Helpful Resources for Feeling Compassionate

Books

These books may be helpful for exploring compassion, self-compassion,boundaries and caring for yourself without losing yourself in the needs of others.

• ‍Self-Compassion – Kristin Neff
• ‍Fierce Self-Compassion – Kristin Neff‍
• The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook – Kristin Neff & Christopher Germer‍
• Set Boundaries, Find Peace – Nedra Glover Tawwab‍
• Atlasof the Heart – Brené Brown

Helpful Articles

Click below to explore other emotion pages that might be helpful:

• Feeling Tender
• Feeling Calm
• Feeling Grateful
• Feeling Loved
• Feeling Angry
• Feeling Afraid
• Feeling Ashamed
• Feeling Burnt Out
• Feeling Numb

Worksheets

• What Would Compassion Look Like Right Now?
• My Capacity Check-In
• Compassion Without Abandoning Myself
• Before I Throw It Away
• Comfort, Help or Space?
• My Safe People Map

Journal Prompts

• When is it easiest for me to show compassion to others?
• When is it hardest for me to show compassion to myself?
• What do I say to myself when I am struggling?
• What would I say to someone I love who was experiencing the same thing?
• When has caring for someone else caused me to abandon my own needs?
• What does compassion with boundaries look like for me?
• Where in my life am I expecting myself to cope without enough support?
• What helps me stay caring without becoming overwhelmed or resentful?
• Is there something I am judging myself for that I could approach with greater understanding?
• What would care look like for me today?

Practical Tools

The Compassion Question

Ask yourself:

What would care look like right now — without rescuing, fixing or abandoning myself?

Comfort, Help or Space?

When someone you care about is struggling, try asking:

Do you want comfort, help or space?

Choose Neutrality

If kindness towards yourself feels impossible today, you don't have to forceit. Try moving from criticism towards neutrality.

Instead of:

I'm useless. I should be coping better.

Try:

I'm having a difficult day, and I don't need to make it harder byattacking myself.

The Capacity Check

Before giving your time, energy or support, ask:

Do I genuinely have the capacity for this right now?

One Practical Act of Care

Compassion doesn't always require the perfect words. Sometimes it lookslike:

• Drinking some water.
• Eating something nourishing.
• Resting.
• Sending a message.
• Sitting quietly with someone.
• Asking for help.
• Saying no.
• Stepping away when you need to.

Free Resources

• What Would Compassion Look Like Right Now?
• My Capacity Check-In
• Before I Throw It Away
• Comfort, Help or Space?
• Self-Compassion Journal Prompts

Related Stories

Toys, Fragments, and the Things That Get Left Behind

A reflection on broken toys, memory, repair and the quiet compassion of caring for what others overlook.

Future stories and lived experiences exploring compassion, boundaries, self-compassion and caring without losing yourself will be added as 101Emotions grows.

A Gentle Reminder

Compassion does not require you to tolerate harm, ignore your own needs ortake responsibility for fixing everyone around you.

You can care and still say no.

You can understand someone's pain without excusing their behaviour.

You can offer kindness without abandoning yourself.

And sometimes, the person most deserving of your compassion is you.

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