Practicing Self-Compassion to Become a Self-Storage Rock Star

In one of her songs, rock goddess Pink sings “Change the voices in your head and make them like you instead.” Most of us would agree our biggest critics are ourselves. Narcissists aside, we’re chasing the best version of ourselves yet are often unsatisfied with our efforts and outcome. There are a number of reasons for this—and some might be valid. There will be times when we didn’t put forth our best effort, gave up or were otherwise overwhelmed. In these instances, a stern inner monologue can be valuable. Personal and professional growth is vital, of course, but it shouldn’t come from a place of self-loathing and toxic self-talk.

Some would say self-criticism is ingrained in us from an early age, and it’s often reinforced in the workplace. You might’ve had a self-storage supervisor or even a coworker who was overly judgmental, dismissive or even downright mean to you. Some business owners still think this is the best way to motivate their employees. Can you imagine? In reality, it only fuels the problem and supports what the employee already thinks about themself. Talk about failure to motivate.

While the words that others say to us can have a giant impact on how well we do our jobs, the way we speak to ourselves is even more significant. According to an article in Forbes, studies show that self-compassion reduces job stress while fueling our performance and achievements. We have more motivation and increased resilience, too. This mindset can also enhance our leadership skills, which could mean more career opportunities.

At its core, self-compassion a simple concept. When you tell yourself you’re a super self-storage manager who runs an outstanding facility, you can believe in that. You’ll be more likely to congratulate yourself on your successes and be willing to learn from your failures. They become the exceptions rather than the norm.

All this love talk sounds great, right? Of course, it’s not simple to make the switch to optimistic self-talk. Whenever I’m headed down the rabbit hole of self-critique, I always ask myself, “Would you say this to someone else?” Think about it. Would you use these specific words and tone when speaking with another person? More often than not, the answer would likely be no. Then why would we think it’s perfectly fine to say it to ourselves? Just being aware of word choice and tone will set you on your way to replacing them with a more positive slant. Furthermore, it teaches you to eliminate this adverse vocab from your inner monologue. You’ll find a new self-compassion that’ll manifest itself at work.

The pandemic has ushered in a new age for many of us and a renewed view of our lives—one that focuses on work-life balance and how we feel about where we are and where we want to be. People are leaving their jobs, chasing their passions and determining what they truly desire from life. I guarantee no one is thinking, “I should really scold myself more often.”

Yes, self-criticism is necessary sometimes and can even be beneficial. But it can also be dangerous and detrimental both personally and professionally. Self-compassion has been a punchline for far too long. It doesn’t make you weak or selfish. It means simply that you’re taking care of you in your actions and the words tumbling through your mind. When you do this, you’ll reap the benefits across every area of your life, including at work. February is our designated month for “love.” This Valentine’s Day, be kind to yourself.