This exercise is inspired by Kristen Neff’s Self-Compassion Journal exercise in her book Self-Compassion: The Power of Being Kind to Yourself. Use these instructions for a daily journaling practice.

• Take a moment to get still, perhaps using a focusing meditation from week 1.
• From the perspective of an impartial observer, observe the events of your day.
• Write down anything that you felt bad about, felt judged about by yourself or another, or that caused you pain or suffering.
• For each event reflect on the 3 Core Components of Compassion, and write about each event using the following guidelines.

Mindfulness

Bring awareness to the event itself. How did you feel in your body? Emotions? What were the qualities of your thoughts? Try to remember this without shame or judgement. It helps if you simultaneously focus on your breath in the moment as you write.

Common Humanity

In what way did each event relate to the larger human experience? Is this something that other people might feel?

Self-Kindness

Comfort yourself with kind words, using a soft and reassuring tone. What might your best friend say to you about this experience?