Practice Self-Empathy: Skill 3: Shared humanity— recall that others struggle with the same difficulties

Each MCD Relationship Competency identifies 6 Skills, along with specific practices for learning each. For more context about MCD Relationship Competency 4: Self-Empathy, see Skill 1: Identify the differences between self-empathy and other responses to your experience and Skill 2: Identify at least 3 anchors / regulation strategies that you can use weekly or daily.

Skill 3: Shared humanity— recall that others struggle with the same difficulties

One of the most effective ways to access warmth and empathy for yourself is through shared humanity. Shared humanity means bringing to mind the fact that others struggle with the same difficulties that you're having. As you do this, your perspective of your situation expands and you're able to see mistakes as a normal part of life. Self-criticism typically contains the view that you are uniquely flawed and shared humanity dissolves that delusion.

The more you can remember concrete examples of how others struggle with the same challenges as you, the more effective you can be in accessing compassion for yourself. 

PRACTICE

This week when you do something you regret or make a mistake, share it with someone you trust. Let them know that you are trying to have more compassion for yourself and if they have any examples or stories of others doing the same things, it would help you find that compassion.