“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.”

Brené Brown

The most important relationship you’ll have in your life is the one you have with yourself. Think of all the relationships you encounter in your lifetime. Whether it be the one with a partner, your friends, your siblings, your co-workers, or society as a whole, each one is affected by one common denominator: You.

The way we think, engage, listen, love, and react is all derived from the relationship we have developed and cultivated within ourselves. Similar to how the connection and relationship we have with other people takes time and investment, so does the one we have with ourselves. This is especially true for the people we care about the most. We seek to care for them, protect them, and nurture them. It’s common to put ourselves last and not extend the same love and compassion we do for others to ourselves.

The benefit of building a relationship with yourself is an undervalued and underutilized skill. Here are 5 tips to help you build a better relationship with yourself because let’s face it, it is the longest relationship you’ll ever have.

Tip #1: Trust yourself.

This means trusting yourself and your intuition. You have the answers inside yourself. Acknowledging this will get you closer to your purpose and help you live in alignment with your values.

Tip #2: Love Yourself.

This means knowing your flaws, knowing who you are (your core values, your strengths), and believing that your capabilities are limitless.

Tip #3: Challenge yourself.

With any great relationship, you need someone who is going to challenge you to grow so you can be the best version of yourself. If you stay in your comfort zone, you won’t develop character, strength, patience, humility, or confidence.

Tip #4: Treat Yourself the Way You Deserve to be Treated.

You set the bar of how others treat you based on how you treat yourself. Do you value yourself and all the things that make you unique? You teach people how to treat you based on the way you treat yourself so be kind to yourself.

Tip #5: See Yourself Through the Lens of Another.

Being in a relationship with yourself is a lifelong journey. Our lives are filled with ups and downs. We all make mistakes. We are human. If you can’t see that you are lovable or even likable, try to view yourself through someone else’s eyes. Experiment with bringing to mind someone who loves you, who always has your back. Embody them. Whether you know it or not, you are truly valued by someone in this lifetime.

Want to get closer to building and cultivating the relationship you have with yourself? Life coaching might be exactly what you need. Book a free consultation here.

~ Coach Cait