Go Ahead and Give Yourself Some Slack!

Mind

May 20

Source: http://compassioninspiredhealth.com/2015/10/26/be-kind-to-yourself/

All of us have been adjusting to our new structure of life over the last year. For some, it has been more stressful than others. This has been especially hard on those of us who favor control in our lives. We have had to rely on wisdom to accept the things we cannot control and to change the things we think need changing (from the Serenity Prayer). This post will hopefully help each of you incorporate self-compassion into your daily practice. Research has shown that by being kind to ourselves, we can improve our health by reducing cortisol (the stress hormone) and feeling safer overall.

As busy individuals (especially in the case of being a student-athlete or coach), we are often moving so quickly through the days that we are unaware of our struggles or feelings. So, the first step towards self-compassion is to be mindful and allow yourself to pause and check in with yourself. How are you feeling? Are your muscles tight? Are you feeling sad or stressed? This is done to validate, not to judge, that whatever you are going through is tough. Other words to describe this step include: admitting, noticing and “this sucks.”

After acknowledging how we are feeling, the second step is to recognize that you are not the only person dealing with this. For instance, during this pandemic, all of our lives have been changed by the same circumstance. We are all connected in this shared human experience and no matter what you’re going through, you are not alone.

The third step in being compassionate to yourself is to show love by being gentle and caring. You may want to think of what you would like someone to tell you to make you feel better and say that to yourself. For example, “I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. Can I do anything to help?” This allows us to balance our emotions so that they are not repressed or exaggerated. We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time.

We all have a common goal to ease suffering and thrive to be happy. Motivating ourselves with kindness and encouragement instead of harsh words or accusations increases well-being and cuts down on stress and anxiety. Compassion is a much more effective way to achieve that goal than self-criticism.

Geaux be well!