Dear College of Education Community,
Self-compassion involves providing yourself with support, understanding and care when you are having a difficult time. Instead of just ignoring your pain with a “stiff upper lip” mentality, you stop to tell yourself “this is really difficult right now,” how can I comfort and care for myself in this moment? Kristin Neff, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, pioneering researcher, and author of the book Self-Compassion, believes the practice of self-compassion can be of great benefit. This is especially helpful for faculty, staff, and students dealing with incredible pressures in our rapidly changing educational settings. It is important to give ourselves permission to be self-compassionate for the stress we are under, according to Neff. The benefits of self-compassion are huge. Neff has found that people who practice self-compassion experience fewer negative emotions and stay emotionally balanced in difficult situations. “Self-compassion gives you the calm and clarity you need to get through a tough situation emotionally and do your best,” states Neff. You can read more about the benefits of self-compassion and listen to free self-compassion meditation sessions at https://self-compassion.org/category/exercises/#guided-meditations.
For a list of other self-care options, please see our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at:
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
May we all engage in support, understanding, and compassion for ourselves as we face challenges in our future.
Warmly,
Shari