Spring is A Season For New Beginnings
Budding trees, baby birds and blooming flowers come to mind when I think of spring. Commercials and the media tell us that spring is a time for weddings, new love, new growth and change.
Depression And Anxiety Make It Hard To Grow And Change
If you feel stuck, the changes spring brings can be a constant reminder of your immobility, which can bring on feelings of overwhelming anxiety and depression.
Maybe you feel stuck because:
- You have no motivation.
- The idea of change or growth makes you anxious or scared.
- You feel you don’t have much to offer.
- Making the first step feels overwhelming.
- You feel disconnected or numb.
- You yearn to connect with others but fear rejection.
Often, the apprehension or fears that keep us stuck stem from feelings of inadequacy or inferiority. Then we feel bad about ourselves because we worry that we will never be able to move forward. The cycle spirals downward.
Let’s Make Spring A Time To Practice Self-Compassion
Instead of beating ourselves up for not making external changes, or not being the person we want to be, let’s make spring a time to change how we think about ourselves!
If we can learn to see ourselves with compassion, to embrace our imperfections and accept our fears, we can start to embrace differences in others. This can help open us up to the possibility of new connections. Tweet This
What is Self-Compassion?
Dr. Kristin Neff has done a lot of research and writing about self-compassion. She identified that self compassion has three components—self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness. You can read more about her findings by CLICKING HERE.
5 Steps To Help You Cultivate Self-Compassion
- If you make a mistake, remind yourself that none of us are perfect and say, “We all struggle from time-to-time.”
- Practice self-compassion and loving kindness meditations. You can access some of Dr. Neff’s has guided meditations HERE.
- When you feel anxious, place your hand on your heart and tell yourself, “I am here and I love you.”*
- Practice mindfulness. This helps you understand that although right now might be hard, life has ups and downs, and things will change.
- Imagine what someone close to you might say to you if he or she knew you were having a hard time.
*Sometimes saying loving statements to ourselves is difficult. If you find it too hard to do this, you can say, “I am here and my intention is to love you.”
If you would like help cultivating and growing your self-compassion, you can call me or email Progression Counseling, offices in Annapolis and Arnold.
If you want to know more about me you can CLICK HERE, or HERE .
Elizabeth Cush, MA, LCPC, is an Annapolis therapist helping people manage their stress and anxiety. Progression Counseling, offices in Arnold and Annapolis. 410-340-8469
