Self-Compassion as a Measure of Healing
This week, I’m noticing how quickly things change in nature, reminding me of our own journeys. Growth happens at its own pace, and it’s making me reflect on how we perceive our own progress.
Many grievers keep track of how often they cry as a way to monitor their healing.
“I didn’t cry last week, so I must be doing better” is a common way to measure progress. While it can feel relieving to get through a day without tears, it’s a slippery slope to tie our healing to a lack of emotion. What about on the days when we do cry?
Does that mean we’ve failed or lost ground?
What if we measured our healing by how we love ourselves through difficult emotions instead of judging ourselves so harshly? What if our inner dialogue were more kind?
“Hey, today was tough; we cried in the grocery store and after putting the kids to bed, and I love you for letting yourself feel so much.”
Words like these can help us honor the nuance of real growth.
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