What Can I Do to Improve My Relationship With Myself?

Building a better relationship with yourself starts with self-compassion. Treat yourself with the kindness you show others. Consider these techniques that can help.

Accept the Whole You

Accepting the whole you means taking the good with the bad. Identifying strengths can be difficult but a necessary part of building a relationship with yourself. Confronting your weaknesses can be challenging as well, but once you do, you can look for ways to improve. Always remember that no one is perfect, but the good and the bad are what make you unique. 

Practice a little self-compassion but have patience. Learning to accept yourself can be overwhelming if you have experienced traumatic events or toxic relationships in the past.

Finding Ways to Understand Yourself

In any relationship, the first step is understanding. Your relationship with yourself is no exception. Taking stock of your needs, fears, what you want, and your boundaries can help you find answers. For example:

• Reflect on your needs. Ask yourself what happens when they are not met. 
• Understand your greatest fears and begin to explore the impact they have on your life decisions. 
• Identify your boundaries in all your relationships from professional life to home life. 
• Think about what you want from life and how you might get it 

Understanding these aspects of yourself will help you make life decisions more effectively.

Using Self-Compassion to Care for Your Inner Child

We all carry wounds from childhood into our adult life. Our "inner child" often impacts the decisions we make as adults. 

Use self-compassion to begin to manage your inner child's anger and sadness. Speak to your inner child kindly and heal any wounds that remain. Re-parent your inner child with patience and kindness. 

Practicing these forms of self-compassion will help you build a better relationship with yourself.