"I was tired of listening to my harshest critic, the little voice in my head, so I became more KIND to myself." -Member of myIBSteam

You may judge yourself and others every day without realizing it. Like many members of myIBSteam have found, living with IBS is an exercise in frustrating moments. You may judge yourself when you look in the mirror, during a flare, or when stress makes your symptoms worse. The problem is when you let these internal judgments shape belief in yourself.

Here are recent conversations from members on myIBSteam:

"I'm glad I found this site and a big thank you to whoever made it. It's nice to share what I am going through with people who understand and hope we can help and support each other."

"I have been upbeat. I stay in a positive mood. I love going to work and having fun on the weekends. No matter how many times I have a problem I must stay strong in gladness. Be safe."

"Today has been a good day. Except that I’ve had a low backache since yesterday. I’ve taken a lot of ibuprofen and I’m afraid to take more because it might upset my IBS. so far, so good. I’m so glad to have found this support group."

Experts in mindfulness and self-care recommend pausing a moment when you find you're judging yourself. Be aware of those judgments. Ask yourself where this is coming from. Use the moment to be gentle and compassionate with yourself.

Do you recall a time when you were particularly critical of yourself? What are you doing to show yourself kindness in those moments? Share in the comments below or directly on myIBSteam.