Self Compassion

A moment of self compassion can change your entire day.
A string of such moments can change the course of your life.
Christopher K. Germer

Being warm and understanding
towards ourselves 
when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate,
rather than ignoring our pain
or flagellating ourselves with self criticism
is self kindness.

Common humanity recognized that suffering
and feelings of personal inadequacy
are part of the shared human experience. 
Something we all go through
rather than something that happens to "me."

Take a balanced approach
to negative emotions
so that feelings are neither
suppressed nor exaggerated. 
We cannot ignore our pain
and feel compassion for it
at the same time.
 
Mindfulness requires
that we not "over identify"
with thought and feelings,
so that we are
caught up and swept away
by negativity.
Stay in the moment.