The Importance of Self Compassion

The core of self-compassion starts with treating yourself with kindness, care, and empathy. It involves unconditionally accepting yourself in any given situation. Self-compassion includes a tremendous amount of kindness, to yourself. This allows us to have balance in our lives and accept every situation for what it is, while being nice to ourselves. The benefits of practicing self-compassion- 

• It improves mental health 

• Practicing self-compassion daily can increase happiness and resilience to situations. When we accept ourselves unconditionally, there is a mind to body connection which is a form of mindfulness. It can reduce your stress levels and improve your overall mental well-being. 

• Helps people cope with failure 

• Practicing self-compassion can help when you experience a situation in which you think ‘I failed.’ It allows people to take responsibility for their actions and acknowledging them. Self-compassion helps individuals reframe their thoughts into more positive, factual thoughts. 

How to practice self-compassion 

• Talk to yourself the same way that you would talk to a friend. Ask yourself- what would I say to a friend that was experiencing this right now? how can I convey empathy and kindness to this person?

• Utilizing positive affirmations- using affirmations like ‘I am capable, I am strong’ will help shift you into a more self-compassionate mindset. 

• Write a letter to yourself- this is a great way to convey empathy and understanding to yourself when going through difficult situations. Writing a letter of kindness to yourself will help you practice self-compassion.