I am a physical being. With machinery subject to the laws of physics. My inputs and outputs are constrained to a reality far more limited than the abstracted levels of dreams and imagination.

This is both the super power that allows me to move the world but also reality of the limits.

I am a social being. My ability to think part of shared expanse of a web of billions. I have exceptional sensors for this task but this also means other people also can have an immense effect on me as well. From close personal relationships, parasociol ones, with both real and imagined beings.

This helps me a lot. I need to eat, sleep, breathe, and perform other maintenance tasks. I need to aware of the social aspects of my life. Set boundaries, to communicate my needs and wants so they can respond accordingly, and adjust my own plans based on the new understanding they can give. I make many things I am very proud of, but there is no shame now that I can snap huge things into existence in an instance. It takes time and physical processes to happen and that's ok.

Lots of folks replying don't seem believe in self empathy.

That makes me sad.

Self empathy is the foundation of empathy toward others.

The golden rule - treat others as I want to be treated - only really became effective, for my friends, after I learned to treat myself well.

Yes. But being kind and understanding towards yourself is a skill you might have to practice, if you were treated badly. And sometimes that is really hard to do by ourselves, and it's okay to get help.

I think the difference between pity and understanding is - well understanding. E.G. I know I made a bad decision, but I was scared/tired etc. It was a bad move and I can try to do better in the future. It's okay, we all make mistakes. That is how we learn.

While pity looks like: OMG why did I do this? Why did this happen to me? It's so unfair. I was so tired/scared. How could someone put me in that position?!

Is self empathy distinct from self pity?

Absolutely.

Pity is when I wallow in how unfair everything is to me.

Empathy is when I realize I genuinely got dealt a shit hand, then give myself some time to recover, and then get on with life.

Self empathy is an oxymoron since empathy is about others by definition. As another said, emotional intelligence seems like a better fit.

Perhaps self-directed compassion would be a better fitting term?

Empathy is about feeling what others feel, where compassion is usually associated with acts of showing kindness. As another commenter has mentioned, being reminded to be nice to yourself in a situation can be important.

Yeah, I absolutely have self empathy that is somewhat distinct from self pity. Though, that might be from being autistic considering I'm also the type to love to self deprecate myself by calling myself r*tarded and stupid in a joking and/or non-serious manner.

No I'm a useless piece of shit and I don't empathize with myself at all.

present me is the chad and past me is the soykak

Why would I? He's never done anything for me.

Yes. When I refelct on the past me I feel certain ways towards myself. It may make feel sad because I was hurt, get angry because I feel like I was treated unjust or pround because I achieved a certain thing.

Kind of...

I keep thinking about that day, that day where my innocent soul was shattered by the cruelty of the world, the one of lowest moment, probably the scariest moment of my life.

The day where my older brother had a fight with me and chased me around the apartment unit. I got scared, I was literally like 5-7. I didn't know what to do. How do I not get hurt? Was what little me would've thought. So I ran towards the door. I left home. I was scared. I was alone in the world. The first time ever I was truely alone, not lost in a store, actually alone, out in the world. I mean, in hindsight, I probably shouldn't have done that, but I was a kid, couldn't expect that kid to be making good judgement calls. How did I even survive? Kidnappings were rumored to be common in my country, and it was pure luck I didn't get kidnapped.

Every time I think about that, I cry, I feel so sad for that kid, "that kid" being my younger self over a decade ago.

Every time I see "normal" family relationships, I just keep thinking of "that kid".

Its weird. Sometime I remember the exact PoV that day, being terrified.

Sometime I think of it from like a "movie" 3rd person point of view. And "seeing" that kid being tormented by his older brother just makes me rage.

Maybe the 3rd person view is me trying to distance myself away from it. Trying to cover up the mental wounds I got that day. That day. That day that I will never forget, that I cannot forget. The betrayal by someone who share the same blood as me, "brother", huh? With that kind of sibling, who needs enemies?

So yes I keep having to relive that moment.

I kinda tried to seal off the memory, but eventually the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) just gets piled up, the list of these events get longer. You can't hide those memories, its always with you, for the rest of your life. They say if you have 4 "ACEs", you are statistically more likely to have depression. Well, here I am, the statistics were right.

Fuck.

Yes, yes, and yes.

I try. I find myself even harsher on my mistakes and less proud of my accomplishments given current politics and policy keeps me busier than I'd prefer, but I try my best to see what I do in a more positive light.

Small steps.

I do not. It's much easier to be generous towards others than myself.

Me and myself get empathetic with each other all the time.

This was just a random thought I have not explored at all. It just occurred to me while staring at a lunch plate. I realized I have never thought of self empathy before. Empathy has always been externalized in my mind.

Like love as a concept lacks substantive primary meaning in any context. To me, love is a secondary function consisting primarily of empathy and kindness as evidenced by actions. Such love is hard to see towards myself. I focus on my curiosity and often my mistakes and failures as a catalyst to drive change. Perhaps a better exploration of self empathy is the key to a more positive internal perspective and sense of self.