Self-Compassion: Be Your Own Coach, Not Your Harshest Critic

When things don’t go as planned, is your inner voice a harsh critic or a supportive coach? In this episode of What’s On Your Mind?, Mikaila welcomes back the school counselor from the podcast’s first episode to explore self-compassion—how it differs from self-worth and self-esteem, and why being kind to yourself does not mean giving up or letting yourself off the hook.

Together, they unpack the three elements of self-compassion: noticing difficult feelings without spiraling, remembering that struggle is part of being human, and responding to yourself with kindness. They discuss how to balance compassion with ambition, take responsibility for mistakes, and set healthy limits without tearing yourself down. The conversation also explores the impact of harsh self-criticism and shares a simple compassion-imagery practice, offering practical ways to become your own encouraging coach, one small step at a time.