<p><em>New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers.</em></p> <p>---</p> <p>How self compassion works, how to practice it, and what the research says about the benefits.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>GUEST BIO:</p> <p>Dr. Serena Chen is Professor of Psychology and the Marian E. and Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. Distinguished Chair for Innovative Teaching and Research at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on the self and identity, interpersonal relationships, and social power and influence. She is a Fellow of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, American Psychological Association, and Association of Psychological Science. Dr. Chen was also the recipient of the Early Career Award from the International Society for Self and Identity, and the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Social Sciences Division of the University of California, Berkeley.</p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>In this episode we talk about:</strong></p> <ul> <li>The connection between self-compassion and authenticity</li> <li>As well as self-compassion exercises that you can incorporate into your daily life</li> <li>How self-compassion influences the desire for self improvement</li> <li>How it can lead you to be more understanding of other people </li> <li>The connection between self-compassion and good leadership </li> <li>And how self-compassion can apply to parenting as well as to educational realms </li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Related Episodes:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://tenpercent-happier.webflow.io/tph-live/14-kristin-neff" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to Make Self-Compassion Work for You | Kristin Neff</a></p> <p><a href="https://tenpercent-happier.webflow.io/tph/podcast-episode/kristin-neff-self-compassion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kryptonite for the Inner Critic, Self-Compassion Series | Kristin Neff</a></p> <p><a href="https://tenpercent-happier.webflow.io/tph/podcast-episode/kristin-neff-360" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Self-Compassion Ain't Always Soft | Kristin Neff</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sign up for Dan's weekly newsletter</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3QtGRqJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Follow Dan on social:</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Instagram</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>TikTok</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Ten Percent Happier online</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/46TZglY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>bookstore</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Subscribe to our</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>YouTube Channel</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Our favorite playlists on:</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3Qa8kMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Anxiety</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3MjtMxF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sleep</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QvyA5J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Relationships</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QxZASc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Most Popular Episodes</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/serena-chen</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Additional Resources:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/install" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://10percenthappier.app.link/install</a></li> </ul> <p><br /></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Practice Three-Part Self-Compassion
When facing difficulties, treat yourself with kindness and non-judgment, recognize that suffering is a shared human experience, and mindfully acknowledge negative feelings without being overwhelmed to cope effectively.
2. Boost Growth Mindset with Self-Compassion
Cultivate self-compassion after failures to increase your desire for self-improvement, leading to greater persistence on tasks, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and a preference for engaging with those who have overcome similar weaknesses.
3. Increase Empathy Through Self-Compassion
Practice self-compassion to accept your own flaws, which will naturally extend to a greater acceptance of others’ shortcomings, fostering stronger relationships as people feel your understanding.
4. Foster Authenticity with Self-Compassion
Practice self-compassion by treating yourself with kindness and non-judgment to create a safe internal atmosphere, enabling you to feel more comfortable being your authentic self and taking personal risks.
5. Treat Yourself Like a Friend
Direct the same compassion you would offer a friend towards yourself, either mentally by taking a quick self-compassion break (1-3 minutes) or by writing a compassionate letter to yourself, to cultivate self-kindness and understanding.
6. Utilize Compassionate Self-Touch
Practice compassionate self-touch by placing a hand over your heart or hugging yourself for about 20 seconds, ideally paired with self-compassionate thoughts, to provide soothing and reduce stress.
7. Start Self-Compassion with Mindfulness
Begin your self-compassion practice by first mindfully acknowledging the negative feelings and the ‘suckiness’ of a situation, as this self-awareness is a crucial initial step before applying common humanity and self-kindness.
8. Lead with Self-Compassion
As a leader, practice self-compassion to acknowledge your own mistakes, thereby creating a safe environment for subordinates to admit theirs and encouraging you to invest in their growth and improvement.
9. Model Self-Compassion for Children
Parents should consciously model self-compassion for their children, especially teenagers, to counteract self-critical talk and encourage them to develop self-kindness and acceptance.
10. Boost Student Engagement with Self-Compassion
Students can apply self-compassion to overcome fears of negative evaluation and foster a sense of belonging, which can increase their participation, willingness to ask questions, and likelihood of seeking help in the classroom.
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Download the ‘10% with Dan Harris’ app and sign up for a 14-day trial to access guided meditations for stress, anxiety, sleep, focus, and self-compassion, plus weekly live Zoom community sessions and ad-free podcast episodes.