paulekman.com
68%
445
Self-Compassion and Working with Difficult Emotions
Through the regular practice of compassion, we may find ourselves readily opening our hearts to our own and others’ suffering. Along with reinforcing a deep sense of purpose and meaning, self-compassion provides a healthy foundation or “stance” for working with difficult emotions. If we consider our internal posture when relating to difficult emotions, do we metaphorically have our arms folded tightly against the chest, fists clenched, and brow furrowed, or do we meet our difficult emotions with open arms, ready to engage in an unguarded discourse? To nurture a compassionate stance while working with difficult emotions, we can remain mindfully aware of the acronym, STANCE: Stay Tender And Nurture Compassionate Experience.Establishing a STANCE while working with difficult emotions may sound too soft.