self compassion, and not necessarily high self-esteem, maybe the…
Page 188 self compassion, and not necessarily high self-esteem, maybe the key to reaching your full potential.
— from Who Is Flying (Self, Nature & Nurture)
In the book
And here is the subtle thing the research found about the rough air: the deepest stability comes not from high self-esteem, which is brittle and forever needing defense, but from self-compassion — sustained, honest self-observation paired with a refusal to condemn what you see. It is the willingness, when you fall short, to treat yourself as you would a sick child rather than a criminal: the freeing rule that you may say I did a bad thing but never I am bad. When you feel awful, treat it like a passing virus to recover from, not proof that your core is rotten. — Who Is Flying (Self, Nature & Nurture)