Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions That Feel Like Yet Another To-Do List? Do You Tend To Focus Mostly On Goals And The Big Achievements This Time Of Year? Do You Want To Reflect Back On The Past Year In A More Meaningful, Self-Compassionate Way? Would You Like To Slow Down And Be More Content In Your Daily Life?
Many people take time to reflect when a new year starts. But sometimes New Year’s resolutions can be a set-up for more self-criticism and longer to-do lists. In this episode, Dr. Rae Littlewood and Dr. Debbie Sorensen discuss a process for reflecting on the past year that will help you to move from self-evaluation and criticism toward contentment. Looking more closely at moments of contentment, relishing success, and cultivating compassion are strategies that can help you to clarify your values and choose where to focus your attention in 2017.
In this episode you will learn:
- Why focusing on goals and achievements may actually increase self-criticism.
- How to be more appreciative of meaningful moments in your daily life.
- Practices for increasing compassion toward yourself and others.
Resources to explore:
- Paul Gilbert and Compassion Focused Therapy
- Compassion Focused Therapy: The CBT Distinctive Feature Series by Paul Gilbert (where compassion refocusing and soothing system vs. threat system is discussed)
- CFT Made Simple by Russell Kolts
- Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Wellbeing by Martin Seligman (3 blessings exercise is located here)
- The quote about appreciating daily life by Olive Ann Burns is from the book Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurryby Katrina Kennison
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