How do I practice kindness toward myself without being self-indulgent?

Question

MyRoshi · Accepted Answer

Self-indulgence numbs you; real kindness wakes you up. The extra scroll at midnight, the third cookie, the skipped walk: those quiet the ache without meeting it. Kindness is what a good friend would do, sometimes rest, sometimes "get up, you said you would." You can't tell which from a rule. You tell by what happens after. So the next time you reach for comfort, pause one breath and ask: will this leave me clearer, or just quieter? Then do the clearer thing.