3 Reasons Why Self-Compassion Is Important

Life, unfortunately, doesn’t always go the way that we’ve planned – and there are certainly bound to be situations where we feel as though we’ve let ourselves down, or as if it is essentially impossible to feel a meaningful degree of self-respect, in light of the things about ourselves that we dislike.

In life, though, there is also good reason to be optimistic. New scientific discoveries and therapeutic systems are identified every day, which mean that everything from autism treatment to drug rehabilitation is becoming more effective and streamlined. But beyond optimism, there are many reasons to practice some self-compassion, too.

We all tend to be our own worst critics, and the little voices inside our heads are generally none too uplifting.

Here are a few reasons why self-compassion is important.

Because there is always something in you worth respecting and honouring

It might be that you are thoroughly and legitimately horrified and disgusted by certain things that you

have done your life, and by the condition that you currently find yourself in.

Under these circumstances, it can seem only natural to be resentful and highly self-critical. Ultimately,
though, no matter how badly some things have gone, there is always something in you worth
respecting and honouring – you can think of this as your potential to be better, or the
“spark of divinity” inside everyone.

Instead of being highly self-critical and harsh, focus on reformulating your life so that you can live
it in a way that you feel honours that potential and “divine spark.”

It’s never too late to get started.

Because a lack of self-compassion is often the root of the problem

There’s been some fascinating research done on the reasons why people succumb to drug addiction, and other clearly self-destructive lifestyle patterns.

One common viewpoint that people have taken throughout history, has been that the individuals in question were just “sick” or “criminally minded.”

Increasingly, though, research finds that many behavioural issues including drug addiction will frequently stem from a sense of low self-esteem, and fatalism about certain issues that the individual is experiencing in life, in general.

In one famous example; United States military personnel in the Vietnam War were very frequently addicted to heroin. Politicians back in the US were alarmed at the thought of thousands, if not millions, of junkies coming home and requiring detox.

In fact, though, the vast majority quit cold turkey when they returned home, with no further complications. Being in war was the trigger for the addiction.

Self-compassion can help you to overcome many issues. Self-cruelty can help to cause them.

Because progress is only ever made one step at a time

You might feel some kind of scorn towards yourself, because you feel as though you fall short of
where you would like to be, and where believe you could or should be.

It’s important to remember, though, that progress is only ever made one step at a time, and in the
words of Lao Tzu, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

As long as you are taking small steps to move in the right direction, you can and should hold your
head up high.

*contributed post*