The Practice of Self-Compassion in Daily Life

Unit 5 Reflection Journal
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Activity 1: The Practice of Self-Compassion in Daily Life
The aspect that stood out for me is the aftermath of being critical about ourselves. According to Neff (2013), when we criticize ourselves regarding a certain imperfection, we react by attacking the problem, which, in essence, means attacking ourselves. This culminates in such effects as depression. The fact that a lack of self-compassion can cause depression surprised me immensely. In addition, the concept that self-compassion succeeds where self-esteem has failed struck me as interesting. I had never taken the time to think about how the two are related.
The two exercises of self-compassion I implemented are changing my critical self-talk and taking care of the caregiver (Neff, n.d.). After implementing them, I noted that being harsh on me is more detrimental to my mental well-being than I had thought. I, therefore, resolved to refrain from being too hard on myself by embracing and encouraging myself whenever I feel I have failed. In addition, I need to formulate more compassionate language when addressing myself, however challenging it might be.
One challenge I encountered when incorporating self-compassion practices was discarding the old habit of self-criticism. I always found myself relapsing, but eventually, I managed to accept and love myself more intensely. The other challenge was finding the time to dedicate to self-compassion. We live in a fast-paced world with myriad responsibilities at our doorstep, which makes it difficult to dedicate some time to ourselves. In connection with this, I really struggled to make enough time for myself, but I had no option but to make it part of my life.
I will definitely be implementing these practices regularly because I have noticed the extent to which they contribute to my happiness. I have also realized that prac...