Listen:
Summer Series -Fostering Self Compassion Not Selfishness.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This week on TAB Mindfulness Conversations, we continue our Summer Series . So far, we have learned about “fostering” change — trying new practices on like samples at the grocery store, no pressure to get it perfect. Eartha shares a personal story of practicing this with her son around his reading, shifting the focus from perfection to progress and a growth mindset.
Now we are moving into our first self-compassion practice: self, not selfishness. What does it really mean to treat yourself the way you’d treat a trusted friend — the one who makes you feel safe, seen, and accepted? We notice something important along the way: those warm feelings aren’t just coming from the friend. They’re coming from inside you.
The episode closes with a compassionate body scan, moving from feet to face, thanking your body for carrying you through the ways you’ve shown up for others — even on the days marked by pain, stiffness, or tiredness.
One idea we keep returning to: treat yourself the way you treat your best friend. Your body, your breath, and your heart deserve that same patience, gratitude, and compassion.
For many of us, this is an emotional experience, because we’re not used to turning that kindness inward. And that brings us to our next step in self‑compassion: what we do with our thoughts.
In our upcoming practice, we’re going to look at the idea that “Thoughts are not facts.”
Just because a thought shows up—‘I’m not enough,’ ‘I always mess things up,’ ‘I shouldn’t feel this way’—doesn’t mean it’s the truth. We’ll learn how to notice those thoughts, give them a little space, and respond with the same compassion we started building in our body scan.
Check out our video chat here!
