I came across a very good reminder. There was a post which popped up in my feed recently that showed the “12 Steps to Self Care” and I could not help but pick up some thoughts about it. These one-liners are simple and very practical things which make perfect sense.

1. If it feels wrong, don’t do it.
2. Say exactly what you mean.
3. Don’t be a people pleaser.
4. Trust your instincts.
5. Never speak bad about yourself.
6. Never give up on your dreams.
7. Don’t be afraid to say no.
8. Don’t be afraid to say yes.
9. Be kind to yourself.
10. Let go of what you can’t control.
11. Stay away from drama and negativity.
12. Love.

I mentioned simple, because they truly are. But surely, not as easy. That is why for me, seeing that post served as a good reminder. Because like most people, I have already seen or heard of those before. Cliche, as they call it. I know them and I am fully aware of their positive impact, if and when applied. And that is where the catch is. IF and WHEN applied. Because though simple and practical, at times, I never get to apply them in real life. That is why it helps to be reminded sometimes.

We can get caught up with life and everything that happens around us. We set high expectations and get frustrated when things, situations, even people do not meet those expectations. And how we can get too hard on ourselves sometimes, trying to change all that, when we know that we can’t.

A friend once shared one of the greatest lessons she learned from her father. And again, I found great value in it. It’s called the HALE Principle which means High Acceptance, Low Expectations. The more accepting we are, the lesser we tend to expect of others. And that absolutely makes sense if our goal is to live a less stressful life, which I believe, is something we all wish for.

If there is one person we can expect much from, that would be the person in the mirror. Because that is where our control starts and ends. We are in control of us. And in understanding that, we also come to another understanding that everything has to start with us.

And that is why the impact that this simple reminder has on me is something worth writing about. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup. We need to fill ourselves up to overflow. So here is another note to self: Love yourself, forgive yourself, be generous and kind to yourself, for the simple reason that you cannot give what you do not have.