When you say something negative about yourself, like "AH! I'm such an idiot!" or "What's wrong with me?" your baby baby of hearts hears and you believe that negative thing.
If you can let go of negative self-talk completely - inside and out - then you will be able to honor other people and treat them with that same care and respect. Like rings of a tree, or ripples on a pond - everything spreads out from your center.
When you notice your own negative self-talk :
- Recognize it
- Take a breath and let it go
- Say something to yourself like, 'It's ok, it's ok - you're doing your best.' or 'I love you.'
- Forgive yourself and thank yourself for choosing to love yourself better
P.S. When you hear *anyone* speaking negatively about themselves - no matter if it is a stranger or whomever say something sternly like, "Hey, no negative self-talk - not even in jest."
It has been surprising to me how this sticks with people. I have said this to relative strangers and they have thanked me for it months later.