What if the voice you use to motivate yourself is the very voice keeping you stuck?

You push harder after a mistake. You judge yourself for falling short. You tell yourself that if you were more disciplined, more successful, or simply better, you would finally feel worthy. But what if being hard on yourself isn't making you stronger? What if it’s making it harder to recover, grow, and move forward?

According to today’s guest, self-compassion isn’t self-pity or letting yourself off the hook. It’s learning how to respond to difficulty without turning against yourself.

Dr. Kristin Neff is a pioneering researcher in self-compassion and the creator of the Self-Compassion Institute. In this conversation, she explains why so many of us tie our worth to achievement, how our inner critic can intensify shame and disconnection, and how self-compassion can help us respond to life's challenges with greater clarity and care.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why being hard on yourself doesn't necessarily make you more motivated or successful.
• The difference between self-esteem, which evaluates your worth, and self-compassion, which responds to your humanity.
• How achievement, appearance, status, and external approval become measures of worth.
• Why shame, loneliness, burnout, and emotional numbness can be connected to a deeper sense of disconnection.
• How self-compassion creates space between what you feel and how you choose to respond.
• Why compassion can help you recognize your needs, set boundaries, and act with greater intention.
• How parents can model self-compassion for children without turning it into another expectation.
• A simple practice for responding to difficult moments with warmth instead of self-judgment.

Kristin shares a powerful phrase to return to when you’re struggling: “I will not abandon you. I am here for you. I care.”

You don’t have to earn the right to treat yourself with compassion. You can begin in the very moment you feel you’ve fallen short.

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Disclaimer

The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice.

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