The Benefits of Learning to Be Kind to Yourself

"Human beings are the only creatures who can make themselves miserable. Other animals certainly suffer when they experience negative events, but only humans can induce negative emotions through self-views, judgments, expectations, regrets and comparisons with others. Because self-thought plays such a central role in human happiness and wellbeing, psychologists have devoted a good deal of attention to understanding how people think about themselves." Here, Mark Leary, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, shares some key scientific research on self-compassion, citing its wide-reaching benefits -- ranging from university students to those afflicted with disease to the elderly -- offering some revelations on being kind to oneself, and take-aways for what we can each do to boost our own well-being.

https://aeon.co/essays/learning-to-be-kind-to-yourself-has-remarkable-benefits