I like to think i'm a kind person. That i treat people well and am careful of other's feelings. But sometimes I can be really mean to myself.
We're probably all a little bit guilty of it when we're tired or low and we catch ourselves thinking unkind thoughts about what an idiot we are or how we should have done x or y better. I'm having a negative day, they happen every so often and they're relentless for that whole day. I cry for no reason, i shoot everything positive down and things spiral and spiral in my head until they've blown out of all proportion.
My friend Sarah has taught me a method to try and nip the self-hating on these days in the bud. She suggests that the bit of you that is acting out and feeling negative is very much your base reaction, like a child you're responding out of fear or upset and it's irrational in the way it's expressed. Your inner child is taking over the running of your body and brain for a short while.
If a child was playing up in front of you, looked vulnerable and scared you would find it difficult to be cross towards it, to tell it it's being an idiot, it should do x or y. You would comfort and soothe it and show it love.
In the same way when our inner child feels like it needs some attention we shouldn't be so quick to berate ourselves. We should treat ourselves like we would treat the child, be forgiving of it's behaviour because it knows no better.
So today i'm wearing bright coloured clothes, playing with stickers, drinking orange squash and munching on crisps. It's what my inner child wants.