In this exercise I want you to learn more about self-compassion and to practice some self-compassion by visualizing yourself in typical scenarios that you are familiar with in your everyday life and then relearning them,
Retraining your brain to see them differently,
To respond differently with kindness and more compassion.
Research has shown that self-compassionate people are people who are able to thrive,
To care for themselves,
To keep going when they're facing difficulties or problems.
It builds resilience and it also ultimately leads us to see the world more realistically.
Self-compassion means also not judging ourselves very harshly or holding us against impossible high standards,
Unachievable.
And of course the flip side to all of this is also that we won't be as judgy towards other people.
We become kinder not only to ourselves.
So for this exercise I would like you to be in a comfortable position now.
I know that some people like to lie down,
Some people prefer to sit up.
It's important to have a straight back and to be as comfortable and still enough to hold this position for the next little while without having to adjust your body.
If you haven't already done so,
Please close your eyes now and start to build an internal focus.
Because right now and for the next few minutes there's nothing else you need to do.
You don't need to be anywhere else.
Just being here listening to these words.
To calm the body down please take three conscious nice long deep breaths.
Breathing in deeply and letting all the breath flow out of the body.
Feeling it soften in the muscles.
You might even notice that you're sinking deeper.
So what does self-compassion mean?
It means to know when you're under stress or struggling.
To be aware of it.
To detach a little to be mindful and also to respond with care and kindness.
The way a friend would help you or you would support someone that you love.
How do you care for yourself?
What do you do in daily life to look after your body and mind?
What are those things?
And can you also do them when life becomes difficult?
Let's start with thinking about how you care for your body.
Do you like to exercise or walk?
Do you enjoy getting a massage?
Do you sometimes have a warm bath to relax in?
What about a cup of tea that feels soothing and warming at the same time?
What other ways are there to release tension in your body?
Pick one thing that you really enjoy doing in which you take care of your body,
Your physical well-being and take a moment and visualize yourself doing that thing that you love doing.
If it's running just imagine yourself being outside feeling strong and powerful and present.
If you like that warm bath just imagine yourself being soothed and smelling the beautiful scents of the bubbles.
If it's that cup of tea imagine holding the cup in your hands and feeling the comforting texture and weight of the tea in the cup.
Then thinking about the ways you usually care for your mind especially when you are under stress.
You might like to meditate regularly.
Do you enjoy watching a funny movie or reading a beautiful book?
Are there any other strategies that you'd like to try to let your thoughts come and go more easily?
Are you fully absorbed in something else with presence again?
So again just like before just pick that one thing that you enjoy doing,
One way how you care for your mind and then imagine yourself doing it and using all your five senses.
Imagine how it feels in your body,
What you can see when you're doing it,
What you can hear,
Smell,
Maybe even taste.
How enjoyable and relaxing and comforting and soothing that is.
Really let those ideas become more embedded in your subconscious now.
And emotionally how do you soothe and comfort yourself normally?
Do you like to journal,
Cook something nutritious and delicious,
Play with your pet or your children?
And again is there something new you'd like to try?
Pick one thing and really imagine yourself doing it.
How does it feel cuddling your dog,
The smell of it,
The weight,
The touch,
Sounds or cooking that meal just pick your thing and spend a few moments imagining doing it as if it's actually happening right now.
How do you look after yourself in relation to other people?
How do you connect with other people?
When does it bring you genuine happiness,
That connection that we're wired to have?
Imagining meeting your friends or sending a happy birthday card or when you're playing a game with someone?
Is there a way to even enrich these connections,
Make them deeper,
Become more vulnerable?
And again pick that one thing and imagine yourself doing it,
Being with friends.
Doing something kind for someone you care about,
Laughing.
And notice how that actually translates into different feelings in your body.
And then spiritually committing to your values Do you like walking in nature,
Helping other people,
Trying something new,
Meditate or pray?
Is there anything you'd like to remember to do to try?
Just allow your subconscious mind to bring something up for you and whatever you might find there just use that for a moment and imagine yourself doing it again.
Using all your five senses,
Your smell,
Taste,
Vision,
Hearing and touching.
That's it.
And all these five areas of self-care are so important.
They are a way of nurturing a self-compassionate attitude towards yourself.
And over the next few days you might notice a new awareness inside of you.
Whenever you're struggling there's this other way of relating to yourself with kindness and curiosity and openness.
This is how self-compassion in your daily life can become your default response.
So in a few moments when you return to your full awareness again you'll notice a softness and a smile inside of you that will stay with you and carry you through the rest of your day.
And then in your own time start to become more aware of your surroundings again and when you are ready you can come back and open your eyes.
