6 Ways to Treat Yourself with Compassion

Autumn brings us beautiful colors, crisp air, and cozy vibes. But it also brings an energy of change and balance, an invitation to take a moment and slow down—a time to reflect, re-evaluate, and nurture ourselves.

You demonstrate responsibility, self-compassion, and love when you nurture yourself. Treating yourself with compassion is the secret to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. I know, sometimes treating yourself with the same compassion you'd treat a friend is hard! I get it. But it's essential, and we shouldn't feel bad about doing it.

Here are five ways I treat myself with compassion daily.

Be Mindful

When my inner critic is on repeat, I know I'm caught up in the negative self-talk record I've been playing for years. One way to quiet the inner critic is to be mindful. Allow what you think and feel to have its moment without overthinking, and then let it go.

Treat Yourself Like You Would Treat Your Best Friend

Unfortunately, the meanest person in your life is sometimes yourself. We treat ourselves in ways we would never treat our bestie. Most of us are very good at treating the people we care about with kindness and compassion. The trick is applying these same strategies to ourselves. Encourage, empower, and support yourself just like you would your best friend.

Attitude of Gratitude

Take a gratitude break during the day or journal before bed about three specific things for which you are grateful. Rather than focusing on the things we don't have, there is strength in shifting to focus on what we do have in the present moment. By practicing gratitude, we move the inner critic to a softer, more compassionate inner voice.

Perfectly Imperfect

Recognize that being imperfect, failing, and experiencing life difficulties are inevitable, but you don't have to define yourself in these moments. Cultivate a perspective that accepts these moments as part of life and lets them go.

Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome your inner critic. Instead of constantly replaying your inner critic, put your daily positive affirmations on repeat. When you repeat them often and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes. These are the affirmations that I'm using in October.

You Are Not Alone

All people suffer, feel inadequate and make mistakes. In a recent survey, 8 out of 10 millennials reported that they believe they aren't "good enough." Recognize that this is part of the shared human experience and not something only happening to you. Realizing this helps bring us closer and connects us to others around us.

So next time you start judging yourself for all of your faults, stop and treat yourself with compassion.