Self-Compassion Exercise

By Tchiki Davis, MA, PhD
Do you get down on yourself? Do you have a hard time seeing your good qualities? Thens check out this self-compassion exercise. It can help you start being a bit kinder to yourself.
*This page may include affiliate links; that means I earn from qualifying purchases of products.
I want to emphasize just how important it is to accept yourself when you don’t meet your goals or expectations. No one is perfect. The ability to accept yourself, non-judgmentally, is key to having optimal well-being. By being compassionate with yourself, you can better cope with stress in your life and push through difficulties that you encounter.

Activity: Self-Compassion

Often, we are harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. So for this activity, you will be asked to write a compassionate letter to yourself. Imagine that you are talking to yourself like you would talk to a young child. Be accepting and compassionate. Keep in mind how would you reassure this child that he/she is a valuable, worthwhile, and beautiful human being?

​In this letter, just be sure to write to yourself in a way that is compassionate and caring.
    ​Note. Submitting your responses enables us to better understand how people express self-compassion. If you want to keep your responses, you'll have to save to PDF or print this page. Thanks!

How did people show self-compassion?

Thank you to everyone who submitted your responses to this activity! We can now share some self-compassionate statements that people used to make themselves feel better.

Here are some great ways people were self-compassionate:
  • You are a beautiful person.
  • You are worthy.
  • You are deserving of love.
  • You are loved.
  • No matter what you choose to do in life, it's okay.
  • You are amazing.
  • You are talented.
  • You are perfect just the way you are.
  • Don't let anyone bring you down.
  • I believe in you.
  • Hang in there buddy.
  • It's going to be okay.
  • You are strong.
  • You can be anything you want to be.

Next time you practice self-compassion, feel free to use these statements to really remind yourself that you're awesome.

Sign up for more wellness... delivered right to your inbox.
About Dr. Tchiki Davis
Dr. Davis is founder of The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. After getting her PhD in psychology at Berkeley, she started creating online content & programs to boost well-being—some of these have reached more than a million people. As author of Outsmart Your Smartphone, and contributor to Psychology Today, The Greater Good Science Center, and Shine Text, Dr. Davis aims to share her insights on happiness & health with people all across the world. Learn more about Dr. Davis.
Top Articles: Programs: Products:
Terms, Privacy & Affiliate Disclosure  |  About  |  ​Contact
* The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. LLC is not affiliated with UC Berkeley.
Copyright © 2021, The Berkeley Well-Being Institute, LLC