Be a Little Kinder to Yourself

In a letter my grandpa wrote to each of my aunt's and my mom, he said this about me:

"I wish Whitney could be more tolerant of herself."

He wrote that in 1997. I was 9 years old.

I sometimes wonder if that's how my Heavenly Father feels about me. 

He sees me all the time. He sees me sitting at home, worrying about something I said or did earlier in the day. He sees the tears falling down my cheeks when I feel I haven't done enough. He knows I spend hours upon hours beating myself up and getting down on myself for the littlest things. 

In Kindergarten, we got a "coupon" every day for a good job. You lost your coupon if your behavior warranted it. I still remember losing my coupon one day. I can't remember for what, but I can tell you at 26 years old that it bothered me that much. I remember getting a "C" on a math test in 8th grade and crying for three days. I remember almost every mistake I've ever made, every person I've ever made sad. 

I hope we all try a little harder not to get so down on ourselves. I know that as women in today's world it becomes increasingly difficult. I pray every night to my Heavenly Father to show me just a glimpse of His love for me. He never fails to show me His mercy and His love through the whisperings of the Spirit. 

Be kind to yourself. You're doing the best you can.