3 Ways Your Mental and Physical Health Will Benefit from Being Kinder to Yourself
October is Mental Health Month in NSW, a time to raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing. The theme for 2025, “Taking Steps on Your Wellbeing Journey,” highlights that wellbeing is a continuous journey, where every step—whether big or small—matters.
We’ve all heard the advice to “be kind to yourself,” especially during tough times. But if you’re a perfectionist or high achiever, this might feel uncomfortable—or even like you’re letting yourself off the hook. The idea of showing yourself kindness can feel like the opposite of what you need to stay driven. But here’s the thing: research shows that chronic self-judgment and shame can trigger your body’s stress response, increasing cortisol and inflammation. Over time, this can lead to serious health issues.
On the flip side, self-compassion—treating yourself with kindness and understanding—can actually help improve your mental and physical well-being. It supports motivation, resilience, and accountability without the risk of burnout. It’s about acknowledging your challenges without exaggerating them, offering support instead of criticism, and accepting that imperfection is a part of being human.
If you’re struggling to be kind to yourself, here are three ways self-compassion can benefit your health, and some tips on how to bring it into your daily life:
1. It Reduces Your Body’s Stress Response
Stress is a natural part of life that helps keep us engaged and productive. But chronic stress without relief can have serious effects on your health, like cardiovascular issues, weakened immunity, and mental health challenges.
To manage stress, we need to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body relax and regulates essential functions like digestion and breathing. This system is triggered by feelings of safety and comfort—something that self-compassion can provide. Research shows that self-compassionate thoughts can improve heart rate variability, which is a key marker of emotional regulation and resilience.
By practising self-compassion, you’re not only easing emotional distress but also helping your body bounce back from stress, promoting long-term health and well-being.
2. It Helps You Respond and Adapt to Feedback
Many worry that self-compassion will make them self-centered or prevent them from taking responsibility. But in reality, it often has the opposite effect. Being kind to yourself makes you more available to others and helps you cope better with life’s challenges.
Self-compassion encourages us to treat ourselves with the same care we would offer a friend. Instead of harsh self-criticism, it promotes self-reflection, allowing you to learn from mistakes and grow. By showing empathy for your own imperfections, you become better at extending that empathy to others.
This not only makes you more resilient but also improves your ability to respond to feedback and adapt to new situations, helping you thrive in both personal and professional settings.
3. You’re More Likely to Succeed
A common concern about self-compassion is that it might make you lazy or less ambitious. But research shows the opposite: people who practice self-compassion are more likely to take responsibility for their actions, persist through failure, and stay focused on long-term goals. They tend to procrastinate less and make more thoughtful decisions.
While shame and low self-esteem might drive short-term performance, they often deplete your motivation over time. Self-compassion, on the other hand, helps you stay motivated and balanced. It encourages you to take small, positive steps forward, even after setbacks.
How to Practice Self-Compassion
When you catch yourself in a cycle of harsh self-talk, pause and ask: “If someone I loved were in this situation, what would I say to them?” Then, offer yourself the same kindness.
Use neutral, non-judgmental language. Instead of thinking, “I shouldn’t feel this way,” try saying, “This is hard,” or “I’m not the only one who feels this way.” Shift your focus to what you can do next. This simple change in perspective can help reduce emotional reactivity and support clearer thinking during stressful moments.
Remember no one is perfect, and we all face challenges. You’re not alone.
Practices like loving-kindness meditation, where you send kind thoughts to yourself and others, are also powerful tools for developing self-compassion. Whether you’re dealing with stress, illness, or the daily pressures of life, being kind to yourself is not indulgence—it’s a vital skill that protects your mental and physical health.
In Summary:
Self-compassion is more than just a feel-good practice. It’s a tool for improving your mental resilience, reducing stress, and staying motivated in the face of challenges. So the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or critical of yourself, take a moment to practice kindness. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
Jennifer Donnelly – Centre for Positive Health Sciences, RSCI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
