We tend to be more attuned – and socially trained – to being kind to others. Being kind to ourselves can therefore be a trickier concept and something a lot of us need to learn, nurture and practice.
Often the very thought of being kind to ourselves can trigger worry in clients, that they’re somehow being selfish simply by tending to themselves with care.
To counter that, I offer the following quote taken from the brilliant Dr Nelisha Wickremasinghe in her wise and useful book, ‘Beyond Threat’.
“There is growing evidence to show that people who are self-compassionate are more motivated than those who are not.
The kindness component of self-compassion softens the judging, critical, sometimes self-loathing voice of our inner critic.
Learning to walk with our inner critic…is one of the most crucial relationships to cultivate for those of us yearning to discover what is possible in ourselves beyond striving, achievement and disappointment. Kind self-talk soothes our threat brain, quietens the critic and enables us to stay open and responsive to new experience.”
Does this resonate for you?
What might this mean for you today?
How might you bring a moment of kindness into your day?