Self-compassion is not self-indulgence. It is not letting yourself off the hook. It is treating yourself with the same basic decency you would offer a friend who was struggling.
Self-compassion has three components: self-kindness (being warm toward yourself in moments of failure), common humanity (recognizing that suffering is part of the shared human experience), and mindfulness (observing your pain without over-identifying with it).
In recovery, self-compassion looks like this: after a difficult moment, instead of "I am pathetic," you think "This is hard. Many people struggle with this. I am doing my best to change."
Self-compassion works. Self-criticism doesn't. People who are kind to themselves after setbacks try again. People who punish themselves give up.
Self-compassion is not weakness. It is the mindset most likely to keep you recovering.
Place your hand on your chest. Say: 'This is a moment of difficulty. Many people feel this. I deserve patience.'