To  be good at tai chi, you need to learn to be kind to yourself. Many people understand about being kind to others being a good thing, but then neglect themselves.... Think about back at school - did you learn best from the teachers who humiliated you or those who were kind to you? Well, it's the same with tai chi, if you have kind teachers and learn to be kind to yourself, your tai chi will improve.

Start by making opportunities to  say something kind to someone else every day, then up this to two or three times a day. Gradually it will become your modus operandi: you will always be looking for something kind to say to someone else. When you have got to this stage, you will then be far better able to be kind to yourself and to accept kindness from others.

With kindness becoming a major part of your approach to life, you will then be able to relax more. This relaxation will enable you to take in more, without worrying about your inner critic nagging at you. It's hard for your inner critic to come up with something negative to hold you back, when you are relaxed due to kindness. Be kind to  your inner critic too - understand that it's your subconscious expressing its fears, but they don't have to be your fears. You are a kind person, kind to others, kind to yourself, there is no need for fear or anxiety where kindness rules.

Kindness leads to relaxation and relaxation leads to progress. Practise being kind - it will pay off in your tai chi, as well as making your life a happier one for you in every situation. Be kind!