How Self-Compassion Can Change Your Life
Does the little voice inside your head criticize your every move, or rebuke you whenever you fall short of your expectations? You are not alone. So many times, we get stuck in our lives. Maybe, it’s that job you hate or your unhappy marriage that you are afraid of leaving. If this is you, it’s time to love yourself again and this self-compassion meditation script is just what you need to start your journey to a more creative and resourceful life.
What Is Self-Compassion?
As the name suggests, self-compassion is extending the same kindness to yourself as you would to others. Self-compassion is about recognizing your efforts and acknowledging that you are doing your best with what you have.
There are several ways to practice self-compassion and they include; journaling, prayer, self-compassion meditation scripts, positive self-talk, and challenging your inner critic. If you are wondering how to start self-compassion, one of the best ways is to try and treat yourself the way you would treat your friend who is going through a difficult season.
Self-compassion is not always easy, especially at the beginning. After many years of self-judgment and shame, it can feel awkward to practice kindness to yourself. Once you understand the principles of self-compassion and you begin to practice them every morning, therein, you will begin to experience greater health, happiness, and joy.
Here are five ways in which self-compassion can change your life
- Self-compassion results in Better Self-esteem
Do you rely on your loved ones and friends to improve your self-esteem? Sometimes loved ones do not stay in your life forever. When your source of affirmation and confidence leaves, it’s just a matter of time before the confidence they gave you leaves too. This is why you need to learn how to offer kind words to yourself.
Every time that little voice in your head tells you that you are a failure, reframe the thought and remind yourself that you made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, and that one situation does not define you. Practicing self-compassion and positive thoughts towards yourself will help you view yourself more positively without over-relying on people to boost your self-esteem.
- Higher Life Satisfaction
How do you feel every time you make a mistake? Do you get anxious, embarrassed, or frustrated? Do you get defensive and blame others for your failures? While those feelings are normal, it is important to remember that treating yourself with kindness even after making a mistake is the first step towards living a highly satisfying life.
When you stop allowing mistakes to overwhelm you, you can start spending more time enjoying your life. Instead of beating yourself down, look at mistakes as a learning experience. Remind yourself that setbacks are not a negative reflection of your character. Be tolerant of your shortcomings. Download a free self-compassion meditation script and practice being kind to yourself every day. The more you spend time loving yourself instead of picking yourself apart, the better life satisfaction you will begin to enjoy.
- Self-Compassion Results in Better Relationships
Research published on the resilience psychotherapy website showed that self-compassion is positively correlated to healthy relationships. Generally, individuals who criticize themselves are more distrustful, and dissatisfied and are more likely to keep their guard up during intimacy. However, individuals who practice self-compassion meditation have higher trust in themselves and this results in increased openness to giving affection and receiving it in return.
When you practice self-compassion, you become kinder to yourself. This ultimately results in being kinder to your partner. You soon realize it becomes easier to show up in your relationship with joy and gladness.
- Self-Compassion Can Relieve Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
Did you know that constant self-attacks and brutal self-criticism can slowly erode your mental health? When you become too harsh on yourself, it can create a situation known as the threat state. This is where your mind goes into a flight or fight response. If your mind stays in this state constantly it will lead you into depression.
By practicing self-compassion meditation and being kind to yourself even after making mistakes, you can keep your mind out of the threat state and ultimately decrease your chances of developing mental health challenges. So go on, get your self-meditation script, and start your mental health healing journey.
- Self-Compassion Can Increase Your Motivation to Take Risks.
If you’ve ever taken a risk, you know there is always potential for disappointment. Sometimes risks lead to failure and this can be scary. If you are a self-critic, failure can be damaging and this is why many people avoid taking leaps into the unknown.
By practicing self-compassion, it becomes easier to accept that setbacks happen and that it’s okay to fail sometimes.