Totum TalkS: Self-Compassion: Can You Be Your Own Friend?

Self-awareness is the key that opens the door to your inner world. But once you step inside, self-compassion is the gentle light that helps you look around with kindness instead of judgment.

On paper, self-compassion sounds simple—treat yourself the way you’d treat a good friend. Speak to yourself with patience, encouragement, and understanding. Yet in practice, it can feel incredibly difficult.

Why is it so much easier to reassure a friend than to reassure ourselves? Maybe it’s because our inner critic has the loudest voice. Or perhaps we’ve been taught that being hard on ourselves is the only way to grow, succeed, or stay in line.

But what if growth begins when we soften? What if the journey to self-compassion starts with one small question: Can I be my own friend today?

So I’ll leave you with this:
How have you been your own friend recently? Did you give yourself permission to rest, forgive a mistake, or simply pause and breathe?

I’d love to hear your reflections in the comments—let’s start a conversation about what self-compassion looks like in real life.