Be nice to yourself–science says so!
Sep 22nd, 2011 by Adrienne Keith
This release from the Association for Psychological Science offers some valuable insight into what individuals going through a divorce can do to feel better. Citing a study that will be released in Psychological Science–the association’s journal–the finding is that “self-compassion” predicts better adjustment after the divorce and up to nine months later. Self-compassion in this study is described as the “combination of kindness toward oneself, recognition of common humanity, and the ability to let painful emotions pass”.
While there are a range of positive characteristics an individual can exhibit, characteristics such as “self-esteem, resistance to depression, optimism, or ease with relationships”, the researchers found that self-compassion was unique in predicting who would better weather a divorce process. Changing oneself in the midst of such a stressful experience may be difficult. Nevertheless, it may be worth the effort to work on self-compassion if it will help someone feel better faster and longer following a divorce.