With the start of a new year, it’s the perfect time to kick-off a new habit. When it comes to your mental health and the highs and lows that you’ll inevitably experience over the next 12 months, self-compassion can go a long way. Self-compassion is a way of being kind to yourself, especially when you’re struggling or suffering. It involves living in the present moment without judgment
In today’s blog post, let’s take a closer look at six tips for practicing self-compassion.
1. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small.
Achievement and self-esteem often go hand-in-hand, with your feelings being directly tied to your performance. Instead of only focusing on the ultimate goal, acknowledge the small steps it takes to get there. For instance, if you aim to practice mindfulness five days per week but only manage two sessions, acknowledge your efforts and focus on your progress.
2. Consider your self-talk.
How do you speak to yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed or disappointed? Challenging and ultimately changing negative self-talk plays an important role in self-compassion. When something bad or painful happens, pause before launching into your usual internal dialogue. Instead, ask yourself, “How would I talk to a good friend going through this experience?” Speak those kind words to yourself.
3. Express gratitude.
Gratitude plays such an important role in your mental health. In fact, studies show that it helps to foster high levels of psychological wellness. To incorporate more gratitude into your life, keep a daily gratitude journal. Set aside a few minutes each morning or night and jot down five good things in your life. If you’re struggling to come up with five items, think about your five senses and write down something for each one.
4. Forgive yourself.
It’s no secret that regret, guilt, and shame can weigh you down and make it impossible to move forward. Research reveals that self-forgiveness significantly lowers self-condemnation and mental distress. To start, you must accept responsibility for mistakes you made or harm you caused. Then, acknowledge the regret you feel without giving into the overwhelming shame. Finally, work to repair any damage and recommit to your personal values.
5. Be mindful.
Mindfulness is a core component of self-compassion. To be mindful, you must focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts and feelings with an open and curious mind. Instead of labeling or defining your experiences, simply observe them without judgment. There are many mindfulness exercises that you can try. Find a comfortable position and focus on breathing deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. If intrusive thoughts pop up, imagine them floating away like clouds.
6. Practice loving-kindness.
Loving-kindness is a meditation practice that shifts your attention from negative self-talk to positive thoughts of others. It helps to restructure your thinking and activate nurturing pathways in your brain. To practice loving-kindness, make time for a 15-minute meditation. Spend half of it focusing on others and sending them love, happiness, and health.
Research indicates that self-compassion improves your health, relationships, and overall well-being.
I hope these tips help you increase your self-compassion in the new year!
Discover the possibility of living a meaningful life. Discover the possibility of recovery. Reach out to Dr. Benaaz Russell, PsyD, CEDS-S, today to schedule an appointment!