I chose this photo because of the gentle light of the moon–a soft guide, rather than the harsh glare of the sun.

Are there benefits to being hard on yourself? Yesterday, I was watching a documentary and a person was being somewhat praised for being hard on herself.

I don’t think there is benefit in it. I do think there is benefit in holding yourself accountable. But that has an end point. It does not bleed over into shaming yourself. Being compassionate with yourself means learning your reasons for your behavior and finding the strengths you have so you can use them for improvement. Self compassion means being emotionally safe in yourself so you have the strength to overcome challenges. Being hard on yourself takes away energy and can lead to feeling stuck.

Be curious about yourself and your reasons for your behaviors. Curiosity and compassion are more motivational for a longer time.

What are your thoughts?