Fitness and Self-Compassion

We have such a punishment oriented culture that we are often given the impression that self-compassion is letting yourself off the hook for doing the work. On the contrary, self-compassion is likely some of the hardest work you can do.

Self-compassion is:

1. Acknowledging your imperfection
2. Being with your suffering
3. Doing the hard things that matter to you

None of those three things are easy. Self-compassion is legit getting in the game for taking care of yourself and the things that matter to you.

With food skill practice, self-compassion is practicing your skills even though you aren’t perfect. It’s letting yourself feel sad, and taking care of yourself instead of eating to numb out. It’s practicing food skills and self-care just because it expresses your values, regardless of what the scale says on a given week.

With workouts, self-compassion is going to the gym even when you don’t feel like it. It’s also stopping a workout early if you get halfway in and feel terrible. It’s often working out simply because you feel more stress resilient when you do.

Let yourself be a human, with all of the mistakes, imperfections, frustrations, emotions, stress, and messiness that all humans have.

Take care of yourself like you’d take care of a friend or family member you love.

—Josh