Self-compassion, adapted for falling asleep. The closing gong has been removed so nothing wakes you at the end.
Listen to the Meditation
About This Practice
The end of the day is when self-criticism tends to arrive. The lights go out, the distractions stop, and the mind starts reviewing everything you handled badly.
Self-compassion is not indulgence and it is not letting yourself off the hook. It is the intention to be helpful rather than harsh, and it is what lets you look at the day honestly instead of prosecuting yourself for it.
Recognizing common humanity does much of the work. Whatever you are struggling with, you are not the only one, and you are not uniquely broken for struggling with it. That removes the extra layer of shame we tend to pile on top, and the difficulty gets noticeably lighter without it.
From there you can accept where you actually are, and accepting where you are is what makes it possible to rest. A mind that has stopped attacking itself is a mind that can sleep.
Micro Practice: Three Breaths
When you catch yourself being harsh with yourself, take three breaths.
- Breathe to settle your attention on the breath.
- Breathe and remember that many people face this. You are not alone in it.
- Breathe and come back to the present, trusting that you can handle what is here.