What is self-compassion? Self-Compassion is the ability to accept love, face failure, and understand your emotions. With self-compassion, you treat yourself as you would treat others. Instead of beating yourself up and having negative emotions, you think: how can I care for myself in this present moment?

Self-compassion creates many positive physiological effects. It can relieve mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and insecurity as well as increase empathy and love. Self-compassion improves how you work and how you view and manage yourself and others to reduce stress.

To achieve self-compassion:
Practice self-kindness. Refrain from negative self-criticism. If something doesn’t go as planned, instead of thinking negatively about yourself, understand that you tried, and take comfort in that effort. Remind yourself that it is okay that sometimes things do not go well, as we are only humans, and we can try again.

Second, recognize your own humanity. As humans, we make mistakes, experience pain, and are not perfect. Think about a time when a friend or family member has talked to you about a mistake they made. Did you sit back and say, “You are stupid. You will never be good enough, and no one will like you after this mistake”. No, you didn’t. If you do not say harsh words to others, don’t say them to yourself!

Next, practice mindfulness. Be present in your experiences and forgive yourself. Remain non-biased about your pain and life events. We are all different and have varied emotions and reactions to situations. Being mindful can increase self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-evaluation, and self-compassion.

Consider all the benefits self-compassion has on your health, simply because it reduces stress and anxiety. Self-compassion will lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and many other ailments.

With self-compassion, you will be able to accept your failures, move past them, and be willing to try again in the future. The result is greater happiness, more motivation, more satisfaction with your life, and stronger relationships with friends, family, and even yourself!