What would happen if you let yourself simply be human?

Or what if, when you notice you are less than perfect, you are as kind to yourself as you are to others?

The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, written by Christopher K. Germer is one of the best Mindfulness books I’ve come across in a while. Its simple to read, clear and engaging. Germer is a clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard Medical School and a founding member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. The book provides simple tools for responding and treating yourself in a respectful, compassionate way whenever you suffer, fail or feel inadequate.

One of the best features of the book is that it comes with free downloadable mindfulness practices. If you check out the website mindfulselfcompassion.org and visit the resource section of the website, you will find a number of valuable tools to help facilitate your personal practice.

Through reading the book, listening to the mindfulness practices and self compassion exercises, you can gain practical skills and take essential steps towards living a more happier, more fulfilling life. You learn how to stop being so hard on yourself; handle difficult emotions with greater ease; motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism; and transform your relationships, both old and new.

While we are on the topic of self-compassion, I came across this article in the Huffington Post by Kristin Neff and wanted to pass it along: Why We Should Stop Chasing Self-Esteem and Start Developing Self-Compassion. It turns out that Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff are offering a Mindfulness Self-Compassion training this fall at the Omega Centre.