Oftentimes, we have compassion for others, but none for ourselves. We may see or hear of someone suffering and feel so compelled to help or send positive energy, however we ourselves need that help and positive energy. It is totally okay to feel compassionate towards others, however we must practice this towards ourselves as well! We cannot give from an empty cup, therefore we must replenish ourselves with love and self-compassion. We have to look deep within ourselves and ask those hard questions! Such as, what could we be doing to be a better version of yourself? What habits do I need to continue or break? Are we truly trying our best in a situation or using love and compassion in our daily lives? Are we patient with ourselves, giving our bodies enough time to rest and rejuvenate? Are we eating the best we can to make sure our body has fuel to complete the tasks we need to complete without burn-out? Are we thinking positive thoughts throughout the day to help create the reality we wish to live? These are all questions to ask ourselves to invoke more self-compassion towards ourselves, instead of trying to save someone else! Here are 5 daily practices to help us have more Self Compassion in our daily lives!
- Practice Reflection: Before bed, go over the events of the day. Were you patient with yourself? Did you give yourself enough time to complete the tasks you needed to complete? Did you fuel your body well? If not, what could you have done better?
- Drink A Hot Cup of Tea: Hot tea helps our body so much more than we know! Just the sensation of drinking hot tea can invite peace and calm into our day. Drinking hot tea brings our body back to homeostasis where we can have a moment of calm during your day. Section just 5 minutes of your day enjoying a cup of any hot tea of your choice, and use that time center and find some peace during your day
- Practice Listening: Many times, we have to respond to everything we hear whether our job requires it or not. Due to this constant state of responding, many of us do not fully listen because we are in a state of mind to respond. Practice truly listening not only to others, but to yourself. What does your inner voice or intuition tell you to do? Many times, we silence our intuition with music, social media and other distractions, so it is important that we silence our minds for a moment and check in with ourselves. Our inner voice or intuition is constantly sending us messages and signals throughout the day. Practice listening to that little voice more (of course if it’s telling you good things and balanced, some people have an inner voice telling them to do bad things-that’s another story!) Take the time to listen to yourself!
- Do Something that Brings You Joy: This could be ANYTHING. Take a walk, smell some flowers, take your kids to the park, watch your favorite show/movie, cook your favorite meal or order your favorite meal. Do anything that brings a smile to your face and releases that precious oxytocin. When we are happy and joyful, it spreads to others! So instead of worrying about the joy and happiness of others, bring some to yourself!
- Be Grateful– Try your best to be thankful and grateful for what you already have. Be thankful for that compassionate heart you have towards others, your possessions, qualities, family, and the many other blessings you may not have even realized were blessings! By practicing gratefulness, we attract more things to be grateful for! Look at all your positive qualities and be proud of them! Love yourself first, before you spread that love to others!