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    Loving Kindness Meditation by Kristin Neff

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    Sean FargoPublished February 6, 2017 · Updated October 21, 2026 · 1 min read
    Loving Kindness Meditation by Kristin Neff
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    Printable Worksheet

    Loving-Kindness Meditation

    PDF·175 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Loving-Kindness Meditation” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Loving-Kindness

    PDF·197 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Loving-Kindness” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Loving Kindness – The Child that is You

    PDF·160 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Loving Kindness – The Child that is You” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Loving-Kindness Affirmations

    PDF·194 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Loving-Kindness Affirmations” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Loving-Kindness

    PDF·177 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Loving-Kindness” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Meeting Mindfulness With Kindness

    PDF·190 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    Turning toward yourself with kindness

    Most of us are far harder on ourselves than we would ever be on someone we love. “Meeting Mindfulness With Kindness” is an invitation to offer yourself the same warmth you give so easily to others.

    How mindfulness can help

    Kristin Neff describes self-compassion as three movements: noticing that this is a moment of difficulty, remembering that difficulty is part of being human, and offering yourself some gesture of care. Practiced together, they can soften self-criticism into something closer to friendship.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Acknowledge the moment. Say to yourself, “This is hard right now.” Let the sentence land without rushing past it.
    2. Place a hand where it helps. On your heart, your cheek, your forearm. The simple weight of touch is a signal of care.
    3. Offer kind words. Try “May I be gentle with myself,” or speak to yourself as you would to a good friend in the same spot.
    4. Let the moment pass. Self-compassion is not a fix. It is a way of keeping yourself company through what is difficult.

    You are allowed to be a beginner at being kind to yourself. Each moment of remembering counts, especially the small ones.

    Printable Worksheet

    Seeing Yourself Through Loving Eyes

    PDF·182 KB

    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    A mindful approach to seeing yourself through loving eyes

    “Seeing Yourself Through Loving Eyes” is an invitation to slow down and meet your experience with curiosity, honesty, and kindness.

    How mindfulness can help

    Mindfulness offers a steady place to stand while you work with any topic. Instead of being carried along by reaction, we notice what is here, sensations, thoughts, and feelings, and respond from presence rather than pressure.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Begin with the breath. You might take three slow breaths before opening the worksheet, and let the body arrive.
    2. Read with curiosity. Move through each prompt slowly. Notice which questions soften you and which ones tighten you.
    3. Write what is true now. There are no right answers, only honest ones. What is true at this moment is what the worksheet is asking for.
    4. Close with one breath. When you finish, pause. You might place a hand on your heart and thank yourself for showing up.

    Insight does not arrive on a schedule. Trust the practice of returning, and the honesty you bring each time you do.

    What is loving-kindness meditation and how do you practice it?

    Loving-kindness meditation trains you to extend genuine warmth — first to yourself, then outward to others — through quiet, repeated phrases of goodwill. The full practice is laid out below.

    This meditation is the loving-kindness meditation by Kristin Neff. It’s meant to generate feelings of goodwill and kindness both for others and yourself.

    Kristin Neff, Ph.D. is widely recognized as a leading researcher on self-compassion and was the first to operationally define and measure the construct. In addition to her research, she has developed an eight-week program to teach self-compassion skills in daily life, co-created with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, called Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC). Her book, Self-Compassion, was published by William Morrow in April, 2011.

    More from: Kristin Neff

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