Self - Compassion Practice

In 2019, I had the good fortune to attend a five-day seminar with Kristen Neff in Los Angeles. At the time, I had never before considered the idea of actively being kind to myself. My initial experience with this work led to deep heart openings and laid a foundation for positive self-talk and healthy emotional processing. I continue to use this practice today and I hope you'll find it useful, too. 

In a nutshell

When feeling a difficult emotion acknowledge the feeling aloud: "I feel really sad. This is a lot right now." Recognize that what you are experiencing is common to all of humanity and you are not alone: "Sadness is a natural feeling, many feel this exact same way right now. Many have felt this way and will feel this way." Embrace yourself physically. Comfort yourself by placing your hands on your heart or holding your own hand. Say aloud, "May I be safe, may I be at peace, may I be kind to myself, may I accept all aspects of my life just as they are." 

As we grow more compassionate towards ourselves, we naturally begin to become more compassionate towards others. Compassion opens the door to forgiveness.