It takes a bit of an effort to be grateful.
We are hard-wired to always be searching for "better" or "more" while simultaneously watching out for potential hazards or threats. We are predisposed to keep going without allowing ourselves to pause and enjoy the fruits of our labors either at home or work.
When we think about self-compassion, it is often associated with the ideas of being kind to oneself and letting go of our inner critic. These are unquestionably important elements, but not really related to the insight I recently had.
The form of self-compassion that I’m thinking about is when we listen to our hearts and honor what we need, even if this is different from what we think we want.
Self-care is what keeps us feeling good, both mentally and physically. When you feel both physically healthy and mentally strong, you are able function at a level that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. I’ve written before about why self-care and self-advocacy are not selfish. It allows you to effectively and resiliently support all the people in your life who are counting on you.
How, then, do we introduce more self-advocacy and self-care into our busy everyday lives when we’re so often focused on everyone else?
