Self-compassion means being kind to ourselves and wanting to ease our own suffering (Neff, 2003). Just like we feel compassion for others when they’re going through a tough time, self-compassion is about directing that kindness and help towards ourselves. It’s a way of treating ourselves with care and understanding when we face difficulties.
There are three main parts to self-compassion according to Dr. Neff (2012): self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-kindness means being gentle with ourselves instead of being harsh or critical when we’re going through a hard time. Common humanity is about recognizing that everyone makes mistakes, faces challenges, and feels inadequate sometimes. It helps us feel connected to others instead of feeling alone in our struggles. Mindfulness is finding a balanced awareness of our painful feelings without ignoring them or making them seem worse than they are.
Self-compassion has a positive impact on our health and well-being. It helps us cope with difficult emotions, increases our satisfaction with life, and boosts our motivation. On the other hand, it reduces negative aspects like anxiety, depression, and stress. There are interventions and exercises that can help us develop self-compassion and improve our overall well-being (see http://www.self-compassion.org for examples).
Research shows that self-compassion is beneficial for athletes in managing their emotions during sports (Ferguson & Killham, 2019). For example, female athletes with higher levels of self-compassion tend to have more autonomy, appreciate their bodies, experience personal growth, and feel a sense of purpose. They also have lower levels of body anxiety, fear of failure, fear of judgment, and shame. Being compassionate towards oneself can increase positive emotions, help athletes overcome obstacles, and prevent dwelling on hardships. Studies have also shown that interventions promoting self-compassion in athletes have positive effects on their emotions and thoughts related to sports and their bodies (Ferguson & Killham, 2019).
Ferguson, L. J., & Killham, M. E. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Neff, K. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptuali- zation of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2, 85101.
Neff, K. D. (2012). The science of self-compassion. In C. Germer, & R. Siegel (Eds.), Compassion and wisdom in psy- chotherapy (pp. 7992). New York: Guilford Press.