from shame to self-compassion

Shame closes the heart to self-compassion. We live with an internal state best characterized as self-hatred. In order to loosen shame’s grip on out lives, we need to make three moves. The first is from feeling worthles to seeing ourselves as wounded. The second emerges from the first and is a shift from seeing ourselves throught the lens of contempt to one of a budding compassion. And the third is moving from silence to sharing. As long as we see our suffering as evidence of worthlessness, we will not move towards our wounds with anything but judgement.

[…]

The third move we must take, from.silence to sharing, is important, but be mindful to share these vulnerable truths only with people you fully trust.

The Wild Edge of Sorrow” by Francis Weller