What Is The Link Between Self-Compassion And Emotional Well-Being?

Society is living in an era of self-improvement. There’s an emphasis on striving for perfection and being the best version of ourselves. Unfortunately, this is often met with harsh criticism, judgments, and pressure.

While a little bit of each of those is technically alright, the argument can be made that self-compassion will get you further in your goals. Rather than being viewed as a weakness, compassion should be a top priority.

The Foundation Of Self-Compassion

When considering self-compassion, three main factors are involved. Those are kindness, mistakes, and awareness.

We need to treat ourselves with kindness and avoid being our own harshest critic. We need to understand that failures and mistakes are a normal and fully acceptable part of the human experience. It’s also important to be mindful of our emotions and have an awareness of how they impact our daily functioning.

Having a good grasp of self-compassion lays the foundation for emotional regulation.

The Impact On Emotional Regulation

Being tuned into self-compassion is doing yourself a big favor. Think of what you would do if a friend or family member came to you with a dilemma. You’d likely offer them emotional support and a certain level of comfort.

By practicing self-compassion, you’re giving yourself that same type of support. Being your own cheerleader helps to keep emotions nicely regulated. It allows us to feel things without diving straight into negativity. It provides reassurance that pain and discomfort are normal but also fleeting.

Self-compassion and healthy emotional regulation lead to faster recovery times and less of a downward spiral when under stress.

The Impact On Mental Health

Effective practices of self-compassion are closely tied to improved mental health outcomes. When you’re being kinder to yourself and effectively managing emotions, you’re less likely to develop anxiety and depression disorders.

Being critical of ourselves fuels anxiety spirals and negative perceptions. When you’re compassionate, you stop negative thought patterns in their tracks.

Bumps in the road are normal. Experiencing failures is unavoidable. It’s how you handle them that matters the most. If you can approach situations with an open mind, you’re less likely to start catastrophic thinking.

Self-Compassion Breeds Resilience

When you practice self-compassion, it prevents you from being knocked down in the face of challenge or failure, and acting with kindness and giving yourself grace results in higher motivation. It gives you the necessary courage to pick up the pieces and try again.

Failure does not have permission to make you feel ashamed or afraid. Instead, you’ve mastered the art of viewing these stumbling blocks as a growth opportunity. This is foundational for a more positive cycle.

The Impact On Stress Responses

Daily stressors are plentiful. Each time you become stressed, your body activates its fight-or-flight response system. Your cortisol levels spike. You feel on edge, and it can start to take a toll on you.

Chronic self-criticism acts similarly, also leading to fight-or-flight responses. By practicing self-compassion, you help your body fight off stress, release oxytocin, and reduce your cortisol levels.  More compassion leads to greater emotional well-being.

It’s also worth noting that positively shifting your emotional well-being and reducing your stress responses can have an impact on your physical health. A happy mind often leads to a happy body.

Exploring Further

The relationship between your ability to demonstrate self-compassion and reach a state of emotional well-being is strong. The more you’re able to improve one, the more the other benefits. A positive attitude and the right amount of grace can set you up for daily success. Not only that, but it can improve your overall health and well-being.

If you’re struggling with your self-compassion practices, you may find therapy to be a helpful tool for addressing them. We’re here to help you process whatever is standing in your way of being your most compassionate self. Reach out to us today to schedule a consultation call and learn more about teen therapy.