Waking up every morning and it seems your day is boring ahead, but in a world full of heaviness, traumas and stress self-compassion is rare to find. Still, you can build self-compassion with the help of little efforts that you make daily. Self compassion is an important part of positive psychology as positive psychology improves and promotes physical health, mindfulness and kindness. In this blog we cover positive psychology self compassion exercises.
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What is self compassion
According to Dr Neff self compassion comprises of three main components that is
Kindness: Being understanding to yourself in the challenging and painful times of your life
Mindfulness: Seeing problems as they exist without over-identifying with them.
Humanity:Showing loves and shows empathy to all natural beings including humans, animals or plants.
Daily positive psychology self-compassion exercises to boost well-being
Self-compassion is essential for fostering a positive mindset and enhancing overall well-being. Incorporating daily positive psychology exercises can significantly improve your relationship with yourself. These exercises can be categorized into meditation practices and non-meditation exercises, each offering unique benefits.
Non-Meditation Exercises for Self-Compassion
The Non-Meditation Exercises encompass a variety of activities aimed at promoting self-kindness and well-being without requiring a meditative state. These can include writing, positive affirmations, and acts of kindness, which integrate seamlessly into daily routines and enhance self-compassion through practical actions.
Positive affirmations
Affirmations are short motivational statements that we consciously say to ourselves, affirmations aids in changing our beliefs that are deeply embedded in our minds. Some examples of positive affirmation are
I am confident, I am beautiful, I am worthy.
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Self talk positive
Negative self-talk brings no solutions and changes in your life instead making life more miserable. Let’s replace it with positive ones where you talk about the possible realities of any worst situation. It will change your perception about the worst situation. some examples are
I am worthy,
I am enough
I am deserving of love and compassion.
Gratitude
Being gracious for what you have is enough to boost your well-being. For this you have to show gratitude daily for things and opportunities you have.
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Visualise
Make a vivid picture of your dream self and dream life daily, our brain does not know the difference between what is real and what is fake. Continuous imagination boosting your well-being on a daily basis.
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Journaling
Journaling is to start writing your dreams, goals and emotions about how you are feeling in the NOW moment. For example, if you encounter a bad situation or a good one, add it in your diary feeling negative about that situation and write it down. Writing down helps you to settle that situation and find solutions for it.
Consume good quality content
This is the age of media and content is the king. Everytime of content is roaming on the internet. People are exposing their glamorous lives in the media. Positive content like motivation, self improvement time management is also present in parallel. It’s your choice to see and consume clean content.
Help people in their needs
Human beings are connected with each other and the need of each other in difficult times is obvious. Start uplifting and helping people around you. It will boost your well-being in no time.
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Savouring
Take time to fully savour the things around you. Whether it is eating a meal. Walking or playing a small game enjoy it to the full extent.
Exercise
Keep moving your body dailly even for 15 minutes. Mobility releases hormones like dopamine in the body that help in improving health and make your mood happy.
Develop some new hobbies
Despite your daily hobbies, develop some new ones too. Try new things frequently that will match your interest and desires. Hobby can be small like painting, reading books, travelling. These sideline work are critical in establishing well-being.
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Meditation Exercises for Self-Compassion
Meditation Practices involve structured, mindful techniques that focus on self-awareness, relaxation, and fostering positive thoughts through meditative activities. These practices help in cultivating inner peace and a deeper connection with oneself.
1. Mindful Self-Compassion Meditation
Spend 10-15 minutes each day practicing mindful self-compassion meditation. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. When you notice your mind wandering, gently bring your attention back to your breath. As you meditate, silently repeat phrases like “May I be kind to myself,” “May I accept myself as I am,” and “May I be free from suffering.”
2. Loving-Kindness Meditation
Practice loving-kindness meditation by silently repeating phrases of goodwill and compassion towards yourself and others. Start with yourself: “May I be happy,” “May I be healthy,” “May I be safe,” and “May I live with ease.” Gradually extend these wishes to others, including loved ones, acquaintances, and even those with whom you have conflicts.
3. Body Scan Meditation
At the beginning or end of your day, practice a body scan meditation to cultivate awareness and acceptance of your physical sensations. Lie down comfortably, close your eyes, and slowly bring your attention to different parts of your body, from your toes to the top of your head. Notice any areas of tension or discomfort and breathe into them, offering yourself compassion and care.
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This table shows how Self-compassion boost well-being
Aspects of well-being | How self-compassion boost well-being |
Self-improvement | Encourage self-awareness and continuous improvement through self reflection and kindness. |
Overall happiness | Promotes a sense of fulfilment and life satisfaction by enhancing positive interaction |
Physical health | Lower blood pressure and inflammation and reduce stress by improving the immune system. |
Resilience | Improve resilience by by fostering positive and optimistic environment |
Social connections | Improve social connection with improving relationship |
Self-worth | Improve self -worth by promoting positive talk. |
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Conclusion
In conclusion by practising positive psychology self compassion exercises above, ensure to enhance your well-being in the most suitable way. Positive psychology exercises for improving well-being is consistent practice. With these exercises anyone can improve their existing situations and lead towards a healthy life and mind. What practice do you do for boosting well-being through positive psychology exercises??