Treating Ourselves with Compassion

6. December 2008 by Patricia.

What do we do with feeling guilty? Surely, guilt is another way in which we are hard on ourselves. Guilt simply doesn’t serve us. Find a catch phrase that you can say to yourself to move beyond guilt and into compassion such as “I am doing the best I can in this moment.”

I hear women say how guilty they feel when they succumbed and ate chocolate. Here’s what I do if I really want chocolate and nothing else will do. I go out and get the best, most luscious chocolate I can find, I savor it, and then enjoy it.

We often forget to treat ourselves with sensitivity, choosing instead to scold and judge ourselves. We give our “inner critic” full reign to speak harshly to us – “That was stupid!” or “There you go again!” Whose voice is that? What are the messages your negative self-talk sends you?

Becoming aware of the inner critic and the automatic judgmental thoughts that pop up unlocks the door to compassion. Suggestion: Develop affirmations that counteract the negative, scolding and judging voice that stops you from reaching your full potential. Here is an example of such an affirmation: “I made a mistake and I forgive myself completely.”

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