Compassion is a human resource that allows us to bear witness to suffering with the intention of trying to alleviate it. We are hardwired for this capacity for compassion and we can also learn to direct it to ourselves. It is a radical idea in our culture, but the research has been exploding with strong links between self-compassion practice reducing negative emotional states (like anxiety, depression, anger, stress, burnout) while at the same time increasing happiness, overall wellbeing and relationship satisfaction. When we learn self-compassion, we realize that we have our own cupboard of chocolate right within us that we can access to soothe our soul when we are suffering.
