Develop Your Love Muscle

Choose one or two of the tools below to add to your Emotional Fitness Routine. Just as in physical fitness, it's ok, best even, to start slow and build a routine with a focus on consistency in the long term. Also like physical fitness, getting in shape is a process and it's better on every level to be very very kind to yourself as you go along.

One key foundational tool is loving kindness and compassion for you! Just like developing a muscle physically, developing the muscle of loving kindness takes practice; patience and many deep mindful generous breaths. Be gentle with you, the shape you'll get into and the way you'll feel will be so worth it.

Tools for Loving Kindness & Compassion to Self

1. Schmear yourself in love and compassion. At first this might feel awkward, but the benefits are enormous. I mean really, you can’t give what you ain’t got.

2. Sit with the idea that putting your oxygen mask on first actually helps those around you.

3. Imagine every time you blink you’re giving little tiny applause of encouragement to yourself.

4. Notice, without finger pointing, your negative self talk and treat it like you would an over tired child - gently and with a lot of compassion.

5. Create a mindfulness practice. If you feel like you don’t have time, pair it with an activity you already do everyday - brushing teeth, using the bathroom, opening and closing the car door, stopping at a red light, before the phone rings. A little bit goes a surprisingly long way.