Self compassion is extending compassion to oneself in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering.

Self-pity on the other hand is an emotion “directed towards others with the goal of attracting attention, empathy, or help” and one in which the subject feels sorry for themselves.

Self-compassion is useful. It helps us shed the excess baggage of the past so we can keep moving forward.

Self-pity is the useless emotion. It makes us wallow in our miseries, reduces our empathy for others and projects a pessimistic view of everything happening to us, good or bad.

Even though the line separating the two is quite clear objectively, the transition can sometimes be unnoticeable, especially since self-pity narrows our world view and makes us unreceptive to anybody who wants to help lift us up.

Feeling sorry for oneself is a human emotion we can’t avoid, like jealousy or greed. What is important is to recognise when it happens. Because the only person who can cut through the cloud of self-imposed misery at that time is you.