5 Exercises for Practicing Self-Compassion

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 02/28/2022

Have you ever beat yourself up or said unkind words to yourself? If you’re like most of us, your answer is probably “yes.” Especially as women, we tend to be our own worst critics, and we usually treat ourselves in cruel ways that we’d never treat other people!But there’s a different way. Self-compassion is the practice of being kind and understanding with ourselves — not only when we succeed, but when we fail, too. Here, we’ve compiled 5 exercises you can use to start practicing self-compassion. These practices are based on extensive research by Dr. Kristin Neff, a psychologist who specializes in self-compassion. Try to incorporate them into your daily schedule as much as possible. You can use these 5 exercises at any time, day…

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Categories: Self-care, Wellness & Personal Growth

Gina Messina, Ph.D.

32 Words of Kindness for the Important People in Your Life

Let’s take a look at some words of kindness we can use to bring more kindness to the people closest to us. We may think that saying something nice and saying something kind are the same thing, but kindness is a bit more multifaceted. Let’s use an example. Maybe you’re at a family party that your cousin hosted. She made a huge feast for everyone at the party, but you can tell that she’s exhausted and seems like she might need support. Let’s say your sister is the nice one, but you’re the kind one. What do you think each of you would say to your cousin? Your nice sister might say, “thanks for the food!” But, maybe you say, “it must have taken you…

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Institute Editorial Team 02/10/2023

woman showing stress, compassion fatigue is valid.

Compassion Fatigue is Valid 一Here’s How to Beat it

Compassion Fatigue is Valid. Here’s How to Beat it. If you’re in the helping profession, you’ve probably heard about – or even personally experienced – compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a very common experience, similar to burnout, in certain caretaking professions. Some studies suggest that women may be more vulnerable to compassion fatigue than men. We’re here to tell you that compassion fatigue is completely valid and normal; if you’re experiencing it, it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or employee. Here’s everything you need to know about what compassion fatigue is, why it’s valid, and what you can do about it if you’re going through it. What is compassion fatigue? Compassion fatigue, sometimes referred to as secondary trauma or vicarious trauma, is an…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 10/26/2021

woman looking up at sky thinking, showing mental performance

Mental performance and you: 10 things you need to know

Our mental performance, how we think, analyze, and perceive the world, influences how we work, tackle challenges, relate to others, manage stress and more. Where we choose to put our focus has a tremendous impact on how we feel and perform in our day-to-day lives. Julie Jones, Mental Performance Coach and Institute instructor, specializes in helping people boost their mental game, and in teaching them how mental training, positivity and self-awareness can help us do better in our jobs, our personal lives, as leaders, as athletes, and as members of the community. As a former Division I softball coach, Julie specializes in training athletes in mental performance techniques. The same brain strategies that can help a softball player improve her swing can help us all…

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Institute Editorial Team 08/02/2021

38 Positive Quotes to Improve Your Life

Read on to discover positive quotes for all facets of life. To get the most from positive quotes, you can try to include more of them in your life. For example, if you find a quote that sparks joy and helps you maintain a positive attitude, you can print it and hang it around the house or use it as your smartphone screen. If you think a quote will help you be more motivated at work, you may choose to display it in your office and read it before you start each day. No matter how you choose to display positive quotes—on a post-it note, on a phone case, or on a picture frame—having positive quotes around you can shift your mindset and help you…

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Institute Editorial Team 02/25/2023

woman sitting at table thinking about self-care and work-life balance

4 Self-Care Practices to Disconnect from Work

Why do we need self-care practices to disconnect from work? As we cope with the stress of phase 2 of the pandemic, many women are headed back to the office. Finding a healthy work-life balance seems to be more difficult than ever. Imagine this: You finally leave the office after a long day at work. You’re exhausted, and can’t wait to get home. But in the car, you start thinking about that project you’re working on, or that client, or that meeting tomorrow. You’re filled with worry and self-doubt, and you can’t stop thinking about work the whole way home. You get home and you are still thinking about it. Your body is physically at home with your family, but your mind is still at…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 09/06/2021

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