| | | Self-compassion is a crucial skill. Life offers daily opportunities for us to screw up and fill the parent-guilt vault. Spill water. Miss a deadline. Yell at your kid. And when you do, what should your internal dialogue sound like? Is it A) What an idiot, you idiot or B) Shit happens. I’ll do better next time. When put like this, the option for self-compassion (uh, it’s B) should win in a landslide. It’s supportive and calming. But, in the moment, when you’re mad at yourself for, say, yelling at your kids or missing a deadline, it isn’t that easy. Self-criticism serves a purpose, sure. But self-compassion should, nine times out of ten, be the default. We need to be easier on ourselves. If not, we create a breeding ground for shame, self-hatred, and other such emotions — all things that can affect your family, too. So, how do you get your inner critic to cram it? Try to feed it less often. |
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