Before you know it, you're accidentally doing acts of service for future you 🙈

Before I had a surgery, I packed myself a couple blankets in the car in case it was chilly when I got out. I was so hopeful future me would appreciate it. I actually put a bit of thought into it, and wanted to be considerate of a future me who wasn't 100%.

Future Me had a bad reaction to anesthesia and couldn't heat up even with meds, food, and extra blankets. I was desperately grateful for cozy home blankets for the ride home. I now would kill for past me, what an absolute champion.

I have found it easier in the months past to stop myself when I start criticizing my little mistakes and ask if it's fair. It usually is not. Especially to be so critical of someone who saved me from turning into an icicle. 🥳

Yes! This is how I've overcome so much resentment for my body and myself! I call it puppy care!

Like a puppy, Body You is completely dependent on Brain You, and unwaveringly loyal, doing the best it can to do anything Brain You asks it to do on any whim. And like a puppy, it can't control whether or not it's meeting your goals or ideals (especially when it's sick). It also isn't at fault that Brain stuffed it with a dozen donuts daily for a week, so it packed on some weight.

So you're responsible for alllll the kindness, grace, and love it needs. And nutrition. Don't forget the nutrition. Please diligently feed the puppy nutritious food, and occasionally take it for some fun exercise.

And in time, you can see Brain You suffers when Body You suffers, so it's easier to forgive your mistakes. Body is tired, Brain is tired, mistakes happen and/or goals get missed. It's ok. You're not a colossal failure. You're just tired. Everyone gets tired; it's natural.

And eventually! "Oh, yeah, of course I did that dumb thing as a teenager. It's easy to see how I got there, and how I can avoid that type of immature mistake/behavior in the future. Why am I even holding that against myself when I've clearly grown? And I'll keep growing, too."

And I related a lot to a blurb in Marie Kondo's first or second book. She said someone asked her if it bothers her when other people are messy and disorganized. She basically said, yeah, until she realized her problems with them came from within. Once she was at peace with herself and her own space, she was fine with whatever other people did with their own spaces.

I find that very true for myself. It's easy to be kind and patient with others when I'm at peace with myself. I wouldn't wanna go home to a hostile environment, so why do I insist on making my most private space hostile? Once you see how damaging for no benefit it is, you can't unsee it.

Yes! "Hispanic" means something is "of Spain," so before Spain brought their... influence.