Selfless Part 3: Why Self-Compassion?

This is a series of podcasts that explores the many benefits of being Self-Less. In this third podcast of the series we turn our attention to self-compassion. We look at why self-compassion can be harder for people to cultivate and why it is so very helpful to do so. Many people resist this idea of self-compassion, thinking it implies self-pity, indulgence, self-centeredness, or even selfishness. But, a primary function of self-compassion is to actually reduce the worst of destructive self-criticism and self-concern. It begins by understanding that we are flawed like everyone else. We share a common humanity, and this includes a mistaken tendency to think we are somehow ‘different’ to others. We therefore compassion just like everyone else. A big part of human suffering is that a person may believe that their ‘self’, their core, is not worthy, or needs significant improvement to warrant love and esteem from others - and by implication love from oneself. So self-compassion helps reduce this obsession with self, this pervasive self-concern that can torment us for the entirety of our lives.