How? By being genuinely kind with the most important—and most often overlooked—person in your life. You!

We all know that when we are kind to someone else, we feel better about ourselves. Experts tell us that people who practice kind actions toward others regularly tend to feel more positive, confident, and energetic. Cutting-edge studies also show that kindness can lower our blood pressure, reduce our stress, and strengthen our natural immune systems.

Try using kindness to get these significant health benefits--and double the effect by being kind to yourself, too.

Here’s how!

1. Stop shortchanging yourself. Give at least as much to yourself as you give to others. Set aside time (and energy!) to do the things you love to do. Give yourself the kind of love, respect, and appreciation you give those dear to you.
   
   
2. Have the courage to say "no" when you need to. Give yourself permission to set limits with others--including your loved ones--before you reach burnout. If you need some help learning how to say no without upsetting others, request a copy of Margot Silk Forrest’s famous list of "42 Ways to Say No" by clicking here.
   
   
3. When you need help, ask for it. Let your family and friends give you the support and practical assistance you need. Tell them exactly what they can do to help. Maybe you need someone to simply fix you a meal, go for a walk, give you a ride to pick up your car at the garage, or baby-sit. You can also ask others to just listen to you, offer you encouragement, or tell you three things they appreciate about you. Asking for what you need is not only being kind to yourself, it gives others the opportunity to be kind, too.
   
   
4. Remember that self-kindness is not selfishness. The door to everything we want to do in the world and for the world is the self. What else have we got to work with? When you are kind to yourself, you will have a lot more energy to be kind to others.