Let’s face it, finding a moment of peace and calm can feel like an impossible task. But, even on the busiest of days, we can all find a few minutes to spare! Because the thing is, taking those few minutes to sit down and practice a mind-body technique like meditation can have a profound impact on your well-being. In fact, when practiced consistently, research has shown that even short bouts of meditation (15 minutes or less) can significantly benefit your health, improving things such as inflammation, sleep, stress, anxiety, and even mental health.
That said, despite the many mental and physical benefits of meditation, many people struggle to find the time or motivation to meditate regularly. That’s where this 8-Minute Self Compassion meditation comes in! With this simple technique, you can learn to quiet your mind, become more mindful, and cultivate self-love and compassion.
So take a deep breath, find a comfortable seat, and join us as we break down this simple meditation, step by step. Plus, gain insight on the transformative benefits and learn why you should get started!
Cultivating Self-Compassion: What to Expect From This 8-Minute Inner Peace Meditation
Feeling stressed? Ruminating over a past or future event? Struggling with relationship issues? This simple self-compassion meditation may be just the thing you need. During this 8-minute practice, learn how to become a little easier on yourself through a practice of self-forgiveness.
3-Steps to Finding Self-Love
With guidance and support, learn how to show yourself kindness so you can navigate whatever you’re going through, without judgment.
During this inner peace meditation, you’ll be guided through three different phrases that will help you cultivate compassion and love during periods of stress or anxiety.
This includes:
- Acknowledging your pain or suffering (in a way that feels safe and manageable)
- Realizing you’re not alone in your emotions or experiences
- Learning how to support and bring kindness to yourself with simple tools (like breathing and affirmations) that you can implement into your everyday life.
The best part? This meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere!
How a Daily Meditation Practice Can Improve Your Well-Being (In Less Than 10 Minutes!)
The science speaks for itself! Based on research, here are the benefits of this short and simple self-kindness meditation:
- Increased positive emotions (such as love, joy, and gratitude)
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased feelings of social connection
- Decreased physical and psychological pain and stress (such as reduced back pain and emotions like anger)
- Increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (which is responsible for rest, digestion, and relaxation)
- Improved self-compassion and reduced self-criticism
- Reduced heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol (leading to reduced stress and anxiety)
- Increased mental clarity, focus, and cognitive function by reducing distracting thoughts
- Improved sleep and mind-body relaxation
Best of all, according to research, even just a few minutes can make a profound difference on your health and wellbeing. And, when practiced consistently, the benefits are long-lasting.
Other Tips To Cultivate Self-Compassion
- Talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend. Practice self-compassion by treating yourself as you would a close friend who is going through a tough time. How would you show up for them? What would you say to them?
- Focus on your positive qualities and attributes (vs. dwelling on your mistakes)
- Set realistic expectations and goals (and celebrate your progress along the way!)
- Prioritize self-care, filling your day and week with things that bring you joy and relaxation (such as time with loved ones or time in nature)
- Set healthy boundaries
- Challenge negative self-talk (and replace it with positive affirmations)
- Prioritize daily movement
- Spend time in nature and soak in daily sunshine
- Take every mistake as a learning opportunity
- Practice daily gratitude
The Road to Inner Peace Starts Here!
By acknowledging and releasing our suffering, realizing that we are not alone in our emotions or experiences, and learning how to bring kindness to ourselves, we can reduce stress, anxiety, and physical pain. Not to mention, reduce self-criticism and negative self-talk while also improving mental health, social connection, and positive relationships and emotions.
That said, learning a new skill takes time — self-compassion included. But, adopting a consistent practice and pressing play on this 8-minute inner peace meditation is a great place to start. And don’t forget about other simple hacks like prioritizing self-care, setting healthy boundaries, and spending time in nature! When it comes to self-love, it all adds up. So take a deep breath and remind yourself that you’ve got this!
