Many times, when life felt tough, I wished people around me had been more understanding. When I was in pain, they said it was all in my head. When I was grieving, I was blamed instead of being comforted. Every morning, I was juggling a hundred things before work, and I wished my husband would step in more. A friend I trusted deeply, who knew my struggles, ended up betraying me. I kept thinking—why can’t people just be more considerate?

But then, I had to face an uncomfortable truth: while I expected kindness from others, I wasn’t giving the same to myself.

I know I have joint pain, but I skip stretching. My skin is dry, but I forget to moisturize. I’m dehydrated, but I don’t drink enough water. I’m anemic, but I don’t eat nourishing meals. I’m stressed, but I don’t make time to meditate. I’m tired, but I don’t allow myself to rest. I’m overwhelmed, but I keep pushing without slowing down. I take care of everyone else, but ignore my own needs.

Isn’t it strange? We ask others to treat us gently while we keep sidelining our own well-being.

Our body and mind are always speaking to us, through pain, fatigue, anxiety. We just need to listen. It doesn’t matter whether others are considerate or not, what matters most is that we start choosing to be considerate, to ourselves.

What’s one small act of self-consideration you can practice today?