Sometimes, we spend so much energy tending to the gardens of everyone else's lives that we completely forget to water our own. We become experts at offering comfort, patience, and kindness to our friends, family, and even strangers, yet we often leave ourselves out of that circle of care. Sharon Salzberg's beautiful words remind us that the love we so freely give to the rest of the universe is not a finite resource that we must hoard; rather, it is something we are fundamentally entitled to give to ourselves. You are a person, too, and you deserve the same tenderness you offer to the world.

In our busy, everyday lives, this self-love often gets buried under a mountain of to-do lists and self-criticism. We might find ourselves being incredibly gentle when a coworker makes a mistake, yet we are incredibly harsh when we trip over our own words during a presentation. We treat our mistakes like unforgivable sins while treating others' mistakes like mere bumps in the road. It is easy to become our own most difficult critic, forgetting that the person living inside our skin is doing their absolute best with the tools they have.

I remember a time when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed with all the stories I was trying to write. I was staying up late, drinking too much tea, and scolding myself every time I hit a writer's block. I felt like I was failing everyone because I wasn't being productive enough. It wasn't until I sat down and realized that I wouldn't dream of speaking to a dear friend the way I was speaking to myself that things began to change. I had to learn to treat my own heart with the same warmth I would give to a tiny, shivering duckling in the rain.

Learning to extend affection to yourself is a practice, not a destination. It starts with small, quiet moments of recognition. It is the decision to breathe deeply when things go wrong instead of spirating into guilt. It is the permission to rest without feeling like you have failed your responsibilities. As you move through your day, I want to gently nudge you to check in with yourself. Ask your heart, what does it need right now? Whether it is a moment of silence, a warm cup of tea, or simply a kind thought, please remember that you are worth that effort.