While working on my upcoming memoir, Bliss Road, (June 2023), I had more than a few low points. Lifting myself out of them took some effort.
What I wish I’d had then was the book I’m currently reading, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff.
She’s a professor and researcher on the topic of compassion at the University of California, Berkeley, who runs a website called Self-Compassion featuring research and exercises she includes in her book. I heard her interviewed on Hidden Brain, one of my favorite podcast series that explores human behavior and current neuroscience.
Here are the two points Kristin made that sold me on getting her book and working through the exercises: 1) we are often much kinder to other people than to ourselves, and 2) we can’t be nearly as much help to others until we prove to ourselves we’re worthy people.
I’ll share what I learn.
How do you show yourself compassion?
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