Self-compassion and learning to be kinder to yourself can be tricky. However, taking the time to breathe and completing tasks one step at a time are the keys to success. Learning how to overcome the obstacles one faces instead of working to make heads or tails of a situation and beating yourself up over it is the key to learning how to love yourself again. Staying in a rut of questioning what you could have done differently can impact your mental and physical health. Instead, focus on the positives of each situation without staying in a rut of questioning what you could do differently. Here's why self-compassion is essential.
Why Self-Compassion Is Important
Self-compassion is essential because it helps one cope and push through challenging situations without being overly critical of oneself and continually mulling over mistakes. Be kinder and more understanding of yourself when something doesn't go as planned, and look at the positives. Finding joy in the small things provides solace and promotes a positive mindset without adding stress to an already stressful situation. According to Stanford Medicine, there's scientific data to suggest that criticizing oneself during difficulties impacts mental health and makes it harder to learn from past mistakes, so self-compassion is important to overall health.
Therefore, based on this data, researchers have determined self-compassion to be the answer to success and treating ourselves as a friend would expect to be treated. For example, showing others compassion in the wake of difficulties benefits mental and physical health. It's typically easier to understand yourself better than others, thus helping us be kinder to ourselves and reducing depression and anxiety. A University of Texas at Austin researcher revealed that self-compassion produces positive mental health benefits.
Moreover, being kinder to oneself leads to greater awareness of self-destructive thought processes. When you're kinder to yourself, you can grasp a more significant understanding of negative thoughts. Once these thoughts are pinpointed, you can do what's necessary to improve your overall health and mental well-being. Being too hard on yourself can lead to a constant state of worry, causing irregular sleep patterns and anxiety. Trauma Research UK suggests being kinder to yourself leads to decreased stress and more excellent emotional stability.
How Mindfulness and Common Humanity Help
Mindfulness is a gateway to self-observing the way we think, act, and react in times of stress without any self-bias. However, at the same time, it allows a clearer understanding of why anxieties are experienced, why reactions to a situation are adverse, and where self-doubt comes from. Once all these components are fully understood, it's easy to take a step back and determine how a problem can be solved with a more positive mindset. In contrast, common humanity is the basic understanding that everyone in this life grapples with hardships and mistakes and experiences a degree of pain at some point.
Furthermore, understanding that everyone experiences the same thoughts, feelings, and emotions at some point can contribute to having a more comprehensive range of empathy and compassion for others. Helping someone through difficult times can help reduce the occurrence of depression and anxiety. It also reduces the fears associated with asking for help, especially if a mental health condition is in the mix. There's such a great deal of stigma around difficult situations and their effect on mental health that it makes it harder to talk about.
Being empathetic and kind and realizing how someone else feels allows you to be kind to yourself in a way you've probably never experienced before because you can reflect together. Sitting together and reflecting on the positives and not the negatives and the notion that tomorrow is a new day provides normalcy and keeps anxiety and depression levels at bay. If you've been through a similar situation, it's much easier to see the bigger picture and rationalize the steps to take in the future to be more self-compassionate and kind to others.
Final Thoughts on Self-Compassion
Self-compassion and mindfulness are two of the best ways to navigate working through being kinder to yourself and others in times of stress. Taking a step back, looking at the bigger picture, and not beating yourself up for things beyond your control are essential. Easing worry and stress will, in turn, reduce any anxiety or depression that may be felt during those times, calming both mind and body for a more positive outlook in similar situations that occur in the future. So, self-reflect, journal your thoughts, or ask for help. But don't forget that being kinder to yourself helps you be more empathetic to others.
Disclaimer: This article is intended simply to provide information. It does not replace the medical advice of a physician or other medical professional. Please speak with your doctor or therapist if you have any questions or concerns.
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