Being Kind to Yourself

Charismatic leaders can inspire devotion and give people a powerful sense of meaning. They can also make us vulnerable. This week, we explore how figures across history have gained followers by offering clarity in moments of uncertainty — and why that clarity can come at a cost. ...  Show more

What does it do to a person to feel overlooked? This week, psychologist Gordon Flett examines how the absence of “mattering” can fuel loneliness, depression, and even violence. He outlines how feeling valued serves as a psychological buffer, and how simple gestures can rebuild a ...  Show more

Self-compassion reduces our feelings of shame and self-doubt. We explore a practice to help quiet our inner critic with kindness.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/ytek ...

Self-criticism can be a healthy motivator or an opportunity for learning. But too often we go overboard, lashing ourselves with insults and magnifying our faults. How to rebalance? Enter self-compassion: rather than judging yourself when things go wrong, you comfort and care f ...

Many people find it difficult to exercise self-compassion, in part because we fear that being tender with ourselves will make us lose our edge. But Kristin Neff, PhD—who wrote Self-Compassion and The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook and is steeped in the field’s research—says tha ...  Show more

Today it’s great to chat with Kristin Neff on the podcast. Kristin is currently an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. She’s a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassi ...  Show more