Kindness Over Criticism: 7 Ways to Practice Self-Compassion

Compassion begins with you, for you.

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(Photo: Calin Van Paris/Canva)

Self-compassion is not indulgence. Instead, it’s an essential form of inner nurturing—a way of meeting life’s challenges with kindness rather than criticism.

The principle of non-harming, ahimsa, is the very first of the yamas, or social and ethical restraints, outlined in Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras. While we often think of ahimsa as how we treat others, its deepest invitation is to turn that same gentleness inward. When we give ourselves the same tenderness we would extend to a loved one or a dear friend, the nervous system softens, the mind quiets, and space opens for healing.

Also, in the Vedic teachings, the heart is the dwelling place of Atman, the eternal self. When we practice patience, respect, and care toward ourselves, we honor that tradition.

The good news is that cultivating self-compassion doesn’t require hours of meditation or advanced postures. Small, intentional rituals woven into each day can help us live with more ease, connection, and authenticity.

7 Ways to Practice Self-Compassion

Compassion begins within. As the Sutras teach, the state of the mind colors the way we experience the world. By practicing these simple daily rituals of self-care, we learn to treat ourselves with kindness rather than judgment. In doing so, we not only nurture our own well-being but also create ripples of compassion that touch our families, communities, and the greater collective.

1. Breath as an Act of Kindness

In the Sutras, breath is described as a bridge between body and mind. Try placing your hands on your chest, inhaling gently, and exhaling as if you are releasing judgment. Each conscious breath becomes an act of self-kindness, a reminder: I am safe. I am good. I am worthy.

2. Practice Ahimsa Toward Yourself

When you notice self-criticism, pause. Replace harsh thoughts with gentle ones, such as, “May I be kind to myself. May I allow mistakes as part of learning.” Inwardly practicing ahimsa helps reduce suffering and cultivates peace.

3. Gentle Yoga to Soothe the Nervous System

Choose yoga poses that feel nurturing rather than striving, whether that means Child’s Pose, Reclined Bound-Angle Pose, or Supported Forward Bends. Use bolsters or pillows so you can release the need to hold yourself tense and instead melt into relaxation. Let your practice be less about achievement and more about being held. This shift from performance to presence reflects santosha, or contentment.

4. Stop the Scroll

One of the most compassionate choices you can make is to step away from social media, especially when it invites comparison and brings up feelings of inadequacy. When we watch someone bake the perfect pie, homeschool their children with serenity, or appear effortlessly graceful throughout their day, it’s easy to forget that these moments are curated. Remembering this helps you keep perspective by knowing that what you see online is rarely the full picture. Holding that awareness allows you to cultivate greater self-compassion.

5. Meditate on Your Inner Light

The Upanishads describe the heart as the seat of the inner flame, the spark of the sacred. Try a short meditation visualizing a warm light in your chest. With each inhalation, imagine the light expanding. With each exhalation, imagine it bathing you in unconditional acceptance.

6. Allow Yourself to Cry

“Crying is one of the healthiest ways we can process emotions,” says Michelle Oravitz, licensed acupuncturist and advanced practitioner of Chinese medicine. “Tears from emotional release appear biochemically different from reflex tears (like those from cutting an onion), and some research suggests crying can help regulate stress—which helps explain why many people feel lighter afterward.”

Many of us have been conditioned to hold back tears, but suppressing emotions only stores them deeper in the body. Giving yourself permission to cry validates your feelings as worthy of expression and can trigger both emotional and physical healing.

7. Mantra for Compassion

Repeating simple mantras can help anchor and strengthen self-compassion.

Try “So hum” (“I am that”), reminding yourself of your inseparable connection to the All. Or use a Sanskrit phrase like “Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu,” which translates to “May all beings be happy.” (And yes, that includes YOU).