Radical Self-Compassion: The Surprising Key to Unlocking True Empowerment and Personal Growth

We all carry the baggage of “what-ifs” and “what-else’s” with us, while simultaneously granting ourselves unlimited permission to judge ourselves harshly. Will we stop and call the stranger on the street all the names we call ourselves? Then why do we allow it for the person in the mirror?

Hate is inherently filled with turmoil and brutality. And self-hate carries far more destruction. We don’t want to be associated with those kind of emotions, do we?

Compassion is an emotion that stems from the mind AND the heart. And when we don’t have compassion towards ourselves, we can’t live to our full potential. It is the feelings of inferiority, inadequacy and insecurity that determine the goal of an individual’s existence.

As a protagonist of our personal story, we can’t be an underdog in it. Surely there’s no place for doubt, powerlessness & fear if the hero has to be a winner. Yes there will be obstacles, and that’s what makes the journey enjoyable.

We do so little to celebrate our strengths. We’re hard on ourselves often, mistaking it for humility. We take constant guilt trips about our bad habits. But, we’re all raised to be grateful for what we have. And this determines how we see ourselves.

When have you told yourself that you’re “not enough”? Did you let anyone or anything extrinsic to you determine your personal worth?

No material wealth that we display externally for others to take notice will suffice if we’re unhappy and empty on the inside. As for other people to decide how much we value to them or to the world, well, they simply don’t have the relevant context to do that.

To build our self-worth, we must first ask ourselves how we’re showing up for ourselves. Because self-leadership is important so we can guide and lead others who look upto us.

All I’m asking is that you grow your heart a little. To cut your losses and give yourself some slack. To not take yourself so seriously and to forgive the way you look. We don’t seek beautiful faces if they belong to mean and self-centered people, right? So looks are not everything.

Take stock of your accomplishments and acknowledge your abilities. Get to a place of unconditional positive regard for yourself and your abilities. Try to live a life of minimal internal conflict. Appreciate for how far you’ve come.

There, good job!

Life is made of trial and error. Be happy and content with yourself on how much you’re trying to make it happen. Of course, not to the point that you’ve gotten passive about your dreams and goals and settle for mediocre.

In a way that Buddhism teaches radical acceptance to us. That we’re inherently lovely, wise and compassionate. If we were not that way, we would have seen all strangers as cruel and irredeemable. Wouldn’t we?

Learning to love myself in every form. Even this facepack edition.

–

Featured image: Copyright @fabarboza for Unsplash

– 0 –