For so many people, the events around us have evoked a great deal of anger, fear and confusion — and a widespread increase in “us versus them.” It’s understandable that we would feel strong emotions these days, and that it’s a time for speaking and standing up for what we believe in. But how do we find balance when anger or sadness take hold?
We are people who need people. We simply cannot reach our true potential without being loved. The paradox is that to attract the right kind of person into our lives, one with whom our love can grow and grow, we must first have a strong connection with our self and the light we possess inside. Only when we are emotionally independent, when we let go of the desperation and intense “need” for someone else to validate or want us, to praise or make us a priority, do we build the proper platform on which to actually draw the love we so desire.
We all have people in our lives with whom we find it difficult to get along. In many cases, we can simply avoid them. However, what if those we “don’t like” are people we just can't get rid of? Like a sibling or parent, or hey what about those in-laws; or maybe it's a coworker or boss, or member of a community in which we are deeply invested. We might wish certain people away, yet the truth is, people we have a hard time getting along with—they are in our lives for a reason. We don’t want to miss the learning opportunity that these challenging people might present for us. Explore this growth-oriented paradigm as a first step in navigating the process of trying to get along.
I can hardly think of anyone who walks through my private practice door, whether that be for relationship problems, anxiety, depression or any life challenge, who at the core, does not struggle in some way with low self-esteem, self-worth, self-love. The never feeling good enough syndrome.
Self-compassion is based on the underlying principle that we do not need to be exceptional to be worthy of comfort or kindness, that we are not isolated from one another but rather part of a common humanity joined by our shared pains and joys along the journey of life. Read more for TIPS FOR A SELF-COMPASSIONATE LIFE
