Most people find it easier to show compassion to others than to themselves. Self-compassion means nothing other than treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding as you would a friend.

The difficulty for people with low self-compassion is that they invest a lot of energy in negative feelings or problems instead of in solving the problems that will help them move forward.

Studies show that we benefit greatly from high self-compassion. It increases our motivation to stick with something and encourages us to get up and carry on after a defeat.

In general, people with high self-compassion are happier - even when they have health problems. With high self-compassion we can therefore strengthen our resilience and support ourselves so that we can cope with setbacks and deal with adversity.

Therefore, the next time you experience defeat, talk to yourself patiently and understandingly, just as you would with a friend.