By Kristin Neff, Ph.D.
Released by William Morrow April 2011

The relentless search for high self-esteem has become a virtual religion; and a tyrannical one at that. Our competitive culture tells us we need to be special and above average to feel good about ourselves, but we can’t all be above average at the same time. There is always someone richer, more attractive, or successful than we are. And even when we do manage to feel self-esteem for one golden moment, we can’t hold on to it. Our sense of self-worth bounces around like a ping-pong ball, rising and falling in lock-step with our latest success or failure.

Fortunately, there is an alternative to self-esteem that many psychologists believe is a better and more effective path to happiness: self-compassion. The research of Dr. Kristin Neff and others strongly suggests that people who are more self-compassionate lead healthier, more productive lives than those who are self-critical. And the feelings of security and self-worth provided by self-compassion are highly stable. Self-compassion steps in precisely when we fall down, allowing us to get up and try again.

Dr. Neff helps readers understand that compassion isn’t only something that we should apply to others. Just as we’d have compassion for a good friend who was going through a hard time or felt inadequate in some way, why not for ourselves? Many people believe that they need to be self-critical to motivate themselves, but in fact they just end up feeling anxious, incompetent and depressed. Dr. Neff’s research shows that far from encouraging self-indulgence, self-compassion helps us to see ourselves clearly and make needed changes because we care about ourselves and want to reach our full potential.

This groundbreaking book shows readers how to let go of their constant, debilitating self-judgment and finally learn to be kind to themselves. Using solid empirical research, personal stories, humor, and dozens of practical exercises, Dr. Neff—the world’s leading experts on self-compassion—shows readers how to heal the wounds of the past so that they can be healthier, happier and more effective. Entertaining, highly readable and eminently accessible, this book has the power to change your life.

Published by Hodder in the UK, De Bezige Bij in the Netherlands, Paidos in Spain, Kailash in Germany, Belfond in France, Usus in Hungary, Avots in Latvia, 2AB Editora in Brazil, Basam Books in Norway, Common Wealth Publishing in Taiwan, China Machine in China, Kongo Shuppan in Japan, and Time Books in Korea.’Foreign Editions

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