When you were a child you probably had a best friend whom you looked forward to meeting each day at school. You also probably treated – and still treat – your friends with kindness and respect. Friendships are made to be cherished and a person is very fortunate to have at least one best friend.
Becoming your own best friend is sometimes more difficult than befriending others. You know your shortcomings and faults and you might not be as likely to forgive yourself as you are others.
In reality, you should befriend yourself first and foremost and cherish that friendship more than all the others combined. Being your own best friend can boost your self-image and make you more inspiring to others. You’ll be more likely to hold yourself accountable for mistakes you make and expect more of yourself in everything you do.
Here are 5 things to think about when learning to become your own best friend:
Enjoy being alone sometimes – Just as you love to hang out with your best friend, so should you learn to like being in your own company from time to time. By cultivating this treasured friendship, you stop needing others to be your companions – accompanying you to dinner, a movie or a vacation.
Like yourself – True self-love means that your inner thoughts are going to be supportive and encouraging. It’s easy to stop liking yourself when you make mistakes or bad decisions you knew were wrong in the first place. When you like yourself, you’ll be happier, and others will enjoy being around you.
Express love for yourself – That doesn’t mean you should go around saying what a great person you are, but it does mean that you should put your love into action by eating foods that are good for you, getting plenty of exercise and learning to accept praise graciously.
Become a good partner – When you practice self-sufficiency, you’re putting yourself in a position where you’re not dependent on someone else to fulfill your needs. Whether it’s finances, managing tasks or emotional support, learn how to take responsibility for yourself.
Live your ideal life – When you become more in touch with your true feelings and emotions, you can imagine more clearly what your ideal life would look like. Would you be thinner, start a new business or a better parent or spouse? After you know what your ideal life looks like, you can begin the steps to bring it to reality.
When you become your own best friend, it’s an opportunity to boost your self-image and create and live the life you’ve always wanted. And, when you’re a best friend to yourself, others will be attracted to you because of the positive attitude and happiness they see and feel.
