self-kindness

Mindful Compassion: Recognizing and Caring for my Pain

Mindful Compassion: Recognizing and Caring for my Pain

I’m not sure how or when it started, but as I think back on my life I can remember many times I have been very cruel to myself. As you might guess, this is a very unhealthy way of living. Even so, I assumed what I experienced was pretty normal. I heard other people talk about how they are hard on themselves. As I graduated High School, people around me noticed how my own thoughts were affecting me and got me help. I finally understood that my self critical way of thinking was wrong. Luckily, I soon discovered positive psychology, my way of improving myself again. I have tried many positive psychology strategies to improve my own well-being, all of which have helped me in different ways. As I experimented with positive psychology strategies, I found mindful compassion to be one of the most helpful strategies when it comes to my self-deprecating thoughts.

THE “THREE-THINGS” TEST OF SELF-COMPASSION

THE “THREE-THINGS” TEST OF SELF-COMPASSION

There are days where I feel particularly down on myself. Overwhelmed and discouraged because things aren’t going right, my thoughts are swarming with things I didn’t do enough of, or things I didn’t do right and could’ve done better. In those moments, I’ve reflected back on my goal and tried to start listing three things that I like about myself. Every single time, I find that my mood drastically improves. Amidst everything I’m worried about, I find something in that situation that sheds a positive light on me and I generate the hope to power through.

Why I Choose to Believe in Myself

Why I Choose to Believe in Myself

Put simply, self-efficacy is the amount of belief that you have in your own capabilities. Whether it be public speaking, making a friend, or creating a business, we instinctively set goals to seek personal growth. We cannot attain these goals without believing in ourselves. Sure, it may seem cliché. You’ve heard “believe in yourself,” “be confident,” and “trust in yourself” predictably plastered into your perceptive field, right? Even so, we need such confidence now more than ever.