Dr. Josh King welcomes you to another episode of The Beyond Addiction Show 

Today, Dr. King is accompanied by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, the authors of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive. They share in this episode on self-compassion: how to incorporate it into our daily lives and what fierce self-compassion is.

Key Takeaways:

[1:47] Kristin and Chris talk about how their lives are now.

[3:58] Does self-compassion really help?

[5:07] Self-compassion is about opening up to whatever it is that you are feeling.

[6:38] Kindness is one important component of compassion and Chris explains why.

[8:14] There are both cultural and psychological barriers to self-compassion.

[10:14] Dr. King asks about the dangers of being kind to ourselves, giving ourselves permission to indulge in order to practice kindness with ourselves.

[12:25] Chris explains the concept of behavioral self-compassion.

[16:43] Kristin shares practical ways to exercise self-compassion for those who struggle the most.

[17:30] How can you pause when you are being too hard on yourself?

[22:25] Kristin shares the power of a soothing touch as a way of practicing compassion.

[25:34] Kristin talks about fierce self-compassion.

[31:33] Chris models how to be self-compassionate even when you are not ready to practice it.

[33:45] Everything starts with giving ourselves permission.

[35:00] Chris explains why sometimes practicing self-compassion can make us feel worse.

[37:48] Practicing self-compassion over time heals wounds.

[39:20] Kristin talks about how as humans we tend to avoid pain, how most of the time, we fail, and why.

[41:34] Chris presents the two paradoxes of self-compassion.

[44:55] The golden practice is simply to be a compassionate mess.

[46:53] Kristin talks about her book Fierce Self Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Beyond Addiction Show

Center for Motivation and Change

Center for Motivation and Change on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Email Dr. Josh King at beyondaddiction@motivationandchange.com or tweet him at @DocJoshKing

Learn more about the Center for Mindful Self Compassion

Tweetables and Quotes:

“Self-compassion doesn’t judge whether you should or shouldn’t be feeling how you do.” — Kristin Neff @_TheCMC (4:09)

“Self-compassion can be trained.” — Kristin Neff @_TheCMC (9:17)

“Ask yourself: Is this behavior really helping me? If it is not, then is not self-compassion.” — Kristin Neff @_TheCMC (14:56)

“You can unconditionally accept yourself without unconditionally accepting human behaviors.” — Kristin Neff @_TheCMC (27:00)

“If it is a struggle, it is not self-compassion.” — Christopher Germer @_TheCMC (30:41)

“When you start being compassionate with yourself, old wounds come up.” — Christopher Germer @_TheCMC (35:04)