A very dear friend of mine is fond of saying, “a change is as good as a rest.” She does little things to be kind to herself like changing her shoes after a long day at work, putting on a pair of slippers or walking shoes and then starting the next activity with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
Imagine my surprise when I decided to give this piece of home-grown wisdom a try. She was right! I began to change my shoes or clothing– particularly after very intense or stressful activities–and became energized and renewed too!
Doing things differently for a change is as good as a rest. So here are 10 ways you can be kind to yourself, make small changes and rest in the process:
- Celebrate your accomplishments and any small successes you achieve this week. Buy a birthday cake, light the candles and have a solo party, even if it’s not your birthday.
- Don’t overly dwell on your “failure moments”. We all have them. They make us grow stronger. Learn from them to increase your opportunities for success in the future.
- Send yourself some flowers, a card, or buy a small inexpensive gift. Don’t forget to wrap the gift. When you unwrap it, express your delight and pleasure vocally as you savor the moment.
- Each week, plan a special meal. Set the table with your fine linens, good china, stemware and utensils (instead of paper plates, cups, napkins and plastic forks).
- Take a real vacation–you know, the old fashion kind where cell phones, emails, wireless connections, etc. are banned!
- Pop some popcorn, relax in your favorite chair with your feet up, and watch your favorite TV show or DVD.
- Take a long relaxing walk. Reflect on the scenery and environment around you. Notice the little things like a blade of grass or the shape of a leaf.
- Carve out at least 10-15 minutes each day to spend on yourself–any way you choose. Put it on your calendar to ensure that it gets done.
- Make yourself a cup of herbal or green tea and sit quietly thinking about the fun things you would like to do. Put these ideas on paper and take action.
- Bring a CD player to work and softly play classical music in the background while you work on reports, presentations or read the volumes of paperwork you receive each day.
For more tips on how to be kind to yourself, visit our career tools archives.
