Ditch the Self-Criticism: Self-Compassion as Self-Care

Are you a compassionate person? I believe I am. But I do struggle with finding compassion toward one person…myself. Is this you too? Many very compassionate people are very understanding and kind toward others. They recognize that a person is more than their last bad decision or their worst day. But when it comes to showing that kind of compassion toward ourselves, we struggle. We are harsh. We judge. We wear shame for the decisions and mistake we have made.

Self-compassion is a powerful way we can improve our mental health and well-being. It involves treating ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially during difficult times. It can be challenging to practice self-compassion, particularly if we are used to being critical of ourselves, but with practice, we can cultivate a greater sense of self-love and self-acceptance.

Today, I want to explore what self-compassion is, why it is essential, and how we can start practicing it today.

What is self-compassion?

Self-compassion is the practice of treating oneself with kindness and understanding, especially during difficult times. We are all human and we all make mistakes and experience challenges. Instead of criticizing ourselves for our shortcomings, self-compassion encourages us to treat ourselves with the same kindness and support that we would offer to a friend or a loved one.

There are three key components to self-compassion:

1. Self-kindness: This involves being kind and understanding towards ourselves, especially during difficult times. Instead of criticizing ourselves for our mistakes, we offer ourselves words of encouragement and support.
2. Common humanity: This involves recognizing that we are all human and that we all experience challenges and setbacks. Instead of feeling isolated or ashamed of our struggles, self-compassion reminds us that we are not alone in our experiences.
3. Mindfulness: This involves being present and aware of our thoughts and feelings without judgment. Instead of getting caught up in negative thoughts or emotions, self-compassion encourages us to observe our experiences with curiosity and compassion.

Why is self-compassion essential?

Self-compassion is essential to our mental health and well-being because it helps us to cultivate a more positive and supportive relationship with ourselves. When we are self-compassionate, we treat ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, even in the face of difficulties and challenges. This allows us to be more resilient in the face of adversity and to bounce back more quickly from setbacks.

There are many benefits to practicing self-compassion. Research has shown that self-compassion is associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as higher levels of life satisfaction and overall well-being.

Reducing negative self-talk: When we are self-critical, we tend to engage in negative self-talk, which can be harmful to our mental health. Self-compassion helps us to recognize these negative thoughts and replace them with more positive and supportive ones.

Increasing resilience: Self-compassion helps us to develop greater resilience in the face of adversity. It allows us to be kind and understanding towards ourselves even when things don’t go as planned. This can help us to bounce back more quickly from setbacks and to persevere in the face of challenges.

Improving emotional regulation: Self-compassion can help us to regulate our emotions more effectively. When we are self-compassionate, we are better able to acknowledge and accept our emotions, rather than trying to suppress or ignore them. This can help us to manage our emotions more effectively and to respond to them in healthier ways.

Enhancing self-esteem: Self-compassion is associated with higher levels of self-esteem. When we are kind and understanding towards ourselves, we develop a more positive and supportive relationship with ourselves. This can help us to feel more confident and self-assured in our daily lives.

Encouraging self-care: Self-compassion encourages us to take care of ourselves in a more nurturing and supportive way. When we are self-compassionate, we prioritize our own needs and well-being, which can help us to feel more energized, motivated, and engaged in our daily lives.

In other words, self-compassion is essential to our mental health and well-being because it helps us to cultivate a more positive and supportive relationship with ourselves. By treating ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, we can reduce negative self-talk, increase resilience, improve emotional regulation, enhance self-esteem, and encourage self-care. By practicing self-compassion, we can develop greater mental and emotional resilience, and live happier, more fulfilling lives.

How can we start practicing self-compassion?

Practicing self-compassion can be challenging, particularly if we are used to being critical of ourselves. However, with practice, we can cultivate greater self-love and self-acceptance. I have, as I mentioned, struggled to treat myself with self-compassion and kindness, particularly when I know I have fallen short, hurt someone or acted out of ignorance. But taking small steps and practicing detaching from the situation has allowed me to start treating myself as someone worthy of care, kindness and compassion, just as I would treat any friend, colleague, family member or student. Here are some ways I have started practicing self-compassion:

1. I treat myself with kindness: Instead of criticizing myself for my mistakes, I can offer myself words of encouragement and support. It feels awkward at first, but I have started talking to myself as I would talk to a friend.
2. I remember that I am not alone: When we experience a setback or challenge, we can remind ourselves that we are not alone in our experiences. Many others have faced similar challenges and have overcome them. This can be difficult and we can feel like we are the only ones who have ever had this particular setback. But it is a common human condition to feel disappointment, challenges, fear and embarrassment. For me, when I have experienced a setback, I tend to take it personally and assume I just am not good enough. This fear of being dismissed or of failing or not being enough nearly kept me from applying for a job I recently applied for. I may not be successful. But I know the judgemental part of me nearly didn’t even apply because of fear. Instead, I remembered that lots of people apply for jobs and are successful, and lot are not. And neither determines a person’s value.
3. I practice mindfulness: Taking time to be present and aware of my thoughts and feelings without judgment. Observe my experiences with curiosity and compassion.
4. I cultivating gratitude: Take time each day to appreciate the good things in my life. Focus on the positive and what I am grateful for. Journaling is a great tool for practicing gratitude, but we can appreciate the world around us, the people in our lives and the love we know in many ways.
5. I practice self-care: Taking care of my physical, emotional, and mental health. Exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep. Taking time to do things I enjoy and that make me feel good.
6. I forgive myself: We all make mistakes, and it’s essential to learn from them and move forward. I am learning to forgive myself for my mistakes and focus on what I can do to improve in the future. But this is the hardest aspect of self-compassion for me. I tend to be a person who holds on to the things I have done wrong. I ruminate, trying to sort out what I could have done differently. The reality is that the past has gone. I can learn from it, but I can not change it. And sometimes, despite attempts to repair a situation with another, the only thing I can do is forgive myself.
7. I seek support: Don’t be afraid to seek support from others. Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional about your experiences. They can offer support and guidance as you work on practicing self-compassion.

In addition to these practices, there are specific exercises that we can do to cultivate self-compassion. Here are three exercises to try:

1. Loving-kindness meditation: This is a type of meditation that involves offering love and kindness to ourselves and others. Start by finding a quiet and comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Begin by offering love and kindness to yourself by repeating the following phrases silently to yourself:

2. Self-compassion letter: Write a letter to yourself from a place of self-compassion. Begin by writing about a difficult experience that you have had. Then, write a letter to yourself from a place of kindness and understanding. Write as though you are talking to a friend who has experienced the same difficulty. Offer yourself words of encouragement and support.
3. Compassionate touch: This exercise involves offering yourself physical touch as a way of cultivating self-compassion. Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Place one hand on your heart and the other hand on your stomach. Take a few deep breaths and focus on the sensation of your hands on your body. Offer yourself words of kindness and understanding.

Practicing self-compassion can be challenging, particularly if we are used to being critical of ourselves. However, with practice, we can cultivate greater self-love and self-acceptance. By treating ourselves with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, we can improve our mental health and well-being. You deserve to be treated with compassion…by others and by YOU. Remember to be patient and kind with yourself as you work on practicing self-compassion. It takes time and practice, but it is worth it in the end.