Self-Compassion in Action

When we do things that we later regret, it is hard to have compassion with ourselves. How many times have we made mistakes or said or done something we later regretted, only to reproach ourselves? "That was so stupid of me!" The self-loathing can be relentless! It seems harmless at the time we're doing it, but it has lasting, negative impact on our physical and emotional health. If you’re wondering how Self-Compassion in action looks, read further to understand this important life skill.

Your heart is precious, tender and deserves extra care

Luckily, the exercises in Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff are very helpful in this regard. Using the exercises and principles can help us cope with challenging times. She has a lot of great ideas to put self compassion into action.

Tips on putting self compassion in action

Here is a personal, real-life example of how a person can put these ideas into action.

• Doing a body scan during meditation – in addition to being aware of each part of the body, giving love and compassion to the parts that are uncomfortable.

• Soothing my disappointment over having to cancel professional and personal events due to a recent injury.

• “Opting out of” comparing myself to others. Despite the conditioning of our competitive culture, we don’t need to keep track of who is ahead or behind, above or below us. This leads to my caring less about what others think of me and how I measure up. Instead of seeing myself as worthy due to performance or appearance, I deserve compassion and love simply because I exist!

• Letting go of the idea that I must achieve certain tasks to feel worthy and acceptable. This can help you reduce some of your anxiety.

• Recognizing that everyone struggles with something at some point in their lives. I am not alone in my suffering, which makes it feel less personal. I am not uniquely singled out for bad things happening. This perspective can reduce depression, because it challenges the idea that you are uniquely doomed to struggle in this lifetime.

• Softening judgment for myself means that I can do the same for other people. I can feel better about myself and other people too, which makes my relationships with others easier and more pleasurable.

Gratitude facilitates self-compassion

I have also found that a healthy dose of gratitude for what I have in my life is helpful. It keeps me from feeling self-pity and shows me that there is more to my experience than negative events. There are also many beautiful, amazing things in my life that I can focus on instead of misfortune.

I recognize that while it has been tough, there is no need to make it tougher by thinking unkind things about myself. As Drs. Richard Hanson and Rick Mendius write in Buddha’s Brain, we already have received the first arrow of suffering.

There is no need to add to the first hurt by focusing on negativity, and judging both ourselves and others. If you have difficulty being compassionate towards yourself, psychotherapy can be helpful, especially EMDR therapy.

Self-compassion in action

Caring for yourself increases self-compassion

We have the chance to love and care for ourselves in a way that we never dreamed possible. Sometimes adversity and pain force us to change for the better, even though we would much rather learn the same lesson in an easier way.

But maybe that is the point – without pain and suffering, we would not change for the better or learn or grow. If suffering can change me for the better, then at least I gained something from the suffering. If it made me more compassionate toward myself and others, it served a valid purpose. It is a part of life that is worth embracing just as much as joy, love and satisfaction. All of life is beautiful. 

If you are struggling with your self-esteem, please don't hesitate to call 661-233-6771.