Self-Compassion - 8 Exercises

FORUM HUNT: INABILITY

Self-compassion is extending compassion to one's self-instances when you feel that you don't deserve it, when you feel inadequate or when you're having a tough time. The following are a couple of exercises that you could do. Each exercise has a link to lead you to more instruction on what to do.

Exercise 1 How Would You Treat A Friend?

How do you think things might change if you responded to yourself in the same way you typically respond to a close friend when he or she is suffering? Click here for instructions on what to do.

Exercise 2: Self-Compassion Break

This exercise can be used any time of day or night and will help you remember to evoke the three aspects of self-compassion in the moment you need it most. Click here for more details on this exercise or here to listen to it.

Exercise 3: Exploring Self-Compassion through writing

Everybody has something about themselves that they dont like; something that causes them to feel shame, to feel insecure, or not good enough. This exercise will help you write a letter to yourself about this issue from a place of acceptance and compassion. Click here for instructions.

Exercise 4: The Criticizer, the criticized, and the compassionate observer

In this exercise, you will sit in different chairs to help get in touch with different, often conflicting parts of yourself (the criticizer, the criticized, and the compassionate observer), experiencing how each aspect feels in the present moment. Click here for some info on what to do.

Exercise 5: Changing your critical self-talk

By acknowledging your self-critical voice and reframing its observations in a more friendly way, you will eventually form the blueprint for changing how you relate to yourself long-term. This exercise will help you learn how to do it, click here

Exercise 6: Self-compassionate Journal

Keeping a daily journal in which you process the difficult events of your day through a lens of self-compassion can enhance both mental and physical well-being. This exercise will help make self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness part of your daily life. More instructions here.

Exercise 7: Identifying what we really want

Remember that if you really want to motivate yourself, love is more powerful than fear. In this exercise, youll reframe your inner dialogue so that it is more encouraging and supportive. Click here for more instruction.

Exercise 8: Taking care of the caregiver

This exercise will allow you to keep your heart open and help you care for and nurture yourself at the same time youre caring for and nurturing others. More info here

Want more? Click here to find mindfulness tapes that you can save to your PC.