The Top 5 Ways to Practice More Self-Compassion
We can be our biggest fan or our worst enemy, but much of the time we tend to be very hard on ourselves. Self-compassion, like any other trait, is a habit that can be practiced, leading to more mental, physical, and emotional health.
Learn everything you need to know about self-compassion, including what it is, its benefits, and the best ways to practice it today!
What is Self-Compassion
Self-compassion is a positive and respectful attitude towards yourself. It relates to how you think about yourself and relates to other concepts like self-love, self-respect, and self-esteem. Self-compassion means that you can treat yourself with kindness, accepting and forgiving yourself in times of distress.
Benefits
Self-compassion means you can grow from negative experiences in a way that helps you learn. When you are going through a difficult time, the kindness you give yourself can boost your mental wellbeing. You can also have more awareness of your strengths and weaknesses, which allows you to take control of your life.
5 Ways to Practice Self-Compassion
Here are the best ways to start showing yourself more compassion today!
1. Check in with Yourself
It’s important to check in with yourself throughout the day. Think about what you need, what you want, and how you feel. If you’re feeling upset or overwhelmed, try to avoid negative self-talk. Instead, learn to analyze your feelings and see what you can change and control. In fact, journaling out your feelings and shifting your focus on what you can control can be a great help in boosting mental wellbeing.
Give yourself permission to rest, try out a better coping habit, or do some breathing exercises to calm down the mind and body. In essence, if there is a problem, don’t think you are the issue. Work with yourself and your mind to find a solution.
2. Remove ‘Should’
It can be said that the word should is full of criticism. You should do this, you should be more like that, etc. This type of negative mentality is unlikely to produce positive change in your thinking and your actions. Try using more positive framing and getting rid of the word should in general.
Instead of thinking, I should have done this, think I could do this. This can help you nurture more kindness and positivity towards yourself and can even help you be more productive.
3. Affirm with Wishes
For some, positive affirmations are the key to rewiring the mind to be more positive. However, if you don’t feel confident, no amount of affirming I am confident will fix that. A different technique can be to make a wish instead. Instead of wishing for confidence, think may I be a bit braver today than I was yesterday, or may I accept every part of me.
Give yourself permission to want and wish, and think about practical steps you can take to fulfill it. Keeping your mind focused on the goal can help you feel better and make better decisions. You recognize that you are not perfect but also give yourself permission to grow, develop, and thrive.
4. Pinpoint Weakness
We don’t need to be kind to ourselves to the point of overwhelming and exhausting ourselves. It can be difficult to monitor ourselves 24/7, so we shouldn’t. Instead, try to find and pinpoint moments where you feel weak or vulnerable. When we feel down, we need the most compassion and kindness.
Take note of these moments, learn about what triggers them, and start to make healthy changes, all while showing yourself the respect and kindness you deserve. This can help you prepare for distressing events in the future and allows you to take more control of your emotions.
5. Soothe Yourself
Self-soothing gestures and habits can make both the mind and body calm down. Touch is vital to our wellbeing, which is why a hug can make you feel better. This even applies to our own touch. For example, have you ever rubbed your face in frustration or held your heart in distress? This instinctive response is meant to calm you down and soothe you.
You can comfort yourself as a way to practice self-compassion. Performing these activities will allow the brain to produce serotonin, a happiness chemical, and fill you with a sense of calm. Studies have shown that some repetitive movements, like tapping your hands together, moving your fingers to knit, or rocking in a chair, can help boost serotonin. Other habits include smelling something nice (like a candle or perfume), giving yourself a self-massage, or taking deep breaths.
Tips for Better Mental Wellbeing
Mental health matters and some daily techniques can help keep you well. Try these out and make them a habit!
- Move more – daily exercise, even walking, can help increase happiness chemicals in the mind and body, boosting mental wellbeing.
- Meditation – meditation can increase self-awareness, which in turn allows you to have more compassion and kindness for yourself.
- Ground yourself in the present – grounding exercise can calm the mind and relax the body. Take note of 3 things you see, touch, smell, etc., to ground yourself in the present.
- Breathe deep – deep breaths activate the part of our body responsible for relaxing us. Take some consciously deep, and slow breaths daily.
- Eat healthy when you can – what you eat affects the brain. Check out this complete guide to hacking your biology!
- Treat yourself – health is about balance. Make sure you are still eating your favorite foods and treating yourself!
- Self-care daily – self-care can be as simple as getting your favorite cup of coffee in the morning. Remember to take for yourself with kindness and compassion
- Have routines – morning and nighttime routines tend to boost mental health exponentially! Here is an easy morning routine and here’s one for the night as well.
The Takeaway
Self-compassion can be the difference between feeling defeated or feeling loved and respected. If you practice these tips, chances are you will be able to deal with tough times with more ease, allowing you to grow and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Remember that health starts from within, so eat well, exercise 3 to 5 times a week, and take care of your mental health. Take care of gut health too since our microbiota affects metabolism, the muscles, the immune system, digestion, skin health, and more! Get all the resources you need about microbiota health for free here!
