe just an extra long soaking bath?

When you take the time to do something nice for yourself, you are showing kindness and love to a very special person––yourself. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?!