The Starting Point

One thing I have learnt from my Calm App is that a lot of relationships can have a positive impact on you if you only let them. However, the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself and it is that relationship that, I believe, governs every other relationship.

If you are not a fan of yourself you find it baffling when others congratulate you or praise you for being yourself. If you don’t think you have reached the limits of what you could have done, you belittle the praise and think of those who praise you as somehow deluded! I definitely come into this category. It’s about upbringing for those of us who are children of the 70s or 80s where you get so used to criticism at school or at home and so unused to praise that you almost always assume that the latter is flannel! Well, I do anyway. I am more than happy to praise other people and consider it vital, so why don’t I apply it to myself? The phrases I was bought up with were, ‘Self praise is no recommendation’ and ‘Stop blowing your own trumpet’ so you can see where the problem started.

So for the moment I will try to see if I can get a better relationship with myself, even if it’s a bit late. I do really appreciate the positive relationships I do have, but to do so fully my starting point has to be me.