How to give yourself — and others — a break

Be kind to yourself. Give others the benefit of the doubt. Few would disagree that this advice would lead to a life filled with less fighting and more empathy. So, why don’t we always practice compassion? American culture can promote and celebrate competitiveness, where it’s easy to never be satisfied and think that we should be doing more. We set high standards for ourselves, and sometimes put similar expectations on others, and believe that, “If I’m doing it, why can’t you do it?” says Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins, associate director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital. In that dynamic, no one gets any benefit of the doubt. Social media can exacerbate the division, with people posting their positions without being interested in a different perspective. It’s also a place where we get to see how great everyone else appears in their photographs. We end up using bits of information (that may or may not be true) to judge our insides by someone else’s outsides, says Melissa Brodrick, ombudsperson at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Harvard School of Public Health, adding, “We can be our own worst critics.” The COVID-19 pandemic has added another layer. It has created enormous daily stress and uncertainty, compelling us to show empathy for others, because we need some for ourselves. But it’s difficult to be constantly thoughtful and considerate. We get tired and hungry. We have deadlines or ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Mental Health Relationships Stress Source Type: blogs