Let`s talk about Self-Compassion

Self-compassion translates to showing ourselves grace in life situations that are challenging for us. It means to treat ourselves from a place of understanding & kindness rather than going into negative self-evaluation mode, when things get tough. Research suggests that practicing self-compassion supports us in becoming stronger mentally, and more resilient in the face of failure, while it enhances our ability to learn from our mistakes. 

So what can you do, to cultivate higher levels of self-compassion (yes, it's a learnable skill!)? 

1) Start by becoming aware of your inner self-talk in case of failure/mistakes etc.: 

-Are you treating yourself like you would treat a good friend? OR 

-Are you talking down to yourself (feeling anger, shame, guilt)? 

2) Rephrasing your inner criticism into a more caring and supportive voice, that offers unconditional self-acceptance in the face of the human experience

(Neff, 2017)

There are other ways (exercises) to enhance our self-compassion, and therapy can be a great tool to support you in doing so.

I want to add, that this picture might look like the perfect scene of myself in harmony and bliss - but that's far from the truth. This phase in my life was very challenging for me (I was overworked, exhausted and dysregulated). But what is true, is that I cared deeply for myself during this time. I cultivated a deeper curiousity for myself to understand the why's, and took action to get better.