Be Kind. To Yourself.

In a world that feels like a daily roller coaster of good, bad, and ugly occurrences my best advice is: Be kind. To yourself.

Just as many of you do, I often second, third, and even fourth guess myself. My mind spirals in a swirl of how stupid a comment, thought, or action was. Whether it’s my own action or something someone else has said or done, I can spend endless time giving my attention to a self-confidence-crushing swirl of thoughts.

To pull myself up by my bootstraps and stop the swirl I listen to podcasts, read books, talk with friends, watch videos on YouTube.

Here’s a quote that spoke to me recently:

“Nothing is stupid.

Everything helps everything.

If it could have happened differently it would have. 

What weakness is this outcome helping me strengthen?

Nothing is stupid.

Thank you.”
~ Matt Kahn

How might this look in everyday life?

You were late for a meeting. Apologize. Set better reminders on your calendar and move on.

You snapped at a colleague. Apologize. Take time to figure out what is really bugging you and move on.

You heard only criticism of your work all day. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself of something you do incredibly well. And move on.

As you navigate your day or week and your encounter difficulty and judgment from yourself and others, please be kind. To yourself. It will make you stronger and a better leader.

And if you feel the need, as I sometimes do, repeat out loud, the quote in this post, as you make your way back to your own zone of genius.