How often in our daily lives do we find ourselves beating our selves up for what we perceive as transgressions, mistakes, for procrastinating, for not crossing everything off on our to-do lists? How often do we feel like we have failed not just ourselves but everyone around us? What would happen if instead of cruel self-flagellation we gave ourselves credit for the things we have accomplished, for the kind words we have spoken to ourselves and others, for the good deeds we have done?

We usually are our own worst critics and often say things to ourselves that we never would say to friends or loved ones. What would happen if we started to speak kindly and with love toward ourselves? It is possible that you have spent years beating yourself up, even hating yourself for not being “perfect.” What would happen if you started loving yourselves instead? Self-hatred offers no chance for you to grow and become the person you always were meant to be, but self-love can help you blossom.

Practicing self-love can be difficult and seem awkward at first, but I promise the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I frequently suggest to my clients that they practice by writing on a mirror a positive self-affirmation and repeating it aloud when getting ready in the morning and when cleaning up before bed. It may seem silly at first, but the more you practice saying kind things about yourself aloud, the more you will come to believe that you are good and kind and worthy of love and belonging simply for being human.

None of us is perfect, but few of us is as bad as we sometimes think we are. Start giving yourself credit for your accomplishments and celebrate them. Beating yourself up rarely motivates us into changing but loving yourself can work wonders. It is by loving ourselves that we can come to accept our flaws and realize that we are perfectly imperfect beings capable of becoming the people we always wanted to be. What can you do today to show yourself some love? How can you begin to practice self-love and move toward becoming the person you want to be?