Un-shaming Ourselves
The practices of mindfulness and self-kindness enable me to find a different response to experiences of shame. It's a very individual (and messy!) process, but if it's helpful, here's what un-shaming looks like for me.
Mar 14
The practices of mindfulness and self-kindness enable me to find a different response to experiences of shame. It's a very individual (and messy!) process, but if it's helpful, here's what un-shaming looks like for me.
Is there a ‘right’ way to practice mindfulness? I don’t believe there is. Instead, there is plenty of room to customise it to meet your own needs. If you’ve struggled with meditation, then harnessing your imagination could transform your practice time from a dreaded chore into something more personalised, nurturing and appealing.
Dec 2
Mindful journaling can be a powerful tool for growth, especially for those times when meditation doesn't feel like an accessible practice. It builds not only awareness, but also self-compassion. In my own practice, I value my journaling space just as much as my time spent in meditation.
If you're used to being the 'strong one' in life - the person who's there for others, who gives help rather than needing it - it can be easy to convince yourself that you don't need looking after too. But to stay strong, we do need self-care.
Like many things, self-kindness can lose its appeal if it feels like an extra duty you need to add into an already-busy life. I like to approach it as a practice of doing less, not more: less self-criticism, less pressure on myself, less trying to pretend I feel ok if actually things feel hard. Here are three things I can do without when I'm having a difficult day, and what I've learned to do instead.