How Self-Compassion Can Help Your Marriage

In Western culture, people commonly think of compassion as something that you extend to other people rather than yourself. Although the idea of self compassion originally came from Eastern religions, the Bible also talks about “loving one’s neighbor as oneself.” Part of loving oneself includes being compassionate towards oneself, much as one would towards others.

Essentially, self compassion is being kind towards yourself rather than constantly critical. It is especially important to practice self compassion during times of difficulty or distress. Practicing self compassion has also been associated with better psychological health and has positive effects on your marriage. Using self compassion allows you to take care of your own need for compassion, and helps you be more available to meet your spouse’s needs.

There are many techniques that are helpful in practicing self compassion. You may find it helpful to practice meditation. You may also find it helpful to simply remind yourself of your common humanity, and that any difficulties you are facing are faced by others. It’s also important to grant yourself permission to be imperfect and allow yourself to make mistakes. Practicing these techniques can help you have the same compassion for yourself as you would for others, and can help you navigate challenges in life more easily.