Have you ever come across the term self-compassion, and how practicing it is crucial to having a happy and positive life?
A while ago, I came across a wonderful post by my colleague Nicole Perry onย Instagram.ย She shared a powerful message about self-compassionโan emotional tool Iโve found myself recommendingย more and more lately.
Between societal pressures and digital overload, we need a constant reminder that weโre only humanโwith strengths and weaknesses, with successes and failures. And we are constantly growing and evolving.
Dr. Kristin Neff, a self-compassion specialist, has a list of several things you can do to practice this skillย more each day.
Here are 5 techniquesโadapted from Dr. Neffโs workโto foster self-compassion:
1. Practiceย gratitude.
Sometimes, we can forget to be thankful for the small things we experience each day. Overwhelmed by dailyย stress, work, responsibilities, and home life, we forget to practice gratitude with ourselvesโor with our loved ones, for taking care of us and worrying about us, or our body, which is a self-haven of love and health.
I once read an amazing list that reminded us to look at those small and annoying daily tasks, like washing our clothes or dishes, as opportunities to remind ourselves for all the small blessings we have. When we payย attentionย to the small things, we can see the rest of the world with kinder eyes.
Want to know more about how gratitude can help you? Read Attitude Of Gratitude: How The Universal Law of Gratitude Can Help You
2. Be kind to yourself.
When a friend asks for our advice, we try to be honest and kind. Most of usย strive to find the right words to do this. Are we doing the same with ourselves?
Are we being kind with the way we talk to ourselves? What do we tell ourselves when we look at our reflection in the mirror? Itโs food for thought.
3. Forgive yourself.
This point is similar to what I said in the last paragraph: When someone makes a mistake that affects us, what is the first thing we say? โDonโt worryโ or โโItโs no big deal.โย Do we show this same kindness toย ourselves? Sometimes, we struggle to accept that we are only human and we can make mistakes. Letโs forgive ourselves and learn from our mistakes.
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4. Allow yourself to โunlearn.โ
Have you noticed a pattern in this blog post? If we are capable of being kind to ourselves andย forgiving, we can open a space toย unlearn. Unlearn those mixed messages that society has sent our way, that haveย made us believe that ourย productivityย is a measure of our worth.
Unlearn those inner beliefs that we are not enough. Because we areโand we are worthy of love, belonging, and connection.
Want to know more about how you can practice self-compassion? Read 6 Life-Changing Steps To Practice Mindful Self Compassion
5. Give yourself a break.
Sometimes, all we need is a break, and permission to say โIโm doing enough,โย โI am enough,โ or โThis is enough.โย We need space to appreciate everything we have accomplished.
If you have reached this point in the post, give yourself a โbreak.โย Donโt abandon your beliefs, yourย authenticity, or yourself. Instead, take a break. Take 5 minutes to meditate, breathe, listen to your favorite song, or simplyย disconnect. Just five minutes.
How do you practice self-compassion daily?
Written By Mariana Plata
Originally Appeared In Psychology Today
Being kind to yourself and practicing self-compassion is imperative in building a positive life. Yes, things will be tough every now and then, but donโt let that stop you from treating yourself with positivity and love. When a person loves themselves enough, they become the very best versions of themselves.
If you want to know more about practicing self-compassion, then check out this video below:
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