Responding To Yourself Like A Friend
Responding to yourself like a friend EXERCISE
Next time you’re having a difficult time, see if you can be a little kinder to yourself, with your words and actions.
Please take out a journal, sheet of paper or open a note on your phone or computer and answer the following questions:
Think about something challenging happening to you right now as if it were happening to a friend. How would you respond to this friend if they told you what was happening to them? What things might you say, what might your tone of voice or body language be like?
Now how would you respond to yourself in the same circumstance? What differences do you notice in how you responded to them vs. yourself? What factors are contributing to you having an easier time offering this kindness to your friend but not yourself?
Now write down how you think things might be different if you were able to respond to yourself like you did to your friend? How might you feel about yourself if you did that?
Next time you’re having a hard time, try putting your hand on your own heart, and saying something comforting like “I’m right here, I care about this.”
Consider stopping early next time you’re pushing yourself too hard, make a different choice about the food you’re going to eat this meal, or go to bed earlier to get a little extra sleep. All these actions, verbal and physical, are messages to your nervous system that you value yourself and can increase your sense of self-compassion.