Kristin Neff on the Power of Self-Compassion

Voices of Esalen

Dr. Kristin Neff writes, "Self-compassion involves acting the same way towards yourself when you are having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself. Instead of just ignoring your pain with a “stiff upper lip” mentality, you stop to tell yourself “this is really difficult right now,” how can I comfort and care for myself in this moment?" In this conversation, Kristin describes the difference between self-esteem and self-compassion, describes the scientific research she has been conducting in self-compassion, and gives us a few simple, actionable techniques to help direct compassion toward ourselves.