4. Surviving the Cost of Living Crisis
I never thought I would be writing about economics - but here we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis, housing crisis and there are general the-world-is-a-bin-fire vibes all around!
So talking about cultivating self-compassion feels really bloody important right now.
I’m seeing the strain of the economic situation all around (and in) me. People are STRESSED about this stuff, our generation/s haven’t felt it like this before. I was a footloose and fancy free 26 year old during the GFC - it certainly didn’t affect my weekend sessions!
So why am I talking about self-compassion when the cost of bread has just doubled and interest rates suck?
Because often when we are feeling the pain and grief of loss, in this case the loss of financial stability, we turn on ourselves. We can be so unkind with our self-talk.
The mind is great at seeking the negative thoughts and letting them grow.
Numbing this pain and not acknowledging it can mean it manifests in unhelpful ways, often making our situation worse. Think doom-scrolling, drinking, overeating, secret spending… if you’re nodding along to any of this list, self-compassion is for you. You truely deeply deserve kindness from within.
Learning how to build self-compassion is about treating ourselves with the same empathy and kindness we would give to almost everybody else.
Self-compassion does not happen with the flick of a switch, it’s a process, but it is so worth it!
In the Mindful Three today I’ve added an amazing free resource “How to Develop Self-Compassion”. I use this guide often on my ‘journey’ of less shit-talk and more self-love. FYI it’s totally ok and normal for this ‘journey’ to be a life long one! Because the mind is powerful and generally speaking, wired towards the negative to keep us alert and safe.
If you are feeling the stress of the current climate, I hope this email can help you feel less alone and inspired to start a practice of self-care.
It’s a rough time, so please reach out to your people; friends, family, therapist, if it’s all getting too much. And as always my inbox and DMs are always open for chats about life and mindfulness and generally being human.
Libby x
How to Develop Self Compassion is an easy to read guide by Dr Russ Harris. Russ Harris originally studied as a doctor and now works as a therapist, life coach, and trainer. He is best-known for his book, The Happiness Trap.
Inner Gardening Care is a beautiful meditation by Lalah Delia. Nurture yourself with this one and tend to your inner garden to soothe and heal.
Number three is more of a task than an offering!
Make a list of all the fun low cost activities you can do, then do them! These might be solo activities like restarting a craft or hobby you already have all the supplies for (I have many of those crafts!). Or things you can do with others, hands up who has a cupboard full of unused board games and puzzles 😬. And don’t forget all the outdoor adventures you can have close to home.
I added this to today’s Mindful Three because having joy in our lives is so important when things feel heavy.