Giving up being your own worst enemy

Taking part in lent is still popular here in Ireland whether or not you are religious. The idea of Lent is that you commit to fasting or giving up luxuries as a penance for 40 days starting the Ash Wednesday (today) the day after pancake Tuesday (mmm pancakes). I never really partake in Lent for a number of reasons, I'm not very religious, I have very little willpower and I have NO interest in giving up sweets ever. However, today in work while people discussed what they might try and probably fail to give up, I got to thinking. I don't give up sweets because they make me happy but perhaps I could give up something that makes me unhappy. So for the next 40 days I am going to actively try less to be my own worst enemy. I have lots of pressures in my job but that's nothing compared to the pressure I can put myself under. Does anyone else do this to themselves on a daily basis: stress yourself out about how you look, how much work your doing, how good your work is, what others think about you and on and on and on.  The world and the internet in particular has plenty of cruel people ready to be mean to others; I wouldn't be that kind of person to others so why would I be like that to myself? Now I know I don't normally write this kind of personal feeling stuff on my blog because I use it as a relaxing distraction but I wanted to encourage other people to give this a try too. So here are a list of guidelines I'm going to try and follow, if you decide to give them a try let me know how you get on. And I'm going to write them in color, just 'cause it's fun and happy and stuffs!

How to be nicer to yourself

1. Stop saying mean things about yourself. Would you say to your friend you hair looks shit, or you work was bad today? Then don't say it to or about yourself.

2. Be your own cheerleader. Replace the negative words with positive ones. Write nice notes to yourself, put one on your mirror, one in your wallet, wherever you will see them alot.

3. Treat yourself. Buy yourself little presents like your favorite sweets, magazine, lunch or flowers. 

4. Organize down time. After work and dinner/cleaning allocate some me time before sleep. Spend it having a bath, watching your favorite programs or pampering yourself.

5. Do a little exercise. It's good for your health and your stress levels, try a brisk walk or a youtube workout.

6. Laugh more. Fill your free time with laugh out loud films, books or comedy nights.

I'm no expert so these are not cure-alls or magic rules, there just some guidelines I'll be following for the next 40 days to help me be nicer to myself. Also if you follow me on thriftylilpixie I'll be sharing be nice to yourself tips and good deeds to do as I do them. 

Life can be hard don't make it harder by being hard on yourself

xox