Suffering can intensify when we develop the habit of judging and blaming ourselves for our own thoughts and feelings, and this self criticism can fuel depression like lighter fluid. By practicing mindfulness, we can shift this habit to one that cultivates balance as we learn to pay attention to the present moment in a nonjudgmental, curious, and compassionate way. What we practice we inevitably get good at. By practicing mindfulness, we become less reactive and more accepting of ourselves and others. Mindfulness opens the door for us to observe and change how we treat ourselves.
