Self Compassion
What does your inner critic say to you? When you walk by a mirror what do you tell yourself? When you make a mistake at work, what do you think about yourself? We all have self-talk, and we should be kind to ourselves. Yet at times, we are our worst critic and beat ourselves up over whatever is happening in our lives. We need to practice self-compassion. Self-compassion is treating yourself the same way you would treat your best friend. In our moments of pain and suffering, we need to treat and talk to ourselves like we would care for others. Better health, relationships, and well-being can be achieved if we forgive and nurture ourselves.
Kristin Neff (www.self-compassion.org)defines self-compassion in three elements:
Self-kindness: Treating yourself with kindness, understanding, and warmth instead of judgement.
Common humanity: Acknowledging that you are not alone in your pain, and that it is part of the human experience that everyone lives through.
Mindfulness: Noticing and feeling your emotions without letting them overtake you. Regulating your nervous system can help you in this area.
Practicing self-compassion can lower your levels of anxiety and depression. But the million-dollar question is how do we practice self-compassion, because it is probably not how we have been conditioned. Below are a few ways you can start practicing self-compassion:
Give yourself encouragement – Try talking to yourself like you would your best friend.
Practice mindfulness – Kristin Neff has some wonderful guided practices on www.self-compassion.org that can help you get started.
Comfort your body – When you need to rest, do so. Take a walk outside. Drink a glass of water or eat something healthy.
Breathe – Take a minute, place your hand on your heart and breathe!
Ask yourself what you need – Just like you would a friend. Once you have identified what you need, meet that need.
We are also here to help you start your self-compassion practice! Our goal is to help you reduce your anxiety or depression and have a healthy relationship with yourself and others. Reach out to make your appointment today. You can also click the respective links to learn more about depression treatment and anxiety counseling at Relationship Enrichment Center.
With kindness,
Brandy