Being gentle with yourself is key to being gentle with the ones you love and the world around you. I know that it is not right for me to use unkind words or become frustrated with my husband. And yet, if I make a mistake, I immediately jump into negative thoughts about myself without even realizing it. I may do something “that is so stupid” or “thoughtless” and wonder why “I can’t get it right!”. As a matter of fact, my self-talk often includes comments I would never say to another person, so why is it okay to say them to me?

I need to learn to look at myself with kindness and understanding and know that I will bring my best self to everything I do. Life as a CarePartner can be difficult and I am only human. No matter how hard I try, there will always be things that don’t work quite the way I hope they will and it is okay. Failure is a vital component of success and I need to allow myself to experience it without recrimination and keep on trying.