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Welcome to the latest episode of Unlocking Your Greatness with Wendy Bjork. As an international bestselling author, inspirational speaker and founder of heartsofwellness.com, her mission is to empower women to take charge of their health holistically so they can feel confident, have clarity and be inspired to find joy and simplicity.

Why is it Unhealthy to Be Hard on Yourself?

Being hard on yourself is not only a common practice, but also a destructive one. It can sabotage your health, relationships, and career. People are often hard on themselves because they have high standards or an inner drive to achieve perfection. While this can be a positive thing, it is important to have balance.

You will not be successful if you are constantly beating yourself up over every little mistake and misstep. Being too hard on yourself can cause you to see everything in a negative light and miss the good parts of life. This can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

It is important to recognize when you are being too hard on yourself so that you can work on it. This is characterized by hearing only your negative comments, judging every step of your journey and only seeing the negative aspects of yourself or a situation. You can tell if you are being too hard on yourself when you are saying things to yourself that you wouldn’t ever say to your best friend.

Whether it is criticizing the way you look, your work ethic, or your relationship, it can be very unhealthy to be so critical of yourself. Trying to overcome this behavior is not easy, and it takes time to learn how to treat yourself with compassion.

Three Ways Your Self-Kindness Counts:

Taking the time to write down your positive traits and reminding yourself of these things can be a helpful practice. Using mantras that you can meditate on or repeat daily can be effective in replacing negative self-talk. It is important to have a support system in place if you are struggling with being too hard on yourself. It even may help to talk with a counselor or mentor. They can teach you how to recognize unhealthy thought patterns and shift them into a more constructive direction.

Another reason to be less hard on yourself is that it can actually harm your self-esteem and confidence. Many times, a person will be extra hard on themselves because they have low self-esteem or grew up in an environment that focused more on criticism than praise.

It is important to remember that nobody is perfect, and it is okay to make mistakes. Being able to forgive yourself for past actions and move forward is essential. It is also helpful to adopt a growth mindset and believe that your skills can be improved with practice.

Anecdotal evidence and research shows that people who are more forgiving of themselves tend to be more resilient in the face of failure and have a better outlook on life. This can be difficult for some people to do, especially if they have been hard on themselves their entire lives.

To support you on this path, download your copy of the 30-Day Journal + Blueprint Bundle Towards Living Your Best Life at heartsofwellness.com/you. It will support you by taking small steps daily towards a better view of yourself with improved self talk, writing your weekly goals and celebrating your weekly wins. Discovering and living by your personalized playbook are important steps we can create together!

If you feel a self-paced approach with Wendy’s support would be helpful in reaching your goals, you can head over to the Hearts of Wellness Membership Collective and begin your journey back to simplicity, freedom and wholeness!

As a pioneer in advocacy and mentorship, Wendy is leading a global revolution of women walking in purpose and peace as she illumines their path ahead with the light of HOPE: Harmony, Options, Peace & Empowerment.

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