self-compassion = key to success.

it's official:
research is proving that
being kind to yourself
may be the most important
life skill you can have.

according to livescience,
a new field of research suggests that
not only does self-compassion help develop
resilience, energy, creativity & courage,

but also that self-esteem – long believed to be
the magic spell for the confident child –
is actually associated with mental-health issues
like narcissism & emotional fragility.

so, what is self-compassion, exactly?

let's begin with compassion,
which – according to university of texas at austin
associate professor & author of the book
self-compassion, kristin neff –
is sensitivity to the suffering of self & others
& a commitment to do something about it.

self-compassion has three key elements:
1) mindfulness of your own thoughts & feelings;
2) a sense of common humanity; &
3) treating yourself kindly.

& the main difference between
self-compassion & self-esteem?

self-compassion is a way of relating to your self;
self-esteem is a measure of yourself against others.

it turns out, the secret to success
is the ability to fail . . . successfully.

people with self-compassion aren't afraid of failing,
because they don't experience mental fallout from it.

so they understand & accept their own faults,
they're braver, &
they're better able to persevere.

so, how to instill your kids with self-compassion?
click here for five ways to foster it in your children.


image source: art = happy @ etsy.com.