We’ve always known that we catch more bees with honey than with vinegar, that if we don’t have anything nice to say, we shouldn’t say it at all. Throughout our lives we are taught to be kind and respect others. Practicing kindness is incredibly important; we become happier and healthier people when we are warm to others.

But what about ourselves? Why do we, in all of our efforts to show people we care, often forget to treat ourselves well; to practice self-respect and self-love?

Part of it comes from the fact that we have to live with ourselves more than anyone else. You wake up with your body, mind and heart and you go to bed at night with only your thoughts. This causes us to often take ourselves for granted. We nit-pick, and have trouble valuing our own thoughts and opinions. That’s not to say that the majority of the time we don’t feel like rock stars, but it’s important to find a balance.

Here are a few tips on how to take care of the YOU in you:

1. Reduce Mirror Time

How many times have you stayed a little bit too long in front of the mirror meticulously examining your pores, your hairline, your stomach or your thighs? It’s natural but it can also be dangerous territory. It’s hard for us to see what others see, especially when it comes to physical appearance. Whenever I’m feeling body conscious I remind myself that I am my worst critic. This starts with the mirror. Sometimes I’ll make an effort to keep my mirror time to teeth brushing and face washing. Too much self examination can lead to insecurities about things that may not even exist. We don’t need to look at ourselves to know we are beautiful. Why not track your mirror time and decide if it’s necessary to sit in front of your own face examining every imperfection. Need a distraction? Try using a facemask once a week as opposed to your daily face wash. Apply it and sit for 15 minutes and read a good book or do a few sun salutations. Finding active, brain-nurturing ways to do your beauty regimen can be fun and rewarding! Get creative!

2. Trust Yourself

This is one of the hardest things to practice every day. I like to use mantras and quotes to remind myself that I hold the reigns of my own life. One of my favorites is No One Can Take Away Your Happiness, remember that you have the power to be happy or sad. You control your own emotions. You can choose to wake up in the morning and trust your ideas and opinions or you can choose to doubt yourself. You can let other people bring you down or you can remind yourself that ultimately your life is your own. Self-trust and self-love go hand in hand. Try it!

3. Treat yo’self

Respecting yourself is also about treating yourself. Why not try that fancy yoga class you’ve been saving up for or hop into your favorite ice cream shop or restaurant for a solo date? Its important to find moments to take care of your soul and part of that is celebrating and doing things for your own happiness and satisfaction. When you treat yourself you are actively taking time to respect and celebrate yourself.

There are moments when you simply don’t feel like respecting yourself. But If you can find one tool to get you back into a place of self-trust and respect I promise you’ll feel more balanced and proactive. Self-respect is something we should all practice, share and encourage in others.