Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.
~ Christopher Germer.
In solution-focused practice, VIPs are Very Important People (VIP) – those family members, friends, co-workers, or others who are very important in life and mean a lot. And, the most important VIP in your life is YOU! That said, many are their own harshest critic. Do you ever find that you give more grace to others than you give to yourself? How about the patients/clients that you encounter day in and day out – could they benefit from more self-compassion and valuing themselves?
What does it mean to practice self-compassion? Self-compassion means valuing yourself. In considering the diabetes space, we see that many “beat themselves up” – for instance if their blood glucose is above target, or they aren’t meeting the desired Time in Range. Having self-compassion means flipping the paradigm, and providing yourself the same compassion you would show a friend or family member when they are feeling badly or need support. Instead of denying your own feelings, pain and challenges, embrace them and identify ways to turn negative thoughts around. We wrote about something similar when we discussed “Turning Turtle” where we identified that “when the world turns upside down so to speak, an opportunity is presented to gain a fresh point of view. And when a situation may seem challenging, being able to bring forth opportunities for gratitude may need that twist – that upside down view.”
Having self-compassion makes a health difference
We are all on a path towards living a full life, and we all need to accept that we are all human, and that comes with flaws. Having more self-compassion can not only boost happiness and life satisfaction, it brings deeper benefits including self-confidence and body appreciation. And very impactfully, more self-compassion reduces shame, anxiety and stress. For those living with a chronic condition like diabetes, without a doubt associated anxiety and stress are already high..
As a healthcare professional, encourage self-compassion in your patients/clients. Encourage each to put themself first when it comes to focusing on feelings, trying not to judge and criticize personal shortcomings (we all have them), and giving oneself more grace. One simple, yet important opportunity for healthcare professionals is to use strength-based language in their practice. When we use strength-based language, we reduce the stigma, shame and blame individuals often feel when living with diabetes. We can set an example for others to follow.
We shared previously 4 compassion practices for healthcare professionals here. The key to developing compassion in life is to make it a daily practice.
6 phrases to evoke self-compassion
Dr. Kristen Neff, an expert in the area of self-compassion, shares 6 phrases one can say to themself at any time to help evoke self-compassion:
- May I be kind to myself
- May I give myself the compassion that I need
- May I learn to accept myself as I am
- May I forgive myself
- May I be strong
- May I be patient
Let’s take life one day at a time, put our important needs first, and be kind and compassionate to ourselves. Afterall, we are the most important VIP in our lives!
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Deb is employed by Dexcom, but her words and opinions in this blog are her own.
Tami is employed by the University of Kentucky HealthCare Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, but her words and opinions in this blog are her own.
