I Chose Not to Be Cruel to Myself Today

Dear Delyara, That was the victory. Not confidence. Not joy. Not loving everything about myself. Just choosing, repeatedly, not to be cruel. When I was tired, I didn’t call myself lazy. When I was quiet, I didn’t call myself boring. When I made a mistake, I didn’t turn it into a character flaw. When I needed rest, I didn’t ask whether I had earned it. It is amazing how revolutionary basic kindness can feel when your normal language toward yourself has been harsher than anyone else’s.