The Power of Self-Compassion

The Positive Psychology Wellbeing Toolkit for Nurses Series - The Power of Self-Compassion

This is the seventh article of The Positive Psychology Wellbeing Toolkit for Nurses Series

Key points

• It is perfectly acceptable to be average
• Self-compassion may be wrongly interpreted as self-pity, selfish, indulgent or a weakness
• Self-compassion deactivates the evolutionary threat system that responds to threats
• Acceptance that we are vulnerable, imperfect and not able to control everything is key to self-compassion

This seventh article outlines a range of self-compassion based interventions that recognises the importance of maintaining staff wellbeing.

Historically and in the present day within nursing, we can be seen to be excessively hard on ourselves, striving for perfection, then chastising ourselves for not attaining it. Especially, as culturally in the UK, it is also not encouraged to show off. Sometimes we also forget that it is perfectly acceptable to be average in some areas, because