By Lorene Collier Purcy, Speaker & Author
Fort Worth, TX  USA

Recent psychological studies are confirming the wisdom that has long been taught in Buddhism and other traditions, that developing more compassion for yourself will make you happier and more successful at reaching your goals as a speaker. Whatever your spiritual beliefs, these are some of the benefits of self-compassion and methods for attaining them.

Benefits of Having Compassion for Yourself

1. Experience greater happiness. Self-compassion means valuing yourself and treating yourself well. You’re bound to feel better when you remove negative self-talk and become a better friend to yourself.

2. Accomplish your goals as a speaker more easily. There’s no need to criticize yourself to eliminate bad habits. Accept your flaws and focus on action plans that are realistic for you. If you break your diet, start again with the next meal. If you’re denied one job opening, beef up your resume so you’re ready for the next opening.

3. Become more resilient. Accept that life is full of ups and downs; take them in stride instead of being derailed by self-pity. You’ll bounce back faster when you realize that challenges and setbacks are as inevitable as rainy days.

4. Feel more motivated. When you learn to value yourself as a speaker, you’ll feel more committed to making investments in your future. Giving yourself the freedom to make mistakes reduces the anxiety that holds you back from trying new things.

5. Feel more connected with others. The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer suggested that we call each other “my fellow sufferer.” When we realize that we all want to be happy but we often need to become more skillful at creating happiness, we recognize how much we have in common with everyone around us.

6. Express more compassion towards others. If you’re gentle with yourself, you’re more apt to carry that mindset into your speaking engagements. You’ll be mindful of the challenges we all face and have a stronger desire to help others.


Known for a contagious passion for excellence, a talent for practical business solutions, and a competence for being a motivational leadership, Lorene Collier Purcy, is a professional speaker, a certified credit, entrepreneur & personal development coach, and a contributing author to the book “The Power of Change: Reinventing Yourself at Any Age”.