When it comes to being kind to ourselves, our efforts can often leave a lot to be desired. Most of us are all too good at being self-critical, and lockdown has been no exception. But why?
Often, most of this self-criticism that lives on social media pushes the buttons to be ‘compared’ to others.. We criticize ourselves by comparing our lives to our online connections; we’re not productive enough, not creative enough, not having enough fun, and so on.
We all know, if we tell ourselves often enough, it becomes the new truth and then things shift in a way that may not be good for you - developing behaviors and feelings that can turn into anxiety, depression and fear.
You have heard it often from loved ones, friends and perhaps your therapist – ‘be kind to yourself’…being kind is having self compassion and this concept has been around for a long time, originating from ancient Buddhism…(I sometimes wonder, have we evolved…our fore-fathers were so wise!)
It’s thought that those who embrace and develop self compassion are more motivated, more emotionally resilient and more able to cope with life's difficulties. It can not only help us to feel happier, but also lessen feelings of anxiety and depression. So, do more of what is good for you and less of what is not and develop that focused sense of self compassion.
Research has found that by developing our compassion we can create positive effects on our brain and immune system. It’s so effective that there’s even a type of talking therapy devoted to it – Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).
All talking therapies involve compassion – the premise of counselling itself is to be kinder to yourself and your mental health. What makes Compassion Focused Therapy different is that it looks to help develop your ability to be more compassionate towards both yourself and others
Compassion Focused Therapy can be helpful to people who find it challenging to understand, feel, or express compassion, as therapy can be a safe place in which to discover any reasons behind this difficulty and explore methods of positive change.
So…do you want a little dose of self-compassion?
Contact Shifting Tides Counselling to book your tune up session and daily dose of self compassion!
