The Art of Self-Compassion

Do any of the statements below resonate with you?

Life can be hectic. Our times are fraught with uncertainty and stress.

Your parents are aging, and they need more attention and care. The kids are going through one transition or another, and you are doing your best to support them. You are working long hours in a job that has lost its luster. If only you had the time and energy to rethink your direction.

It is never the right time to do your thing. There is a yoga class you want to take, but something always gets in the way. You do not remember the last time you sat down, quietly, to read a good book. Lately, you have been feeling increasingly resentful and disappointed. Every little thing seems to bother you, and your patience is falling short. As you lay in bed at night, you look back at your day and wonder, “Why did I have to snap at the kids? They were just being kids.”

There are nights you have difficulty falling asleep. You wake up in the morning feeling as tired as you were when you went to bed. You may feel distracted, uninspired, and exhausted. You can continue with business as usual, or begin to introduce changes and figure out how to best take care of yourself. The key is to begin where you are. Small changes can have a positive impact on your health and well-being.

“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.“
Jack Kornfield

Life is hard enough without self-imposed suffering. What if we held ourselves the way we would hold a friend, gently and with good intentions? What if we listened deeply and withheld judgment? Self-compassion helps us walk through our days with patience and care.

Every morning we open our eyes to meet the new day. What will today be like? What awaits? How do we want to show up? Can we meet ourselves in friendship, with a hopeful attitude, and walk gently through the day welcoming it all with an open heart and curiosity?

“As we learn to have compassion for ourselves, the circle of compassion – what and whom we can work with, and how – expands.“
– Pema Chodron from Comfortable with Uncertainty

Join me in The Art of Self-Compassion; a personal retreat.

The purpose of this personal retreat is to help you gain a deeper understanding of your needs and wants, explore the strategies that work for you, and begin to make meaningful lifestyle changes.

How does it work?

We will meet via Zoom every two weeks – five sessions total.

During our sessions, we will:

Discuss your challenges and dilemmas
Pinpoint the areas you want to focus on
Examine your personal beliefs and habits, and identify common setbacks and self-defeating behaviors
Explore the Body-Mind-Spirit connection and how the practice of Mindfulness can become a game-changer in your efforts to make meaningful and lasting changes.
Define your vision and create a plan for making mindful life choices.