We would not hesitate to stand up for someone who is being bullied—unless that bully is our own critical inner voice. We are taught to be compassionate and caring to others just as Jesus Christ was. We take care of friends and family without a second thought. So why do we sometimes exclude ourselves from the same compassion?
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught that “as children of God, we should not demean or vilify ourselves, as if beating up on ourselves is somehow going to make us the person God wants us to become.”1 The antidote for the poison of self-criticism is self-compassion.
Remember, everyone is a child of God who is deserving of love, forgiveness, and patience—and that includes you.
Notes
1. “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” October 2017 general conference.