Ways To Practice Self Compassion

Self compassion is a journey. I would say I’ve come quite a long way from where I used to be. Sometimes, I need a reminder though. There are great ways to start practicing self compassion in daily life. These are ones that I practice daily, let me know if they help you!

• Saying No

If someone is exhausting you, set boundaries! This is a great way to practice compassion. Often, we feel like we need to be constantly available to people 24/7. We can set our boundaries and respect what our body and mind needs. This is a way to show love, respect, and kindness to yourself. 

• Affirmations

Affirmations are a great and simple way to practice self love and self compassion. I always like doing them in the mirror. They are more impactful for me personally when said in a mirror. I also like doing them during meditation or relaxation time. You can give yourself reminders on your phone. There are so many great ways to remind yourself throughout the day that you are amazing!

• Forgive Yourself

This is difficult for me. If I set out a plan, I always want to meet it and meet it perfectly. That’s not always possible with a chronic illness. Some days my body can’t function the way I want it to. That means that I accept what I cannot do. I reframe and focus on gratitude for what I can do. That automatically makes my day brighter. I am usually still disappointed but I remind myself that I can’t control certain things. I can control how I treat myself though.

• Set Healthy Habits

I saw someone on Tik Tok talk about self love. I thought she had a really interesting perspective and point. Essentially, she said that self care is going to be messy. It’s about getting yourself to the place where taking care of yourself is a gift rather than an escape. I think she’s exactly right. Setting healthy habits is self care. Keeping those healthy habits involves standing up for yourself. That doesn’t always look pretty. If you can get yourself to the point where what was once an escape is now a reward, you start to honor yourself. You start to become who you want and need yourself to be.

• Treat Yourself

I don’t mean treat yourself by binge eating or staying in bed all day. I mean put on cute outfits and get ready because it makes you feel good. Cook for yourself because you deserve to eat delicious food. Work out because it makes you feel good. Do things in your daily life because they make you feel good about yourself. Cut out the habits and toxicity of the things that are negatively impacting you. Treat yourself.

All of these tips are things you can start doing today. Give yourself grace! Life is a journey and self compassion is a practice. We all have bad days. We all could be doing more. What matters is that we are trying. We are waking up and setting an intention to be kinder to ourselves. If you’re doing that, I think you’re well on your way. 

I hope that your day is going well. I hope that your day is filled with joy, positivity, and happiness. I hope you find peace, love, and happiness.