Love Yourself With Radical Self-Kindness

In this lesson, we see that the root of the inner critic is aggression. It comes with a desire to condemn, which leads to a desire to punish. Inner criticism drains your energy. It punishes you over and over again. It self-sabotages. When you are self-compassionate, it is actually easier to improve and grow! While your inner critic is strong, no one's love will feel like it's enough.

In this lesson we start with a poem and then you will hear what actionable self-kindness looks like. We will also ask: what really matters to me? Your intention for your life is important. What you seek is seeking you. Seek what is authentic as an act of self-kindness. You will always feel like a victim until you start practicing self-compassion.

In this lesson, we will do a meditation to send yourself self-compassion, and learn what is important to you and how you can be kind to myself. Sending and receiving self-compassion is an important part of the practice.

In this lesson, we look at the Mahayana Buddhism perspective on self-kindness and enlightenment. You will give your heart back to itself. Self-Kindness is "may I be happy." Self-Compassion is "may I be free from suffering." How do I guide myself to my highest joy? Don’t be afraid to see the good in yourself or write down a list of what you like about yourself. This lesson asks the question "What can I give myself every single day?" As you learn to be more self-kindness, life gets less hectic and you have more energy. We will also do a meditation where you send wishes of happiness. You will set an intention that your actions, words and thoughts, lead to your happiness, health and peace in your heart.

In this lesson, we will distinguish between two sources of joy we have as human beings: hedonic and eudaimonic happiness. You will see that self-kindness is understanding who you really are and doing what speaks to your heart. Honor your needs as they are. Honor your desires as they are. Guide yourself towards your highest meaning. Distinguish between what actually gives you happiness from that which promises you happiness. Everything you do, do it for keeps.

If you are not self-compassionate, the person who will do you the most harm is you. Once you do start being self-compassionate– happiness, health, lots of energy, good relationships come naturally! Self-kindness has two parts, giving and receiving. You give to yourself and receive from yourself. In this lesson you will receive compassionate wishes from Elizabeth. May this radical self-kindness contribute to your happiness. This lesson concludes the course and offers go forward thoughts and ideas on how to best support, expand and maintain your practices of Radical Self-Kindness that we established during this foundational endeavor.