We all have rough patches and times when things simply don’t go the way we want them to go. It could be a bad temper, self-blaming, or regretting things that wouldn’t benefit us in any way. These feelings from the inside break us and don’t let us climb out of the things happening around us.
Sometimes, feeling bad about something we did to someone else becomes an immediate source that leads to doing the same to ourselves. To some, it may be a feeling that makes us comfortable about the thing that we have done to others. Many times, we have been harsh with someone else, which only leads to being harsher with ourselves later.
It’s simple to be hard on oneself; we do it a lot more often than we know. But what if a better option existed? Self-compassion is a skill that we may develop through forgiving ourselves, accepting our apparent imperfections, and being kind to ourselves. While making it a habit that stays is frequently much more difficult than it seems, we may learn the proper methods.
Some of these approaches may be helpful if you ever disapprove or criticize yourself without cause. While some may not be your cup of tea, others may strike a chord and prove useful at unexpected times.
6 Ways to Practice Self-Compassion in Your Character
Self-compassion is a positive attitude we can have towards ourselves, and it’s also an empirically measurable construct.
- Working on Self-Kindness
When we fail at anything or when we are harmed, we should treat ourselves with care and empathy. We may notice the harmful effects of self-judgment and treat ourselves with kindness and compassion in place of being harsh or critical of ourselves when we are already experiencing pain.
In other words, practicing self-kindness entails accepting our value regardless of whether we fall short of our own standards through our actions or even simply our thoughts. Having said this, here are some tips for developing self-kindness;
- Treat yourself good.
- Understand the value of patience and try it in your life.
- Be tolerant of your shortcomings.
- Believe in Humanity
Positive psychology literature frequently uses the phrase “becoming part of something greater,” It has long been maintained that people naturally seek relationships. To consider our own unique experiences as part of the larger human experience, as opposed to perceiving ourselves as isolated or distinct from others, is to have a common humanity.
We are not flawless, but we demonstrate self-compassion when we are lenient with ourselves for having limits. Part of this is embracing and forgiving ourselves for our imperfections. Realizing that we’re not the only ones who make mistakes or experience pain is another aspect of shared humanity; rather than retreating or isolating ourselves, we acknowledge that other people experience these things occasionally.
- Develop Mindfulness
According to self-compassion theory, mindfulness is the reverse of avoidance or over-identification since it involves naming and noticing our thoughts rather than responding to them. Self-compassion allows us to recognize our negative feelings and ideas without exaggerating their importance by ruminating.
Instead, we strike a healthy balance between entirely avoiding unpleasant feelings and events at one extreme and this over-identification at the other. To develop mindfulness, meditation can be your game-changer. So, learning the right practices for developing mindfulness through meditation classes London can be a lifesaver.
- Self-Compassion Develops When You’re Self-Aware
One of the excellent ways to develop self-compassion is by working on being self-aware, as it helps incredibly. When you are aware of your internal narratives, it enables you to develop a strong self-statement that helps you in life. Here are some proven pointers to do it the right way;
- The first is to try self-acceptance, as it helps you be more aware of what you’re doing and the right way to do things in your life.
- Don’t let your inner critic bring you down. Instead, take a resilient stand against it and work it through with positive affirmations.
- Another thing that remains worthy of attention is to not let yourself be judged by yourself easily.
- Deal with Inner Critic
Most people make an effort to conceal their flaws in order to preserve a positive self-image. People can become more aware of and clear about their limits when practicing self-compassion. It might seem like that could end in a downward spiral, but self-compassion has been found to be positively correlated with improved mental health and greater life satisfaction. So what can you do to turn our inner critic into a gentle supporter? Traditional cognitive skills training has been found rather ineffective in this area.
- Enhance Evolving Mindset
According to research made, it was clear that a fixed and growth mindset directly impacts or influences our happiness. Do you see problems as insurmountable hurdles or as chances to advance? A growth mentality is more beneficial.
Challenges should be welcomed rather than avoided. Persist in finding significance in them, and never give up on yourself. Try to find inspiration in other people’s accomplishments and talents rather than feeling intimidated when you see that you are criticizing yourself and unfavorably contrasting yourself with others.
The Final Takeaway
The concept of self-compassion is novel. Even becoming cognizant of our thought processes requires conscious effort at first, although the majority of useful activities do require practice. We’ve looked at a variety of ways to regularly practice and demonstrate self-compassion, so if letter-writing isn’t your thing, perhaps affirmations or journaling would be more your style.