Part of the teachings of Buddhist Psychology is Self-Kindness. Society has taught us over time that it is important to be kind to other people, but not necessarily to ourselves. Some of the main causes of anxiety come from the demand on ourselves. It can come from when we feel that we are not reaching the goals that we set ourselves or that society tells us we must reach. When we begin to apply self-kindness, this allows us to accept that we are human beings, that we all make mistakes and that we fail from time to time. That is when we must apply the basic principles of Mindfulness. We begin to become aware of our negative self-talk and identify our difficult feelings and thoughts to face or approach them with love and compassion for ourselves.
· When you identify that negative self-talk it is important to stop it and immediately change it to a positive, compassionate and kindness one. For example: “I am a loser, because I am not working” to “I am in my growth process, and I am giving my best effort to get a job that values me and generates what I need monetarily.”
· After replacing that internal dialogue with one of self-kindness, it is important to take actions that allow us to fulfill this positive internal dialogue. In this way, we can gradually reduce anxiety symptoms.
Remember to enjoy the present moment and appreciate the little things that you experience during the day. Many times, we focus more on what we do NOT have, rather than appreciating what we DO have. Every day we could learn and grow as people. Today is a good day to start applying everything you have learned over time and remember that I am here to help you. I send you many blessings and love.