Do you tend to be hard on yourself? Is it easier to be kind to others than it is to say kind things to yourself inside your own head? Do you have a difficult time accepting compliments? Do you struggle with guilt whenever you take time for yourself? Is your focus always on how you fall short, no matter how hard you try?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, I hope these quotes and thoughts about self-compassion will bring you inspiration and encouragement today.
Change your mindset by choosing to be kind to yourself
“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.”
Louise L. Hay
“Be nice to yourself…It’s hard to be happy when someone is mean to you all the time.”
Christine Arylo
“You can’t build joy on a feeling of self-loathing.”
Ram Dass
“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.”
Diane Von Furstenberg
Some of these are a little snarky, but I think they get the message across. Bring hard on yourself makes life unnecessarily hard. Instead, try allowing yourself the same compassion you would show to others.
“Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love.”
Brene Brown
Compassion is powerful and leads to positive transformation
“When we give ourselves compassion, we are opening our hearts in a way that can transform our lives.”
Kristin Neff
“A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.”
Christopher K. Germer
“Question: How can you do onto others as you would like done onto you, if you are not compassionate toward yourself?”
Charles F Glassman
I hope this last one made you think. Take a good hard look at how you treat yourself. I hope you treat yourself the way you want to treat others.
Choose to accept yourself as you are today
“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.”
Malcolm S. Forbes
Unfortunately, this is all too true. Most of us have a negative bent inside our heads. We are quick to notice our faults and slow to accept our strengths. Quick to scold ourselves for a mistake and slow to accept a compliment.
“Embrace the glorious mess that you are.”
Elizabeth Gilbert
“I was once afraid of people saying, ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say ‘This is who I am.’”
Oprah Winfrey
Let Oprah inspire you to stand up and be your wonderful, God-created, worthy of love and respect, self.
“Self-love is about slipping up, having the bad days and loving ourselves despite of them, forgiving ourselves and, most importantly, having compassion for ourselves and how we’re feeling. So, give yourself permission to fall down, but don’t give yourself permission to stay there.”
Saskia Lightstar
Self-Compassion helps you build healthy boundaries
“Self-acceptance begets acceptance from others, which begets even deeper, more genuine self-acceptance. It can be done. But no one is going to bestow it on you. It is a gift only you can give yourself.”
Camryn Manheim
“If you do not respect your own wishes, no one else will. You will simply attract people who disrespect you as much as you do.”
Vironika Tugaleva
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
Maya Angelou
I hope that you choose balance and make use of both your “hands.” Be compassionate to others, and yourself, today.
