Challenge Tips

Welcome to day 2 of the Show Yourself Kindness challenge, powered by CeraVe.

The first step to having self-compassion involves recognizing when you need it most. This comes from mindfulness.  

When you practice mindfulness, you focus on the present moment. That helps you better acknowledge emotions of all kinds, like impatience, frustration, or inadequacy. From there, you can accept them by approaching them with a curious and open attitude. Self-compassion comes into play when you respond to your emotions and feelings with sympathy and kindness.  

Mindfulness by itself is beneficial in so many ways. It can provide:  

• Pain management 
• Stress relief 
• Chronic disease symptom management 
• Increased overall enjoyment of life 
• Burnout and compassion fatigue prevention 

First, let’s focus on learning to be mindful. Mindfulness means being totally in the moment, focusing on what’s going on inside and immediately outside of your own body. Life is lived in between yesterday and tomorrow. You can’t change the past and the future hasn’t happened yet, so focus on the joy of each moment. 

The next time you feel a strong emotion (like uncertainty, guilt, or defeat) or think an unnerving thought, follow these steps: 

1. Pause 
2. Take a few deep breaths 
3. Concentrate on the present 
4. Focus on how your body is feeling 
5. Zone in on your surroundings and what is going on 

In order to show yourself kindness when dealing with your thoughts or emotions, first, pause and identify how you are feeling. Mindfulness gets you there. 

Want more information on how to be mindful? Check out our #healthynurse resources: 

• Channeling Mindfulness in Nursing 
• Mindfulness Practices For Stress And Anxiety With COVID-19 
• Sign up for a free year of the meditation app Headspace Plus to access mindful eating and gratitude resources, as well as sleepscapes, guided meditations and more!

How do you typically cope with strong emotions? Share with us in our discussion in the challenge update section here or on Facebook. Take a deep breath and let go of all of that.

Find this helpful? Share it with a nurse by using the social media links on the left side of this page and invite them to sign up for the Show Yourself Kindness challenge, powered by CeraVe.

Missed day 1? Catch up here. Join us on day 3.






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