Learning to practice self-compassion is essential for inner peace and positive change, and involves confronting your inner critic, treating yourself like you would a friend, and making mindfulness a part of your daily routine.
Many people struggle to apply the golden rule of treating others with kindness and respect to themselves. Negative self-talk can be pervasive and hold you back from positive change and inner peace. Being hard on yourself doesn’t make you more humble or motivate you to be better. Research has found that having self-compassion can buffer the mental health consequences of self-criticism. Here are some practical ways to show yourself kindness: confront your inner critic, treat yourself like you would a close friend, make mindfulness a part of your daily routine, remind yourself that mistakes are part of being human, focus on positive stuff too, do an activity you enjoy, and remember that self-compassion is not selfish. Treating yourself with compassion will only make it easier to be physically and emotionally present for your loved ones.
