Does even the thought of giving yourself a compliment make you blush? Nurses are all about showing compassion to others, but how about when it comes to showing yourself the love? If you can see the good in others, you can train yourself to claim the good in yourself. Doing so also provides protection against depression and anxiety, according to psychologists at Harvard. 
 
So, give yourself a 30-day challenge to note an admirable thing about yourself each morning. It doesn’t need to take more than a minute or two to jot down a self-compliment on a sticky note and put it up on a bulletin board or closet door or bathroom mirror. That way you’ll amass a bunch of compliments as the month progresses.
 
Be specific and appreciative, so no “I’m a nice person” or “good legs — except for the varicose veins.”  If you get stuck, come up with some categories such as physical, mental, athletic, social, spiritual, etc.  Here are some examples:
 

1.      I’m a terrific home cook
2.      I’m amazing at my job
3.      I ran my first 5K
4.      I’m a knitting fool
5.      My new haircut looks stylish
6.      I brought in fruit kabobs for the gang
7.      I’m reading a novel a month with my book club
8.      I still have friends from kindergarten
9.      My temper doesn’t flair like it once did
10.    I’m getting a new certification 

 
Whenever you find yourself becoming self-critical, think of these compliments as a counter argument, Maybe you’ll even find that you focus on your positives more often, and hardly ever of your negatives. That’s a giant step toward self-acceptance.
 
Jebra Turner is a freelance writer in Portland, Oregon. You can visit her online at www.jebra.com.
Jebra Turner
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