Self-Compassion
Treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a good friend during difficult times.
Also known as: Self-kindness, Being kind to yourself
Category: Concepts
Tags: psychology, mental-health, well-being, personal-growth, mindfulness
Explanation
Self-compassion, as defined by researcher Kristin Neff, involves three components: self-kindness (being gentle with yourself rather than harshly self-critical), common humanity (recognizing that suffering and imperfection are shared human experiences), and mindfulness (holding painful thoughts and feelings in balanced awareness). Unlike self-esteem, which depends on success and comparison, self-compassion provides stable emotional resilience. Research shows self-compassion reduces anxiety, depression, and fear of failure while increasing motivation and well-being. Contrary to fears that it leads to complacency, self-compassionate people actually take more responsibility for mistakes and are more motivated to improve. For knowledge workers and perfectionists, self-compassion is essential for recovering from setbacks, reducing procrastination (which often stems from fear of self-criticism), and maintaining sustainable productivity.
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