Being Compassionate Towards Myself

In my own journey to becoming more mindful I am constantly having to remind myself to be patient with myself. The urge to judge myself for becoming overwhelmed by stress has been my biggest hurdle as of late. My judgments often lead me down the path of self-invalidation; “I shouldn’t feel so stressed,” or “Why can’t I seem to handle stress as well as my colleagues and friends?” These comparisons serve to sky-rocket me straight into emotion mind which serves to only increase my stress level.During these times I try to notice my judgmental thoughts and remind myself of the facts; I am in the midst of juggling planning a wedding, family, and a new career. I then work to validate my feelings of stress and anxiety by saying, “It’s perfectly understandable why I feel overwhelmed…I have a lot going on!” I find that being compassionate to myself is one of the most difficult and necessary tasks in helping reduce my anxiety and urge to self-invalidate.Practicing a Lovingkindness Meditation has helped when my urge to self-invalidate is high.Here are some phrases for Lovingkindness Mediatation: May I be filled with lovingkindness.May I touch deep, natural peace.May I accept myself just as I am.May I know the natural joy of being alive.May I find true refuge within my own being.May I be free.-Unknown  I challenge you to do the same for yourselves. We live in high-pressure, stressful environments. Be kind and validate yourselves!