01.02.2026 Start with Self-Compassion   In many ways, reflecting on what a new year can offer is a straightforward exercise for most of us — resolutions, to-do lists, improvement projects. January 1 seemingly marks the perfect moment to “start anew.” And while having resolutions, goals, and aspirations for improvement can be a healthy activity, what usually comes up for me at this time of year is the impulse to judge or assess: Where am I now, compared to some ideal version of myself? Lately, I’ve extended this reflection to a broader, kinder, contemplation: As a human sharing this planet with billions of other humans, how can I bring my best self to the party? Where does my desire to be the best version of myself overlap with the need to ease some of the suffering I encounter beyond my individual experience? How can I “work on me” so that I can perhaps be of benefit to others? We’ve all heard the instruction on airplanes to “put your oxygen mask on before assisting those around you” This instruction has always struck me as a helpful reminder. We can’t be of benefit to others and ultimately serve to ease their suffering if we aren’t able to begin with compassion for ourselves as a starting point. Looking after and cultivating self-compassion, care, and even forgiveness for ourselves — especially in moments when we’ve fallen short or caused harm — does not mean we stop aspiring to be of benefit to others. I like to think of self-compassion as something that wraps around that important aspiration. It means to truly show up for others when it’s hard, when it hurts, and when it takes bravery. We have to be able to start from a place of radical acceptance. Learning to work with whatever is arising in the present moment includes the hard parts, the ugly parts, and even the things that we are ashamed or embarrassed by. Perhaps this is where we start in 2026: cultivating the bravery to be with what is unfolding exactly as it is, right here, right now. This month, I’m looking forward to joining you as Lion’s Roar’s resident teacher. We will gather every Wednesday for a free live meditation to help you begin the year fresh, and Lion’s Roar members can join my talk on Thursday, January 22 to go deeper on starting the year with kindness for yourself. All details can be found on our live events page.  May the launch of a new year offer all of us space and time to hold the tender balance between self improvement and acceptance of what is, as we journey collectively toward a life with more ease for ourselves and for others. —Beth Wallace, Associate Publisher, Lion’s Roar How to See Yourself with Compassion Looking deeply into your own eyes, you learn to let go of self-judgment and discover your innate beauty. Jo Confino on mirror meditation. I remember one day washing my face and, glancing up, seeing not just a reflection in the mirror but someone looking back at me. Our eyes met, I smiled, and he smiled back. A tenderness passed between us, and my whole relationship with myself shifted. In that moment of self-understanding and self-acceptance, I recognized that it’s possible to forge a deep, loving connection when we look at ourselves with a genuine smile, allowing a deep inner knowing to gently push away our negative thoughts. I made the decision to cultivate this experience and turn it into a practice of standing before a mirror and connecting to myself for several minutes at a time. ADVERTISEMENT A Meditation to Be Kind to Yourself Try this three-step contemplation from Kristin Neff to give yourself the compassion you need (and deserve). Put both hands on your heart, pause, and feel their warmth. You can also put your hand anyplace on your body that feels soothing and comforting, like your belly or face. Breathe deeply in and out. Speak these words to yourself, out loud or silently, in a warm and caring tone: This is a moment of suffering Suffering is a part of life. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need. How to Love Yourself If you want to love all beings, start with self-love, says Lisa Ernst. On the first session of the retreat, about twenty-five people gathered in a large, airy room looking out at the yellow leaves of aspen trees in fall. The teachers introduced us to metta practice by explaining that we’d begin by offering loving-kindness to ourselves. This is the traditional approach. The idea is that if meditators cultivate self-compassion, they can then more readily extend compassion outward to others in a sequence that includes loved ones, teachers and benefactors, neutral people, difficult people, and finally all beings. When we open our hearts to receive kindness, we have more to give to others. I was one of two students who practiced in the Zen tradition on this retreat. The other Zen student pushed back on starting metta practice with himself; he said it seemed wrong, even selfish. I too felt resistant to this approach for the same reason. Somehow I’d imagined we’d offer metta to other people first and maybe get to ourselves later, or we’d just fold self-metta into the “all beings” category. Something about offering myself metta rubbed against my ideas of altruistic kindness.