The start of a new phase can inspire us to make bold changes—for ourselves, our relationships, and our communities. But all too often, our plans get thwarted because, well, life happens.

But we can’t control what happens to us. We can only choose how to respond to it.

Self-compassion is a critical tool in a witch’s toolkit for ensuring our spellwork is consistent, heart-led, and genuinely impactful. Self-compassion expert, Dr. Kristin Neff notes that “higher levels of self-compassion are linked to increased feelings of happiness, optimism, curiosity and connectedness, as well as decreased anxiety, depression, rumination and fear of failure.”

As witches, we are uniquely primed to create real change in our lives, in this world. We. Are. Powerful. Beings. Let us not get in our own way of making magic. Let us quiet self-doubt and harmful inner narratives. Let us turn a new page.

Let us start with self-compassion.