Providing online therapy to Manhattan and the state of New York
Are you your own best friend, or are you your worst enemy?
The most important relationship in your life is between you and yourself. Some people feel good about themselves and are confident in their abilities. They also naturally give themselves the benefit of the doubt when things go wrong, instead of harshly assessing themselves. They don’t accept unacceptable treatment from others. This isn’t to say that they are narcissists, ignoring everyone else’s needs and not acknowledging their mistakes. They are simply good to themselves, treating themselves like a good friend would, with a fair self-assessment, encouragement, and love.
Other people, however, can struggle with this, and it can hold them back in many ways throughout their lives. Negative beliefs about oneself can restrain someone from going after what they want in life. They may accept unfair treatment from others. They may not even consider what they want, as they are so busy worrying about not being good enough or worthy. Their focus is on other people’s needs and assessments. Thinking negative thoughts about yourself all the time is like having a mean bully following you all day long and making negative comments about everything you do or think about. This pattern robs you of joy.
Therapy can help you improve the relationship between you and yourself. The first step is to become aware of your thoughts and begin to replace them with a more accurate and fair assessment. You may start to recognize if you are being treated unfairly and will begin to use assertive techniques to become your own advocate. Learning to tune in to your needs and wants, and then prioritizing those things will help you learn how to be a better friend to yourself, and help you find joy and happiness with yourself.
You are worth it!
