As yourself

In the health lessons I've been doing with my grade 7&8 classes lately, we've been talking about how kindness to ourselves is a protective factor in good mental health. But as we grow out of childhood, being able to like ourselves is a weirdly hard task.

One of the assignments that has thrown my students for a loop is "A letter to a little you," where they imagine they get to sit next to the 4-year-old version of themselves, put an arm around their shoulder, and write that little kid a letter from a place of tenderness and kindness.

It's a hard ask ... but why? Somewhere between childhood and puberty it becomes easier to mock ourselves, or criticize ourselves, or ignore ourselves. But this isn't ideal. When God wants us to love people very very well, he asks us to love them as we love ourselves... the assumption being, of course, that we treat ourselves with kindness and care and integrity.

But I see kids in grade 7&8, and even younger, struggle to like themselves. They struggle to be kind to themselves, or protect themselves from harm.

I was shopping with this lamb last week and we walked by the clothes section. 

He scooted in to peek at himself in the mirror, and I heard him whisper appreciatively, "ooh yeah, I'm adorable."

It stopped my heart. He's been calling himself ugly and stupid and worthless lately, and yet here he was, taking a moment to observe himself and celebrate.

I snapped a picture because I wanted to remember how dear and sweet this was. It's so hard to look in the mirror and say something nice about me. It's so hard to be caring and kind to myself. But if a tempestuous and self-doubting 9-year-old can pause to give himself a compliment, can't I? Can't we?

This little bit of sweet self-kindness, my friends, is what I wish for you during this last week of Christmas.

During your comings and goings, when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a shop window or mirror, grin at that beautiful person and give yourself a compliment with joy. 

You're adorable.

Merry Christmas friends.

Xo