patience and kindness

One of the key tenets of mindfulness, but still very difficult for people to master is that ability to be kind and patient with themselves.
Having just returned from a silent retreat, a pretty distraction free zone, noting more clearly than ever the tendency of the mind to wander! Cultivating patience and kindness when we bring the mind back stops that element of struggle.
Bringing self compassion in can be difficult. The monk running the retreat set us a task.....write down 5 times when you did something good, or made a decision that benefitted others. Then sit and mull over these times, bringing all of the feelings back, reminding yourself of the positive consequences of your actions. This is a lovely way to spark that feeling of generosity toward oneself. 

Notice over the next few days how you speak to yourself. If you lose something or are late - do you chide yourself and get frustrated? what would it take to change that to an understanding tone, a supportive comment?
Speaking to ourselves as kindly as we would speak to a loved one is one of the main themes I teach. Try it, be your own best friend x