There is a cultural perception that self-compassion is somehow a selfish act or smacks of self-pity which is culturally considered to be a deplorable state. However, cultivating self-compassion is inherently an act of love for not only ourselves but also our loved ones and whoever we engage with throughout our day, bus driver, checkout assistant, colleagues and neighbours.
Self-compassion works just like oxygen, we need to make sure we’ve got enough before we can assist others. In my practice I’ve found that people really struggle with prioritising themselves, especially parents of young children but if you actually think that through…. the logic and reality of this is fundamentally true. If you pass out from lack of oxygen or worse, the other person (little or large) doesn’t have you to care for them.
This video shows this in beautifully illustrated detail. Give yourself the four + minutes to watch this video and notice what it feels like to take that time to connect with the concept and feeling of self-compassion.
