Self Compassion Trumps Self Esteem

Hello, I came across this book by Kristin Neff on Self Compassion that I plan on buying. It is one area in my life that I need to constantly work at. I'm sure there are a few of you out there too, who know exactly what I'm talking about! It is so easy for most of us to our own worst judge. Yet, if it was a friend who did what we are beating ourselves up for, we would usually be the first to say, don't worry about it, let it go, just learn from it and forgive yourself! We have never been "conditioned" to do that for ourselves. Learning to practice self compassion, I believe now more than ever, is key to a healthier state of being.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)



So what is self-compassion? What does it mean exactly?

As I’ve defined it, self-compassion entails three core components. First, it requires self-kindness, that we be gentle and understanding with ourselves rather than harshly critical and judgmental. Second, it requires recognition of our common humanity, feeling connected with others in the experience of life rather than feeling isolated and alienated by our suffering. Third, it requires mindfulness—that we hold our experience in balanced awareness, rather than ignoring our pain or exaggerating it. We must achieve and combine these three essential elements in order to be truly self-compassionate. This means that unlike self-esteem, the good feelings of self-compassion do not depend on being special and above average, or on meeting ideal goals. Instead, they come from caring about ourselves—fragile and imperfect yet magnificent as we are. Rather than pitting ourselves against other people in an endless comparison game, we embrace what we share with others and feel more connected and whole in the process. And the good feelings of self-compassion don’t go away when we mess up or things go wrong. In fact, self-compassion steps in precisely where self-esteem lets us down—whenever we fail or feel inadequate. Research suggests that self-compassion provides an island of calm, a refuge from the stormy seas of endless positive and negative self-judgment, so that we can finally stop asking, “Am I as good as they are? Am I good enough?” By tapping into our inner wellsprings of kindness, acknowledging the shared nature of our imperfect human condition, we can start to feel more secure, accepted, and alive. It does take work to break the self-criticizing habits of a lifetime, but at the end of the day, you are only being asked to relax, allow life to be as it is, and open your heart to yourself. It’s easier than you might think, and it could change your life.