The benefits of self-compassion
So far in our self-compassion mini-series, we’ve covered what self-compassion is and what it isn’t. Now let’s dive into why we should even care. What difference does it make whether I’m self-compassionate or self-critical? According to the research, it matters a lot.
As a reminder, self-compassion is being kind and non-judgmental to yourself rather then critical and belittling. The benefits of self-compassion have been researched and documented for years. One of my favorite resources on the topic is The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer. Kristin’s website has a ton of great meditations and other resources for self-compassion. According to the experts in the field of self-compassion, here are a few of the benefits:
Increased overall happiness. Yep, turns out when we aren’t constantly focusing on our negative traits and perceived failures, we are a lot happier. Who knew? But in all seriousness, the ability to be mindful and aware of the way we are treating ourselves can make a huge difference in our mood and life satisfaction.
Stress reduction. This is a big one. Imagine a stressful time—maybe a project due at work or finals in school—and how your stress levels can be impacted by criticism and kindness. Essentially, when we are self-critical, we are increasing our stress levels. Most of us could do without.
Increased motivation. This is something we touched on in the last post about myths. Most people think that we will be more motivated if we have that “tough love” voice pushing us forward. Turns out, we are actually more motivated by kindness and understanding rather than negativity.
Improved physical health. This can be linked to the overall happiness/mental health and stress relief. Self-criticism can actually increase our stress hormones, so becoming more self-compassionate in turn allows us to lower stress levels and improve overall health.
If these are areas in which you’d like to improve or you’d like to work on self-compassion more in your life, I’d love to help! You can schedule a free consult here to get started!