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Most of us have made a mistake that we’ve had difficulty reconciling in our minds. Yet, if someone else had made the same mistake, we’d probably quickly forgive them and forget it within a few minutes. Such situations can feel frustrating and may require learning some techniques for how to practice self-compassion with self-esteem counseling in Maryland.
Learn why it’s important to give yourself some compassion while continuing to work toward your self-improvement goals.
What Is Self-Compassion and Why Is It Important?
When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, it’s normal to be upset or disappointed. However, moving forward from those negative feelings instead of dwelling on them can pose a bigger challenge.
Learning how to forgive yourself in these situations is called self-compassion.
Giving yourself kindness and forgiveness may be necessary after taking actions you regret toward another person. Perhaps you fell short of a goal you had for the day and can’t stop punishing yourself. Some people even need self-compassion and forgiveness for their thoughts instead of actions.
Regardless, it can be more difficult for many people to give themselves the same compassion and forgiveness they’d offer to another person. Many people will show immediate compassion toward a friend while being exceptionally critical of themselves when facing similar situations. This is a common reaction that you can learn to deal with successfully.
Techniques for Recognizing When You Need Self-Kindness
When learning how to practice self-compassion, a good starting point is recognizing situations where you’re being unfairly tough on yourself. You can help yourself by using a few techniques to boost self-kindness.
Try To Judge Yourself Fairly
Common humanity involves seeing someone else in a tough situation and feeling compassion for them. If a friend feels bad after making a mistake or failing to hit a goal, you’d almost certainly react sympathetically with encouragement and support. However, many people simply cannot give themselves the same level of grace.
When practicing self-compassion, try to step back from the situation and look at it objectively. Try to follow the advice you’d give a friend in the same position.
Even if you did make a mistake, your intentions were good, and you gave a good effort, which is all you’d ask from another person. You can take positive steps to avoid repeating the same mistake next time.
Recognize Your Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Learning to accept yourself instead of trying to live up to an image of a perfect person is a key part of self-compassion. Although you can strive to be the best version of yourself, it’s healthy to give yourself some grace when you miss out on a goal.
Sometimes, you must accept that you aren’t as strong in certain areas as a co-worker or friend. However, you have areas of your life where you are succeeding because of your unique traits. Take the time to give yourself credit for your strengths, just like you’d give a friend credit.
Understand That Everyone Struggles Occasionally
One of the key steps in how to practice self-compassion is recognizing that everyone has occasional struggles. Many people work hard to hide their struggles, presenting an aura of perfection at work or on social media. However, this aura doesn’t represent reality for the majority of people.
If a friend confides in you about struggles, you might be caught off guard. Still, you’d provide support and compassion to your friend. You can do the same for yourself when you struggle without giving up on trying to improve your life.
Look at Your Emotions Objectively
Mindful awareness is the process of processing emotions objectively. Understandably, this can be a difficult process during an emotional time.
Think about how you’d react to a friend having a tough time emotionally. You can step back from the emotions of the situation and offer compassion. You can do the same for yourself during an emotional time by accepting your emotions while trying to understand them objectively.
Contact Rose Wellness for Help in Managing Your Inner Critic
Learning how to practice self-compassion isn’t always an easy process. You might benefit from self-compassion exercises that help you manage stress and anxiety when your inner critic treats you unfairly. At Rose Wellness, we have the experience and proven techniques to help people with issues like self-kindness, emotional resilience, and dealing with loneliness.
We are a fully virtual private practice that can provide the assistance you need. We can help you learn to accept yourself while continuing to move toward your personal growth goals. For an appointment, contact us today at (202) 681-1348.
