Self-compassion has the “gleam of the particulars,” as poet Naomi Shahib Nye might say. The details of our lives are necessary to contact the deeper … - Christopher K. Germer

Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.

Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.

I look at it this way: the instinctive response to danger — the stress response — consists of fight, flight, or freeze. These three strategies help us survive physically, but when they’re applied to our mental and emotional functioning, we get into trouble. When there’s no enemy to defend against, we turn on ourselves. “Fight” becomes self-criticism, “flight” becomes self-isolation, and “freeze” becomes self-absorption, getting locked into our own thoughts.