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Letting Kindness In

For anyone who is quick to help others but brushes off compliments, offers and thanks. Each day is one small practice in receiving: saying a simple thank you, accepting a hand, and letting care from other people land.

Self-Compassion · Self-Esteem · Self-Compassion · Relationships · one to-do a day · you choose how many days

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The first seven days

Day 1The next time someone compliments you today, say "Thank you" and stop there, without explaining it away.
Day 2Notice the first moment today when you want to brush off something kind, and take one slow breath before you answer.
Day 3When a coworker praises your work, resist pointing out what is still wrong with it. Let "Thanks, I worked hard on that" be the whole reply.
Day 4Write down one nice thing someone said to you today, word for word, before you go to bed.
Day 5Start a folder on your phone or computer called "Kind Words" and save one message that made you smile.
Day 6If someone says they like your outfit, skip "Oh, this old thing" and try "Thanks, I like it too."
Day 7Let a friend pay for your coffee today, if they offer, without promising to get the next one.

Further into the year

The to-dos keep changing as the year goes on. A few from later in this theme:

Day 30When praised in front of others, let the moment sit for a breath instead of rushing to change the subject.
Day 60When someone offers to split the bill, accept their share without arguing to cover more.
Day 120When someone offers to buy you a drink or a snack, accept and enjoy it without tracking whose turn it is.
Day 240Jot down the exact words of one compliment from today in your phone's notes app.
Day 365End today by thanking yourself for letting people care for you, even when it felt unfamiliar.

How a challenge works

A Theraglee challenge is a theme with one small to-do for every day of a year. You choose how long yours runs, anywhere from a week to the full year, and each day you get the next to-do: something that takes a few minutes and fits inside an ordinary day. Tick it off when it is done. Nothing is scored and nothing is lost if you miss a day; the next to-do is simply waiting when you come back.

Challenges come with a free Theraglee account, which never asks for a card. Your progress stays private to you.

Challenges like this one

Softening the Inner Critic For anyone who talks to themselves more harshly than they would ever talk to a friend. Comparing Yourself Less For anyone who measures their life against other people's highlights and comes up short. Feeling at Home in Your Body For anyone who feels at odds with their body or only notices it when something hurts. Handling Rejection Gently For anyone who takes a no hard, whether it comes from a job, a date, a friend or a group.

Reading that goes with it

When Your Worth Rides on Your Output A good day makes you an acceptable person and a slow one makes you worthless. Why tying your worth to what you produce never pays off, and what to… Spending Money on Yourself You can buy for everyone else and freeze at anything for you. Where that comes from, how to tell real constraint from a rule you absorbed, and how to… Going Somewhere Else in the Middle of an Argument Halfway through a disagreement you go flat and far away, and afterward cannot remember what either of you said.

Educational only — not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Find a licensed therapist if you want support.