Loving Myself through Action

Loving Myself through Action

Perfectionism doesn't believe in practice shots. It doesn't believe in improvement. Perfectionism has never heard that anything worth doing is worth doing badly-and that if we allow ourselves to do something badly we might in time become quite good at it. Perfectionism measures our beginner's work against the finished work of masters. Perfectionism thrives on comparison and competition. It doesn't know how to say, "Good try," or "Job well done." The critic does not believe in creative glee-or any glee at all, for that matter. No, perfectionism is a serious matter. -Julia Cameron, Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance

I am my own best friend

Today I will not hold myself to back-breaking standards. I will be generous with self-praise, self-support, and self-affirmation. Giving to others and withholding from myself doesn't work. I tend to treat other people the way that I treat myself. If I am stingy with me, I will, somewhere along the line, act that out with other people. If I am hard on myself, I will tend to be hard on others. I am the only person who is with me all hours of the day, and I know what feels good and warm to me. I know what makes me feel sustained from within. Today, I will encourage, support, and congratulate myself. Each time I do something that pleases me I'll say "thank you" to myself. Each time I do something well, I'll tell myself "good job." I will be my own best cheerleader.