hi everyone

it's Rosie welcome to radioheadspace and to Tuesday

today we're continuing our exploration of self-compassion

and I want to share a very personal my journey as a first time author

because really what better way to understand self-compassion

than the roller coaster ride of writing a book

when I set out to write my book

I was brimming with ideas and enthusiasm

but soon reality hit

the self-doubt the fear of rejection the pressure to create something meaningful

it was all there staring me dead in the face

and that's our focal point for today

how do we embrace self-compassion when we're pushing our boundaries

when we most likely won't get it right on the first try

something that's helped me during those

times is befriending myself

befriending ourselves is so important because our thoughts mostly go unchecked

we can say anything to ourselves at any time

good or bad

but when we tell a friend what we are feeling

they speak kindly to us

and through self compassion

we can learn to do that for ourselves

I sadly wasn't befriending myself when I wrote that first book

at times I stared at a blank page

the cursor blinking back at me

mirroring my insecurities

I questioned my abilities and my worthiness

which brings me to the day I received the first draft of my manuscript

I opened the email expecting constructive feedback and suggestions

but what I saw shattered my confidence in an instant

the document was marked up with red underlines

as I scroll through the pages seeing the corrections and critiques from three different people

I felt a wave of discouragement washed over me

I questioned whether I had what it takes to be a writer

whether my words are worthy of being shared with the world

the inner critic grew louder and louder

fueling myself doubt and making me question every sentence I had written

so I did what I normally do when I get overwhelmed

I went outside

I listened to the birds

took some deep breaths and walked it out

in that moment self-compassion became my lifeline

instead of succumbing to the weight of my insecurities

I took a step back and gave myself a friendly reminder that writing is a process

and a first draft is meant to be imperfect

I acknowledged that I was in a vulnerable state

and it was natural to feel shaken by the feedback

I gave myself some time to see my editor's remarks

not as a reflection of my worth as a writer

but as an opportunity for growth and improvement

and that's something we all can do

give yourself grace

whether it's a new role at work

launching a business

or finally getting to that passion project

tell yourself that it's okay

to have off days or to feel stuck

these moments don't define your worth

they are part of the journey

and remember we can

allow ourselves to feel disappointment and frustration

but also hold space for self acceptance

some things we can all do to put this into practice 

is developing what I call self-compassion rituals

take walks to clear the mind journal to process your feelings

and offer yourself the same love and support you would extend to a dear friend

and yes that last part means that instead of beating yourself up

you tell yourself that you're still worthy

even saying I'm worthy can be a comfort

and with practice we can learn to appreciate the process

to love the perfectly imperfect journey of pushing our boundaries