I am a big fan of the Talks at Google series and this video of Krisitn Neff sharing “The Science of Self-Compassion” does not disappoint. Neff defines compassion in three main components: kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. In this talk, she breaks each of these down. She also takes you through a brief self-compassion practice that explores using these three components with something that is going on in your life.
The description of talk from Google: “Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself” is part memoir, part overview of the insights coming from Kristin Neff’s past 15 years of research. Self-compassion involves treating ourselves kindly, like we would a close friend we cared about. Rather than making global evaluations of ourselves as “good” or “bad,” it involves generating kindness toward ourselves as imperfect humans, and learning to be present with the inevitable struggles of life with greater ease. It motivates us to make needed changes in our lives not because we’re worthless or inadequate, but because we care about ourselves and want to lessen our suffering. This talk will present theory and research on self compassion, and discuss research indicating that self- compassion is a more powerful and effective motivational tool than self-criticism.”
May I be kind to myself. What do I need in this moment?