If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by negative emotions, you know how hard it can be difficult to keep your cool. We all have times when we feel like giving up on ourselves. But self compassion isn’t just about being nice to others; it’s also about being nice to yourself. In this article, I’ll teach you how to practice self compassion so you can start feeling better today.
Consider having compassion for others and giving them grace. Consider how that might feel for you. It’s critical to extend the same grace and compassion to yourself. Understanding self compassion exercises will help you understand what makes you tick. And as you begin to understand yourself better, you will be empowered to take better care of yourself.
Ultimately, practicing self compassion teaches you to be gentle with yourself. You become aware of your thoughts and feelings and accept yourself as you are; you learn to be patient and tolerate yourself. You learn to let things happen as they come and to try to understand what’s going on inside of us; you practice being mindful of your thoughts and feelings. You learn to be open and accepting of yourself, in addition to being patient with yourself.
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What Does Self Compassion Mean?
You recognize the value of self-compassion, but what does it involve? The ability to accept yourself exactly as you are, with kindness and understanding is defined as self compassion. Self-acceptance, self-love, and self-care are other terms for it. Self compassion differs from self-pity in that it involves accepting yourself even when things aren’t perfect.
Self compassion is more than simply feeling sorry for oneself. It is also about taking care of yourself when you require support. You may be sad or angry, but instead of permitting those emotions to consume you, you take measures to calm down and deal with them.
Why Is Self Compassion Important
There are many reasons why establishing self compassion is crucial.
- For starters, it improves the way you feel about yourself. If you believe you are not good enough, you will not put forth the effort necessary to improve your life.
- Second, it enhances your resilience. People who practice self compassion recover from setbacks more quickly than those who do not.
- Third, it assists in the development of stronger relationships. According to research, individuals who practice self compassion are less likely to gossip, spread rumors, and engage in other negative behaviors.
- Finally, self compassion is linked to positive outcomes such as lower stress, life satisfaction, and happiness.
When you practice self-compassion, you learn to be aware of your thoughts and feelings, accept yourself as an imperfect human, be tolerant of others, forgive others, be kind to others and love others. However, none of this would be possible unless you give yourself the gift of self-compassion first.
Related: Recover From Burnout and Find Joy Again
Myths of Self Compassion
Self Compassion is an important part of being kind to yourself. It helps you cope with difficult situations and encourages you to take care of yourself when you’re feeling down. But there are many misconceptions about self compassion that keep people from practicing it. Here are a few:
You Can’t Be Kind to Yourself.
You often hear that self compassion is impossible because you can only be kind to others. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are several ways to practice self kindness, even if you aren’t able to show kindness to anyone else right now.
Self Compassion Is a Weakness.
Self compassion isn’t a weakness; it’s a strength. You’re not weak if you feel compassion toward yourself. Instead, you’re showing empathy and understanding towards yourself.
Self Compassion Makes You Feel Bad About Yourself.
If you’ve ever felt bad about yourself because you didn’t meet some arbitrary standard of perfection, then you’ve experienced what psychologists call “self-criticism.” This type of thinking is common among people who struggle with low self-esteem. It’s also common among those who suffer from eating disorders, anxiety, and other psychological disorders.
Self Compassion Means Giving Yourself an Easy Pass.
Being self-compassionate means being kind to yourself when you make mistakes, fail at something, or feel sad or anxious. It’s not about feeling sorry for yourself or indulging in negative thoughts. Instead, it’s about recognizing that everyone makes mistakes and fails sometimes.
The 5 Components of Self-Compassion
Self compassion can be developed in five ways.
- Mindfulness – Being mindful of what is going on in our minds and bodies at any given time.
- Acceptance – Not harshly judging yourself for how you feel.
- Kindness – Be kind to yourself by not criticizing yourself.
- Common Humanity – Recognizing that everyone faces struggles and challenges.
- Changing your perspective – Seeing yourself through the eyes of others.
How to Practice Self-Compassion
When you practice self compassion, you learn to be gentle with yourself. You’ll become aware of your thoughts and feelings without judging them. By beginning to accept yourself as you are, you let go of the desire to have complete control over your surroundings. Also, you will gain patience and understanding for yourself. Here are some simple ways to begin practicing self compassion today.
