3 MYTHS of Self Compassion
To most, compassion is a commendable quality. But for some reason, this quality is limited to "others" in our culture, not often for "oneself." Lets explore 3 possible false assumptions that may prevent us from applying compassion to oneself.1-Self Compassion means weakness.
Susan didn't express any painful feelings while going through her divorce. She believed she had to be "strong for the kids" and power on no matter what. This meant putting herself last and ignoring any emotional or physical needs. When Susan fell apart 3 months after the divorce was final, she wondered why she was able to be "strong" in the beginning, but then suddenly became "weak and unable to handle even the smallest tasks". What Susan didn't realize is that instead of being a "weakness",
researchers are now discovering that self-compassion is one of the most powerful influences of coping and resilience, that we have available to us. How one relates to themselves when the going gets tough- as an enemy or ally-is often what determines ones ability to cope successfully.
2- Self compassion is narcissistic.
High self esteem requires standing out in a crowd-or being "above average" in the American culture. The problem of course is that it is impossible for us to be outstanding, all of the time. When we compare ourselves to those "better" than us, we will always feel like failures. An example of
this is teen bullying. One teen told me "picking on wimpy nerds boosts my self esteem and makes me feel cool". After many sessions he finally discovered he needed to focus on himself, and ways to feel more secure, rather than his demeaning behavior towards others. Narcissism usually results in exercising power over others; self compassion is the opposite-empowering oneself so there is no need to compare or put others down.
3- Self compassion is selfish.
Some confuse self care with selfishness and assume caring of oneself automatically means neglecting everyone else. As a therapist, I am always amazed when I meet people who consider themselves to be good, generous, altruistic souls, who are perfectly awful to themselves. Caring for oneself is actually the opposite: it's one of the most important things you can do to have healthier relationships, and it does not mean you neglect loved ones! In reality, beating yourself up can be a paradoxical
form of self centeredness. When we can be kind and nurturing to ourselves, however, many of our emotional needs are met, leaving us in a better position to focus on others. Therefore, having self compassion equals the ability to have more to give others, not less to give others.
These 3 myths often stand in the way of caring for ourselves. More information and even classes on ways to improve self care can be found at www.mindfulnessprograms.com or web search (name of State) i.e.. "Utah msar".