A Year of Self-Compassion
Finding Care, Connection and Calm in Our Challenging Times
A practical and accessible guide to developing self-compassion over the course of a year.
Now in its sixth print run, with around 2,000 copies sold.
A Year of Self-Compassion is designed to help you understand self-compassion and, importantly, begin to develop it for yourself.
We are often much more familiar with offering compassion to other people than responding compassionately to ourselves. Yet self-compassion is a psychological skill that can be learned and strengthened through practice.
Drawing on psychological research and my experience of working with self-compassion, the book provides a structured and supportive way to explore how you relate to yourself, particularly when life is difficult.
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Developing Self-Compassion Over a Year
The book is designed to be used gradually over the course of a year, creating time and space to reflect on your experiences and put self-compassion into practice in everyday life.
Through reflective questions, practical exercises and journalling, it explores how to notice thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them, respond differently to self-criticism and difficult emotions, and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
You do not need any previous knowledge or experience of self-compassion or mindfulness. The book is intended to make the psychological principles of self-compassion understandable, practical and relevant to everyday life.
What You’ll Explore
As you work through the book, you will explore:
- practical ways to develop self-compassion and self-care;
- responding to difficult emotions with greater self-compassion;
- using mindfulness and reflective journalling to explore thoughts and emotions;
- recognising and responding differently to negative self-criticism and self-sabotaging patterns;
- mindful communication and developing healthy, compassionate relationships with others.
The book also includes colouring illustrations that can be used as part of mindful reflection and relaxation.
Cultivating Mindful Self-Compassion
Mindfulness is an important element of self-compassion because it helps us recognise what we are experiencing without immediately judging it or becoming caught up in our thoughts and emotions.
The book encourages you to develop this awareness alongside greater self-kindness and a recognition that difficulty, imperfection and struggle are part of our shared human experience.
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, self-compassion can help us develop our capacity to acknowledge them, maintain perspective and consider how best to respond.
A Word from Professor Michael West
"The more we spread compassion, the kinder our world becomes. It begins with self-compassion. The A Year of Self-Compassion book is a wise and kind seedbed for the growth of compassion."
About the Author
Dr Amanda Super is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist and Chartered Occupational Psychologist who has specialised in self-compassion for almost 15 years.
Her work brings together psychological research and evidence-based practice to explore how self-compassion can support psychological wellbeing, working life and compassionate leadership.
Interested in learning more about self-compassion and how it can be developed?
Explore Self-Compassion