Three Myths About Having Self-Compassion
We hear a lot about having self-compassion these days, but, for most, the concept is foreign to them. Not long ago, the feeling was that life was tough, and that was all we could look forward to having. Men and sometimes women worked day and night. Some women tended to the home and family. People woke and got up in the morning to the rooster crowing sound and then went to sleep when the sun set. They did this repeatedly day in and day out with very little or no time taken for the family or themselves.
Myth One: Self-compassion is only a Fad
Today we are more self-aware than ever. Humanity is more evolved, and we are conscious creators of our lives, intending to make a difference in the lives of others, too. Self-improvement and self-help have gone from being a little experienced luxury to being included in our regular daily routine.
Extensive research being done in the fields of personal development and psychology show the long-term benefits of experiencing self-compassion. When taking on the practice of self-compassion, there are many benefits, but here are the top two:
1) Being compassionate to ourselves helps us feel better, work better, play better.
2) Being compassionate to ourselves in life’s daily moments helps us take the burden off expecting others to do it for us.
Myth Two: Self-compassion is So Selfish
For many people, doing things just for themselves makes them happy, and when that does not include others, it can feel so selfish. When we do something for ourselves, we often bring ourselves joy. Take some time to journal during the day and see how many times you are hard on yourself. When you take on the determination of self-compassion, there can be many benefits:
- A positive, optimistic attitude
- Less angst, bitterness, or resentment
- You are more pleasant to be around
- You present a role model to others
- A happier, more empathic attitude means
- a happier and healthier
- body
- mind
- spirit
We take the burden off of others to always be the ones who need to:
soothe us
nurture us
take care of us
We all have the need of others in our lives when life throws us a curveball.
We all have an overactive inner critic, and when we use the practice of self-compassion to challenge those thoughts, we help ourselves and those around us.
Myth Three: Self-Compassion is only for the Spiritual Folks
Self-compassion is not about being spiritual or religious.
Having self-compassion creates results. Imagine being in a meeting or part of a project, and something goes awry. Taking the time, energy, and most importantly, the focus off of yourself and onto troubleshooting and problem-solving changes the course of the project. Not only does it change the course, but it also can change the outcome.
Asking the inner critic these questions helps improve your life:
- Is this helpful?
- Is this inner criticism a fact?
- Am I a mistake
- Did I make a mistake?
- Can I learn and grow from this?
- How can I use this to rebound quickly?
- Can I use this to make a better decision?
As you can see, self-compassion can come from a logical place when we challenge that inner critic.
Look and see where you can, in your life, challenge the inner critic, dispel these myths, and make a difference. Learn about having self-compassion.
You can review Compassion Part 1 and Compassion 2
