Self-Compassion is important to me because for a long time I thought that being a good person meant trying to be nice to everyone—except me. But as I’ve learned to offer myself love and kindness, I’m also more naturally able to do the same for others -- without having to try so hard. You can develop self-compassion too – it’s an orientation of letting yourself be just who you are in every moment, without trying to fix or change or ignore anything about your experience. Reading about it or talking yourself into it doesn’t seem to be very effective – cultivating true self-compassion requires deep listening via meditative practice, and takes patience and effort. I encourage you to set aside 15 minutes a day to get still and silent and offer yourself attention and kindness.