Embracing Self-Compassion
Learning how to be kind to yourself
You may have heard the term self-compassion, but do you know that it’s more than just ‘being kind to yourself’? Self-compassion is like having a friendly ally in your corner that encourages you to accept yourself and take action. It is an invisible force that helps us protect, motivate and provide for ourselves all at once. It involves treating yourself with the same warmth, concern, and support that you would extend to a dear friend, both when you’re being hard on yourself AND when others mistreat you. When we embrace self-compassion, we break free from neglecting our own needs and prioritise our wellbeing. In this article, let’s explore the wonderful world of self-compassion, discover its importance, and uncover practical tips and exercises to infuse it into your everyday life.
WHAT IS SELF-COMPASSION?
Self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with the same kindness, concern, and support that you would offer to a good friend. Developed by Dr Kristin Neff, self-compassion is a tool that changes how we relate to ourselves and can cultivate self-acceptance. Dr Neff’s self-compassion model contains three basic dimensions; mindfulness versus over-identification, self-kindness versus self-judgement and common humanity versus isolation.