Start by taking care of yourself.
If you have trouble practicing self-compassion, start by taking proper care of yourself. Maybe it’s time to take a break from work or even get away. As a result, you will be able to recharge your body and have more energy to face the challenges that are coming your way.
Give yourself grace.
You often think you need to be flawless before you can love yourself. However, self compassion means accepting that you are not infallible. As long as you expect perfection from yourself, you will never be able to accept who you really are as a person.
Related: 3 Practical Ways to Overcome Insecurities
Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes.
You may feel bad about something you did wrong, but that should not prevent you from moving forward. If you make a mistake, learn from it and keep moving forward. Keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes. Everyone is flawed. Nobody is perfect.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Comparing yourself to others can make you feel bad when you aren’t as good as them. Instead, focus on what you do well. You’re unique and no one else has exactly the same skills and talents as you.
Take time to reflect on your Life.
It’s easy to become self-critical when things aren’t going as planned. However, taking time to reflect on your life can help you see where you need improvement, while also acknowledging how far you have come. This can lead to more effective problem-solving and better decision-making.
Setting boundaries.
Setting boundaries can be difficult, especially when you and the other person have an imbalance of power. However, establishing clear guidelines for how you interact with others will help keep things in balance.
If you’re having trouble setting boundaries, try these suggestions:
- Be open and honest. Don’t lie about what you expect from others.
- Be straightforward. Say exactly what you want.
- Remain consistent. Make sure that everybody understands your position.
- Be unbiased. Allow everyone an equal opportunity to meet their needs.
- Be adaptable. If necessary, change your mind.
Related: How to Set and Maintain Healthy Boundaries Ebook
Give yourself permission to feel sad or angry.
It’s okay to feel sad or angry sometimes. In fact, feeling these emotions is an essential part of being human. Practice self compassion by acknowledging your feelings without judging yourself.
Let go of perfectionism.
The most common type of perfectionism is self-critical perfectionism. This type of perfectionism involves being overly critical of oneself and one’s actions. You may believe that you must perform flawlessly because otherwise, you will fail.
The first step toward overcoming perfectionism is recognizing when you are caught up in it. Everyone has moments when they feel the need to do everything perfectly. However, if you allow yourself to become stuck in this mindset, you will never accomplish anything worthwhile.
Express gratitude.
Taking the time to be grateful for what you have is an important step toward being kind to yourself. Keep a journal and write down three things you are grateful for every day.
Be mindful.
Being mindful entails paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It also entails accepting things as they are rather than wishing for them to be different. In other words, mindfulness enables you to accept your current situation while remaining optimistic about the future.
Take time to reflect on what went right.
Taking time to reflect on what has gone well is a simple way to practice self-compassion. If you’ve been struggling with something, try to remember the good times you’ve recently had. Keep a journal to record some of your experiences.
Related: The 6 Types of Self-Care and Why You Should Practice Them All
Self Compassion Tools
Here are some resources to help you get started on your path to self-kindness today:
- Self Compassion Guided Practices and Exercises is a website from Dr. Kristin Neff that allows you to use numerous methods to develop self-compassion.
- Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff book offers exercises and action plans to help you become more self-compassionate.
Affirmations for Self Compassion
Here are 5 self compassion affirmations you can start using right away.
- I know I am not perfect, and I love myself for that.
- I am learning every day.
- I accept my faults and quirks.
- Spending time with myself isn’t selfish, it’s essential.
- I care about myself enough to want the best for me
Pro Tip: Download your free self compassion positive affirmations cards and keep them visible
Self Compassion for Beginners: How To Be Kind To Yourself Conclusion
Self compassion is an essential component of coping with life’s ups and downs. It makes us feel better when things aren’t going well and makes us less likely to be harmful to ourselves. It is critical to show yourself the same compassion that you show others.
If you only remember one thing from this article, I hope it’s that you deserve the same love and compassion you give to those around you.
Don’t forget to:
- Save and pin this post so you can refer back to it.
- Please share your plans for self-kindness in the comments section.
Sources:
Give Yourself a Break: The Power of Self-Compassion. (2018, September 1). Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2018/09/give-yourself-a-break-the-power-of-self-compassion
Neff. (n.d.). Self-Compassion. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://self-compassion.org/
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