10 Steps to Being a Best Friend to Yourself

1. Stay in contact

For your friendship to work you need to get to know yourself. Take time frequently to notice what you have being doing lately. What you'd like to be doing. How you've been feeling. Write it down so you can remember where you've been and plan where your going. 

2. Make joy happen

The best friends listen and watch you to discover what will make you feel joy and then they act on it. They are the friends who drop by with a Coke. They are the ones who ask you to go on a walk. They are the ones who send you an encouraging message. Notice what you need and give it to yourself. 

3. Make your birthday a big deal

You made it another year. Likely that year had some rough patches. Celebrate your resilience and endurance. You are the most special and important person in your world. Don't let your birthday go by without cake, presents, and dancing!

4. Compliment yourself

You know how you stand in front of the mirror and frown at your belly fat? How you scold yourself for not doing more fun things with your kids? Stop that! Friends don't nit pick. When you stand in front of the mirror, find something nice to say. If you can't, then don't say anything to yourself. Or say "I completely love and accept myself even though _______. 

5. Write yourself notes

There is not anything that is a better pick me up than someone cheering you on or saying something nice to you. Be that person. Write one of your compliments from step four and put it somewhere your likely to feel stressed. 

6. Feed yourself

I know your busy but it's important to find a moment to give yourself the nutrition you need. You wouldn't let a friend starve themself. If you knew a friend didn't ever get lunch you would take her lunch. Do the same for yourself. 

7. Know your goals and help yourself achieve them.

Let's say your goal is to lose weight. Would it be the right thing to do to bake 3 dozen cookies? No. You cannot lose weight by eating cookies. You can help yourself lose weight by determining how many calories you need to consume per day to do so and then sticking to the plan. Make your environment conducive to success. Don't sabotage yourself. 

8. Make yourself laugh

Watch silly Youtube videos. Surround yourself by comedic people. Watch funny movies. For your mental health's sake, don't let things get too serious. 

9. Take yourself on dates

When you get some time off work or away from your kids, take yourself somewhere you'd enjoy. A restaurant, a book store, Target, the makeup department, a concert. It's important to reward yourself with a good time or you'll get burned out. 

10. Smile

When you see yourself, smile! When your driving your car, smile! When you you want to cry, cry... but then smile! You are the only one who can make your life happy. And happiness starts with a smile.