23 May 8 great things that happen when you practice self compassion
Happiness…it means so many different things to so many different people.
Happiness…it's not all about one's own needs; but also about thinking of and caring for the needs of others.
That being said, we can't care for or love others if we're sick and tired and miserable.
So real happiness, therefore, requires some self love so we can love others and ultimately so we can love life!
In this great Huffington Post article, Lindsay Holmes outlines 8 great things that happen when you practice self-compassion (and not surprisingly, happiness is in the mix)…
You treat your best friends with love, respect and kindness — but do you extend the same courtesy to yourself?
We're often our own worst critics — and that can take a serious toll on our everyday lives. Self-compassion, or the art of expressing warmth and understanding toward yourself at all times, is an important element to wellbeing. Not only does it benefit your mental health, but research shows it can even improve aspects of your physical health.
The best part? It's fairly simple to do. Practicing self-compassion is just "talking to yourself with an encouraging inner dialogue," self-compassion researcher Kristin Neff, an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, told The Huffington Post. This includes acknowledging a difficulty or a challenge and telling yourself it's okay that it's occurring.
Life is better when you treat yourself with kindness. We chatted with a few self-compassion researchers on the overwhelming benefits of the practice. Check them out below and transform your mental attitude ASAP.
1. Self-compassion makes you more resilient.
Think of a time when you may not have received a promotion or a job you really wanted. Did you beat yourself up about it or ruminate over your mistakes? Chances are that's not going to help you in the next similar situation. It's easier to bounce back from failure when you're kind to yourself, says self-compassion researcher and Harvard Medical School clinical psychology instructor Christopher Germer.
"Self-compassion is an important factor in emotional resilience," Germer told The Huffington Post. "There's just a wide range of elements it enhances when it comes to emotional wellbeing."
2. It betters your relationships.
Not only will your relationship with yourself improve, it'll strengthen your other relationships as well, Germer says.
"Studies suggest that self-compassion can lead to an increase in social connectedness," he explained. And it makes sense: by expressing compassion inward, you're setting yourself up to be a more understanding person overall — and that can help you relate and bond with others…
…keep reading the full & original article HERE