Charity: springboard to progress?

I was chatting with a friend this evening and the subject turned to charity.
We talked about how charity is love in action, it fosters a desire to understand others, to avoid being easily offended, to not be overly disappointed when someone doesn't meet out expectations, to basically cut someone some slack and see their attributes rather than what is immediately apparent.
We talked about how it is a skill acquired over time.
We talked about how it is sometimes easier to go easier on others than ourselves, that we can expect a lot and be our own harshest critics and learning to give ourselves a little breathing space is a priority.

On the way home I asked myself "if I am being kind to myself, what's in it for me?"

An original to me thought popped into this ol' noggin.

If I know I am going to cut myself some slack, I am free try new things without fear of a personal berating session.
What's in it for me is the freedom to embrace a dash of uncertainty.

There will be one fewer critic in the stands because I shall try to be graceful when things go right and also when they don't.
To be on the field with mud and sweat on your face is an opportunity not to be missed.
Learning to become your own coach, your own cheerleader, your own binkie rather than your own worst enemy and critic is worthy of the time and investment to make it work.
I would not give it up for all the tea in the APAC region!