Accepting personal flaws instead of demeaning yourself

The Christmas break is just around the corner and Svea is curious about how Mattias will spend his time off between the years. Other than meeting the family for a couple of days, he doesn't have any concrete plans for his vacation. He explains that his daily life is always so planned out that whenever he gets the chance, he likes to not plan at all and simply let the days unfold. As an introvert, he gets energy from spending time alone and actually doing nothing.

Self-reflection

However, even though he emphasizes that you cannot plan or force the process, he is quite sure that he will spend some time reflecting on the year and himself during his break. It typically takes him about a week until he can let go of work and slow down enough to be able to truly reflect and connect with himself. In a way, the process of getting into that mindset is like becoming sober, he explains.

Giving yourself credit

Svea already wants to do some reflection with Mattias and asks him if there's anything connected to his personal growth that he is proud of when he looks back at the last year. He shares that at the beginning of 2021 he actually wanted to start being more kind to himself. Explaining that he is still on that journey and probably always will be, he talks about how he has definitely become a lot better when it comes to taking care of himself in a way that is more than just eating well and working out.

He became less self-critic and is putting less pressure on himself. It's easier for him to accept his flaws and instead of demeaning himself, he is spending more time being grateful for what he has and what he is capable of. He clarifies that there are so many things in life we cannot control and, therefore, should focus on the good things that we are already surrounded by.

Be kind to yourself and others

Also, remember: you never know what the person in front of you might go through right now. Every one of us has a package to carry and we should be kind to ourselves and to each other to make this world a better place.

When being asked about what he learned about himself this year, he explains that the most important insights were all connected to being kind to himself and being grateful for all the work he is accomplishing.

💡 EPISODE TAKE AWAY
Remember to be kind to yourself and be grateful for all the good things in your life.

What is your take on self-reflection?