As I stepped out of the car for my swim this morning, my goggles slipped from my hand and hit the ground. When I picked them up, I realized my cap was missing too.
First instinct: problem-solve. Backup plan. What now? Then I opened the car door… and there it was on the floor. “Good job, Meri,” I said to myself. And I meant it.
Lately, I’ve noticed I do this more and more—offering myself small, steady encouragement.
“Nice workout, Meri.”
“Good job with dinner, Meri!”
“You’ve had a long day, Meri.”
Years ago, I read that using your own name in self-talk helps it land more deeply. I started practicing it intentionally. Now it just shows up—quiet, automatic, kind.
And here’s what surprises me: as my inner voice has softened, so has my response to others. When someone is late. When something gets dropped. When a plan falls through. It’s easier to offer grace.
Recently, a friend accidentally snapped the blooming stem off my orchid. Instead of that flash of irritation, I heard myself say, “No worries—we’ll put it in water. It’ll be beautiful in a vase.”
Because here’s the truth: shame doesn’t improve behavior. It never has. Not for us, not for anyone else. But kindness? Kindness creates space—for learning, for repair, for trying again.
When I came home from a recent adventure, I felt completely depleted—so much so that I wondered if I was slipping into something heavier. But the kinder voice knew better. “You’re just tired, Meri.” And I was.
Sometimes, what we need most isn’t more discipline or pushing through. It’s a voice—our own voice—that meets us with understanding… and gently points us back to what we actually need.
Because the way we speak to ourselves doesn’t stop with us. It ripples outward—shaping how we respond, how we repair, how we care for others.
What encouragement might you offer yourself today?
With kindness and resilience,
Meri and the Dovetail team