You may have heard (of/about) the concept of Self Compassion, here we will take a look at what a Self Compassion practice could look like
A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life― Chrisopher K Germer
There are 3 main pillars of Self Compassion
-Mindfulness
-Common Humanity
-Self Kindness
(Mindfulness) is the practice of being aware. You may practice mindfulness by simply noticing "I am aware of how I feel …. I'm aware of how I feel (sad, disappointed, upset, hurt) in this moment"
Being present with the current experience is the key to shifting and creating change. As humans, we are often patterned. When we begin to bring attention to our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors we can begin making conscious choices. So the next time something difficult arises, notice what is present, this is the first step in relating to yourself with more compassion.
(Common Humanity) this is a reminder that we are all connected. "I am not alone in feeling this way... There are millions of others that feel like this"
To be human, is to feel emotions, to make mistakes, and to need connection. We all have unique life experiences, but the one thing that connects us all is our emotions. We have all had a felt experience of being disappointed, hurt, stressed, ect.. Often when something challenging and/or difficult happens in our lives we feel alone and isolated in our suffering.
This practice is about coming back to what it means to have a human experience.
(Self Kindness) The next, and in my opinion one of the most important, is the practice of being kind to ourselves. We are often our own worst critics. Practicing Self Kindness is about acknowledging our experience "I can see how painful this is for you... It is going to be ok. " A good rule of thumb for practicing Self Kindness is simply asking "would I say this to someone that I love? "
These 3 steps practices can lead to a much more aware, connected and loving relationship with ourselves. It may even change your life.
