Sixth Week: Compassion as Part of Self Acceptance

Continuing with the theme of self-acceptance, in the coming week I’d like to invite you to experiment with responding to yourself with compassion. Whenever you make a mistake, or do something that embarrasses you or makes you feel self-conscious, take a moment to remember that everyone has had a similar experience at some time or another. It’s human to have moments of discomfort and difficulty. Remind yourself that what you have done, thought, or felt that caused you discomfort is part of being human. In the best of all worlds, these kinds of experiences become the foundation for new learning, and point the way to styles of being, thinking, or feeling that we need to change, heal, or update.

And so, having compassion for yourself doesn’t mean it’s okay to give up responsibility for how and who you are in the world. Instead, when you have compassion for yourself you are more able to be honest about how and who you are in the world. In fact, it’s been my experience that since I’ve been more compassionate with myself, I’ve also developed a much more available and active sense of humor about during those times when I’m on auto pilot, behaving unconsciously. I used to feel deep shame if I said something out of turn or did something that revealed my less-than-elegant ways of being. Now, whenever I put my foot in my mouth, I’m more likely to chuckle at my faux pas than I am to feel humiliated by it. This has been a great relief to me, and I can reliably say that you will feel more comfortable in your own skin when you have a compassionate relationship with yourself.

And so, this week’s experiment offers you an opportunity to be present to yourself with a compassion that allows you to acknowledge that you are human, that you will make mistakes, and that each and every experience can become a seed of new growth and understanding.

Click Here for Other Weeks in This Series:

Home Page