Start in a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Just take a minute to arrive and to connect to your body.
Notice where your body touches the surface below you.
Take a deep breath in and on the exhale let go of anything that is not going to serve you today.
Take another inhale and exhale,
Relaxing and letting go of any stress or tension you may feel.
Another nice deep breath in,
Right down into your belly,
Letting out a sigh as you exhale.
Take a few more breaths here.
Self-compassion is treating yourself like you would a friend.
It can be easy to be compassionate and kind to others,
But it is so easy to be judgmental and critical of ourselves.
We might not feel worthy enough,
Attractive enough or successful enough.
Some of our greatest suffering is caused by our own thoughts.
We think we need to be perfect and sometimes are so harsh on ourselves,
But rather than beat ourselves up about our shortcomings,
It is much more effective to practice self-compassion to build ourselves up.
When you notice yourself being self-critical or hard on yourself,
Stop and notice what you are doing.
Remind yourself that no one is perfect.
We are all inadequate in some way and make mistakes.
So when you are struggling,
Imagine a good friend was going through the same thing and then treat yourself like you would that friend.
Be compassionate and caring towards yourself.
Let's practice some self-compassion now.
Place your hands over your heart in a loving way.
Repeat these phrases to yourself and have compassion for being an imperfect being.
May I love and accept myself as I am.
May I be kind and compassionate to myself.
May I know I am worthy.
May I accept that it is okay not to be perfect.
May I find peace and contentment in the moment.
Repeat these phrases again silently and let them resonate within you.
Remember that everyone is in a similar situation and feels inadequate in some way.
This is a normal human condition.
It is something we all share.
Remembering that everyone struggles in the same way,
Direct the phrases towards them.
May we all love and accept ourselves as we are.
May we all be kind and compassionate to ourselves.
May we all know that we are worthy.
May we all accept that it is okay not to be perfect.
May we all find peace and contentment in the moment.
The next time you are struggling,
You can practice being compassionate and repeat some similar phrases to yourself.
When you are ready,
You can start to bring your attention back to the room.
Notice any noises you may hear.
Feel where your body makes contact with the surfaces below you.
And open your eyes.
Have a wonderful week.
And remember,
You are already enough,
So be kind to yourself this week.
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