(In collaboration with Cecilia Au of @cecilia.in.art)
Self-compassion is such an important topic that is close to my heart. It has become one of those life messages that I feel is my mission to share and teach others about. This is because the practice of self-compassion has not only significantly impacted my life but also the lives of the many counsellees and thrivers I have had the privilege of journeying with.
Do you know that even scientific research on self-compassion has also proven its benefits to one's mental health and motivation in life? Check out the wealth of such research from Dr. Kristin Neff’s (one of the leading authority and researcher of self-compassion) website at https://self-compassion.org/the-research/
If you are living in an Asian culture, or are someone with an Asian background, you may struggle much more with the concept of self-compassion. Many wrongly believed that self-compassion may lead one to become complacent, demotivated to improve, or even irresponsible. This could be because Asian culture tends to be more collectivistic in their values, it is always the “we” before “me.” The interest of others, the community, or those in authority is always prioritised above one’s own needs.
I notice that many of those whom I journey with will initially have a hard time learning to be kind or have compassion on themselves not just because of their past traumas, but also because of the Asian cultural baggage that makes them feel guilty to treat themselves kindly, especially if that means drawing boundaries and putting their needs first.
I came up with this idea of “healthy self-compassion” that I found has been very helpful in helping many overcome their “false guilt” imposed on them by culture. When they understand that self-compassion is being responsible to self and others too, they seem to find more “permission” to practice it. We often forget that our self-care is our responsibility too. Self-care is being a good steward of the life that has been given us. The best gift you can give to others is a healthy YOU!
Self-compassion is a practice and is developed through intentionally changing the way we talk to ourselves, practicing embracing our emotions with compassion, processing & reflecting on them and daily reflection and self-care!
Collaboration with Artist, Cecilia Au
Having a journal makes a wonderful tool to support our practice of self-compassion! So with this collaboration with artist Cecilia Au @cecilia.in.art, ThriveSg hope to give you the gift of this journal. We hope by gifting you with this beautiful journal, it would be an encouragement and motivation for your journey of cultivating more self-compassion in your life. It is an on-going journey even for myself, as sometimes the familiar critical thoughts may sneak up still. Even then, we can choose to recognise & replace them with more self-compassionate thoughts.
Here is what Cecilia Au has to say about her experience from her creative process of her collaboration with us:
"Collaborating creatively with ThriveSg on this project has given me the opportunity to reflect on my own self-compassion journey. I have come to learn that self-compassion is a skill that can be honed - much like you would learn skills such as communication and conflict resolution.
Unfortunately, I had always come under the false impression that to be compassionate to myself is to be weak and/or selfish. One helpful thing that interacting with the ThriveSg community has taught me is that being self-compassionate is very much like being compassionate to a friend who is stressed or going through something challenging - except that 'friend' is me.
When I started to see things that way, it made it easier to actively start learning the skills of being self-compassionate. I'm so thankful that I get to support ThriveSg's valuable work through my creative skills, and it has been a genuine pleasure to collaborate with them."
Here are some of the beautiful artworks among others from Cecilia that are included in the journal. May you be inspired & encouraged to continue to cultivate self-compassion that breeds resilience so you can thrive your life!
ThriveSg has collaborated with Cecilia in 2022 via another initiave, namely, Note to self" on Emotions.
You can also download wall papers to inspire your mental well-being for your mobile phone from our Note to self" on Emotions, another collaboration we did with Cecilia Au.
If you are a Creative and interested to collaborate with ThriveSg for a good mental health cause, please check out cru.sg/thrivesg-CCMH and submit your collaboration request to us.
If you are available to volunteer with us for a good cause for at least 3 months to a year, do check out the 5 benefits we offer our Creatives Volunteer Program and apply at cru.sg/thrivesg-CVP !
We look forward to join us in our #creativesformentalhealth initiative.
ThriveSg believes that the ARTS have the power to impact mental health and how the creative process can be used for a good cause!
#creativesformentalhealth is ThriveSg’s way of championing and inspiring the use of creative giftings for a good cause, whether it be for mental health or not!
ThriveSg has been so blessed by Creatives that have collaborated with us in our mental health cause and we would like to shout out to some of them, we hope you’ll be inspired & encouraged by their stories to use your creative giftings for a good cause too.
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Read inspiring stories from courageous individuals in Singapore about how they've overcome challenges and experienced healing in their lives.
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ThriveSg serves young people (17-35) from all walks of life and of different faiths. We believe that everyone has the capacity to thrive significantly when empowered and supported through growing in self-discovery, emotional wellness and resilience, and mental health.
ThriveSg champions a help-seeking culture through advocating a growth perspective towards counselling, to overcome the stigma of mental illnesses and emotional challenges.
Follow ThriveSg on Instagram HERE or click on the button below to find out more.
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Pamela Koh is the Founder & Clinical Director of ThriveSg. She’s a registered counsellor & clinical supervisor with the Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC) & a certified therapist in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Pamela specialises in working with trauma and grief-related issues that often underlies mental health issues like anxiety, depression, addiction and eating disorders.
By 2023, She has worked with tertiary students for over 18 years, 6 years among Japanese university students in Nagoya. She is passionate about helping people heal from their past traumas, and grow emotionally so that they can reach their fullest potential to thrive significantly in life.
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