Healthy relationships start with a healthy relationship with yourself. It’s time to build a positive self-treatment. Becoming the best version of yourself starts from within.

Others’ treatment towards you is a reflection of how you treat them. But it’s the way you treat yourself that will influence how you treat those around you.

Was there a time when you felt frustrated by the coldness in your conversations with your partner? How about the constant feeling of invalidation from somebody you look up to? Or, maybe you feel like you don’t belong or are unworthy.

When you’re in these situations, you end up wondering what you did wrong or said. Persistent feelings of self-doubt and hate creep into your mind and slowly break your spirit. Until such time, you end up having multiple episodes of self-pity and eventually mistreating others.

Problems with yourself and others can leave you devastated and pull you down to your worst self. But Michael Pellegrino begs to differ. He believes that crisis actually means opportunity—an opportunity to grow and become more resilient in challenging times. It’s interesting, indeed! Who would’ve thought that crisis can actually equate to opportunity? Find out more in his book, “CRISIS = Opportunity FINDING GROWTH and RESILIENCE in CHALLENGING TIMES.” Grab a copy on your preferred order site to give you a keepsake of valuable tools for changing your life.

Real stories from real people are charted in the book. But you write your own life’s story, don’t you?

In this article, you will learn the connection between self-treatment and relationships. As you read more, you will discover positive self-talk exercises and how to think positively when depressed or facing any crises.

Connection Between Self-Treatment and Relationships

To begin with, self-treatment is that inner dialogue we have with ourselves. It’s how we manage our mental, emotional, and physical needs.

Are you familiar with The Mirror Effect in psychology? You’ve faced the mirror many times, right? This theoretical concept suggests that how we treat ourselves, and others will most likely reflect on the way people around us treat us. In the same way that we smile at ourselves in the mirror, our reflection smiles back at us. Imagine that reflection of ours as the people around us.

Think of a situation where you always doubt your capabilities. You find everything you create a piece of trash, but to others, it’s a masterpiece. It seems like there’s no way for you to appreciate your own craft.

If that’s how you treat yourself, imagine you’re a teacher. No matter how much effort your students make to improve, you never seem satisfied. Because of this, you’ve created an unhealthy relationship with your students. Mediocrity is certainly not worth emulating, but progress is a gradual process.

Appreciating others starts with celebrating your own small wins. 

Strategies for Practicing Positive Self-Treatment

If you’re good to yourself, then you treat others nicely, and they will treat you the same. Likewise, negative self-treatment can harm your relationship with others. Therefore, it’s time you learn how to build positive self-treatment.

Exercise Self-Compassion

Time to stop punishing yourself for your mishaps. Acknowledge your lapses, forgive yourself, and give yourself another chance to be better. Be kind to yourself by setting boundaries, and make it a habit to practice positive self-talk by saying:

I am beautiful

I am loved

I am important

I am cherished

My work is beautifully created because I made it myself

Building Self-Esteem

Believe that you can do wonderful things. Trust your skills and capabilities. Join recreational activities and do things you’re interested in. Practice daily affirmations and celebrate small wins.

Learning how to finally roast a chicken is worth celebrating. One win equals endless possibilities.

Set Boundaries

A great example of practicing positive self-treatment is accepting that you have limitations. You’re on the right track in placing confidence in yourself, but to be truly kind to yourself, accept the fact that you can’t do it all. Practice self-respect and self-care. Set limits to your daily activities and responsibilities.

There’s a reason why we’re created uniquely.

Benefits of Positive Self-Treatment on Relationships

How long can you stay kind to others when you’re unkind to yourself? Rewrite your narrative by giving yourself a positive treatment, no matter how simple, day after day. Do this consistently, and you will see the difference in your relationships.

1. Improved Emotional Availability

Being compassionate to others starts from taking care of your own emotional needs. Practicing positive self-treatment makes you more empathetic in relationships.

2. Improved Communication

Have you met someone who practices positive self-talk? If you notice, they communicate more clearly and assertively. When you’re kind to yourself, you establish a sense of positive self-awareness. This is key to making healthy conversations in relationships.

3. Improved Conflict Resolution

Because you’re able to communicate more effectively and are more empathetic, you become better at handling conflicts. You learn to become less defensive and look at the situation more maturely.

The greatest form of love is self-love. That self-love is key to becoming a better version of yourself. When you start to accept your flaws and forgive yourself, you learn to forgive others.

Building a positive relationship with yourself creates a positive relationship with others as well. But sometimes, no matter how we save our dwindling relationships, some relationships inevitably break.

If fading or broken relationships are overwhelming, let Michael Pellegrino’s book guide you through your challenging times. Get a copy to learn helpful coping strategies from real stories.