How to Practice Self-Compassion…A Meditation

One of my greatest struggles in life has been my relationship with food.  This took the shape of an eating disorder in high school that continued well into my twenties.  At the core of this crippling bondage was shame.  It was dark. 

I remember the Holidays always being so tough for me because there was indulgent food at every corner—my parents house, work, holiday parties, you name it.  Anorexia doubles down and pulls out all the stops this time of year.  It has to in order to survive.  I, on the other hand, was slowly dying.  

As I began recovery, the most difficult thing in the world was to find even a tablespoon of self-love.  It was too far a jump to make from the deep, toxic shame to a shiny self-acceptance.  It felt flimsy and fake.  If I had known about the practice of self-compassion back then, I believe it would have softened the edges of that rigid relationship with Katie a ton. 

Yet our process is always right on time and I discovered this thing called self-compassion reading two great books in my mid-thirties.  Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph.D., and Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach.  They both completely changed my life and informed my work.  (nudge, nudge…)

In essence, self-compassion is a practice of befriending yourself, as you would another person, flaws and all.  There’s no hustle to cover up or change the broken parts and shadows.   It’s a beautiful movement towards those things as opposed to a race to escape them.  I can honestly say it has opened up a stunning new path for me and improved my relationship with virtually everything and everyone.  After decades of harsh self-loathing and dissociation, I’ve begun to integrate all the parts of me. And guess what???  I like her…a lot.

This week, as you come off of Thanksgiving and ride full steam ahead into the vortex of the Holidays, I hope you will join me in the practice of self-compassion with this new meditation.  As you run every which way, I pray you’ll carve out some space for you, even if just 5 minutes, to breath and reconnect to the most important teammate you’ve got—you.  She needs you right now more than ever…and most of all, she deeply loves you.  After all, she knows you inside and out and might even offer up some wisdom as you navigate these last days of 2019. 

Try it on for size.  If you’re interested in going deeper into this practice, I’ve got some exciting opportunities this winter.  
Click here for more info on that.

Love & Gratitude,

Katie