Does ((( this ))) sound familiar? Many of us have a tendency to be hard on ourselves. we learn from a young age how to be self critical. harsh. pushing. punishing. forcing. harder. faster. better and all that. and more often than not, we crumble under the pressure. beneath the haze of “action” we disconnect from ourselves. Can we re-educate ourselves to become more tender? more considerate of ourselves? i don´t just mean the physical approach to a yoga practice for example, but rather in every way. in the manner in which we talk to ourselves. and even before that, the way we LISTEN to ourselves. can we reconnect and pay attention? are you paying attention? I spoke with someone today about my theory that all of this force and expectation is an ailment of the society we live in, to encourage that pressure-cooker mentality, but really, surely, it´s just another way of keeping us detached and distant from our primary needs and in constant scrupulous comparison and competition with each other. this learning of “self care” has been a revolution that i feel has changed my life – it took a long time to get here but i´m glad after 34 years i´m getting there. Sure old patterns can flare up and it´s not always easy to treat ourselves with the upmost respect and tenderness…i totally get that. But perhaps it´s time now to consider it. You deserve to feel good. And to treat yourself with the upmost respect and kindness. If that feels tough to swallow, or you´re rolling your eyes at the mere thought of being tender, then I challenge you to a generous slab of self care, in whatever form take care of you. X