Self-compassion is a concept developed by Dr. Kristin Neff that involves treating oneself with the same kindness, care, and understanding that one would offer to a good friend.
Have you ever supported a friend through a crisis and given them kind caring words of encouragement? But then when you make a mistake you beat yourself up with a giant sized stick....?
Self compassion is about recognising and responding to our own suffering with warmth and support rather than harsh self-criticism. Self-compassion offers numerous psychological and emotional benefits too:
1. Improved Emotional Resilience
Self-compassion helps you better manage and bounce back from difficult emotions. By treating ourselves with kindness during challenging times, we can reduce the intensity and duration of negative feelings like anxiety, sadness, and anger.
2. Reduced Anxiety and Depression
Studies have shown that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression. By reducing self-criticism and promoting self-kindness, we can mitigate the factors that contribute to these mental health issues.
3. Increased Well-Being
Self-compassion is linked to greater overall well-being. People who practice self-compassion tend to have higher levels of happiness, life satisfaction, and optimism. They are also more likely to engage in healthy behaviours and self-care practices. Say goodbye to self sabotage!!!
4. Better Stress Management
Self-compassion provides a buffer against the negative effects of stress. It encourages a balanced perspective, reducing the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed by stressful situations and promoting more effective coping strategies.
5. Enhanced Self-Worth
By fostering an attitude of acceptance and understanding toward oneself, self-compassion helps improve self-esteem and self-worth. This, in turn, supports a more positive self-image and greater confidence.
6. Improved Relationships
Self-compassionate individuals often have better interpersonal relationships. They tend to be more empathetic and understanding toward others, leading to healthier, more supportive connections. Additionally, self-compassion reduces the likelihood of seeking approval from others, resulting in more authentic and balanced relationships. It can help you be a better partner and have a healthy relationship.
7. Greater Motivation and Personal Growth
Contrary to the belief that self-compassion leads to complacency, it actually fosters greater motivation and personal growth. When individuals are kind to themselves, they are more likely to take risks, learn from failures, and pursue their goals with perseverance. You feel better equipped to face challenges, set goals and have a plan for the future.
8. Reduced Perfectionism
Self-compassion helps counteract perfectionistic tendencies by promoting self-acceptance and reducing the fear of making mistakes. This can lead to more realistic expectations and a healthier approach to achievement and success.
9. Better Physical Health
The positive impact of self-compassion on mental health can also extend to physical health. Lower stress levels, improved sleep, and healthier lifestyle choices are some of the indirect benefits that can enhance overall physical well-being.
10. Enhanced Emotional Regulation
Self-compassion improves the ability to regulate emotions by providing a supportive inner dialogue. This helps individuals navigate their emotions more effectively and respond to emotional challenges in a balanced manner.
By incorporating self-compassion into daily life, individuals can experience these benefits, leading to a more balanced, fulfilling, and resilient way of living.
Sounds great doesn't it? Self Compassion is definitely something to take seriously and learn more about - the book recommendation below is a must read and one for everyone's book shelf to refer back to.
Book recommendation
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more Self Compassion and how to listen to ourselves and make our needs and wants a priority. The authors show genuine kindness and offer every day practices to shift your mindset with their research based examples, activities and meditations. They support with reframing negativity the book is easy to digest and to the point. The chapters are set up by introducing a topic & providing real world examples that are easy to understand. At the end of the chapter they have exercises where they have you reflect on certain situations (they prompt you) and write down your thoughts. There’s usually a few exercises that end up with you really breaking down how you think/act.