I loved this, Crystal! I often think of how to be kinder to myself in terms of what I can invest. I’ve been through lean times and am trying to un-learn thrift. For me, this often involves, “Yes, just f*cking buy the fancy coffee” or “For God’s sake, you need more protein and you’re not likely to change your lifestyle drastically anytime soon to cook more high-protein foods, so just go ahead and buy the almond-protein powder; your job is to nurture yourself without judging how it’s happening.” But there’s a lot to be said for the cost-free acts of self-care also, and those are a lot easier to overlook when your life revolves around financial stress. I appreciate these reminders. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Also, the idea that self-kindness is more important and more conducive to emotional stability and happiness than self-esteem is — I never heard this before, but I can totally see that being the case!