Purposeful Journaling Series: Speaking to Yourself as a Friend

This is a journaling exercise for practicing and promoting self-compassion.

Many of us are more skilled at offering self-compassion to others than we are to ourselves.

In this journaling exercise, first write out what you are experiencing, struggling with, going through, feeling, etc.

Then, write a response to the first entry based on how you would speak to a friend going through the same thing. How would you validate, support, encourage? Would you offer grace, kindness, advice? How would you speak to a friend who is sharing this information? Picture a close friend in your mind as you write your response, imaging truly speaking those words back to him/her. Notice after writing what it feels like to speak to yourself in this manner. This may take practice – for many, it is a new way of speaking to the self, but it is an important practice.