Welcome to this week's self-compassion video.
Being kind to yourself can take many forms. I know when I first realized I needed to be kinder to myself it took the form of self-care. I had rarely given myself permission to do good things for ME. I'd never had a massage or bodywork. Never allowed myself to rest without guilt. Never pampered myself in the evening with a hot bath, a good book and a glass of wine.
When I finally did, it felt truly self-indulgent. And this felt great! I had no guilt about self-indulgent activities because I had deprived myself of them for so long Like many women (especially busy mothers), I had neglected my well-being. I needed to be self-indulgent to break through my self-created barriers
that everyone else's needs were more important that my own.
I've come to realize that self-indulgence is not a bad thing—only if you take it too far; if it becomes a harmful habit. But in the early stages of learning how to care for yourself, you might need to be a little EXTRA
kind.
My video this week features a true story about a friend of mine and her experience learning the difference between self-indulgence and self-compassion.
Enjoy and have a gentle week!
Jan Lundy
Spiritual Director/Mentor, Educator and Author
