Mental Wealth: Nurturing Resilience and Self-Compassion
- Henrik Bustrup
- May 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 5
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
Self-compassion and resilience grow when we pair honest reflection with small, steady actions. In this post, you’ll find simple prompts and micro-habits that help you respond to pressure with kindness, clarity, and courage.
As a coach, I see daily how much people are carrying. Quietly. With strength, but also with strain.
Redefining Mental Wealth: From Output to Inner Resilience
Mental wealth is not measured in productivity or profit. It is reflected in emotional balance, clarity of purpose, and the capacity to face life’s complexities without losing ourselves in them.
And like any wealth, it can be grown, nurtured, protected.
Recent research paints a sobering picture:
91% of UK adults experienced extreme pressure or stress in the past year
58% considered leaving their roles due to mental health struggles
The workplace must evolve from being a source of stress to becoming a space of support.
Coaching’s Role in Mental Wellbeing
Coaching is not a cure, but it is a catalyst. It empowers individuals to meet themselves with honesty and compassion.
In the coaching space, we ask:
What are you needing, right now?
What assumptions are you holding about your worth, your limits, your responsibilities?
What is one small boundary you could set today that honours your wellbeing?
Coaching makes the invisible visible. The unspoken, safe to express. The stuck, ready to move.
Self-Compassion and Resilience: Three Daily Micro-Habits
Try one habit for seven days; track effort, not perfection.
Practical Strategies to Support Mental Wellbeing:
Normalise gentle check-ins
Shift from the habitual “How are you?” to a more intentional “How are you, really?” This simple question can open space for honesty and vulnerability.
Co-create wellbeing rituals
Encourage clients or teams to identify practices that nourish them. Whether it is a quiet morning walk, a digital pause, or regular journaling and integrate them into their routines.
Challenge the myth of ‘doing it all’
Help individuals explore and release unrealistic expectations. Sustainable leadership is built on clarity, prioritisation, and permission to rest.
Embed self-compassion into action plans
Support clients to acknowledge progress over perfection. Let kindness towards oneself become a daily leadership act.
For tiny practices you can keep, read Integrating Emotional Growth into Daily Life.
From Individual Support to Collective Culture
Yes, mental wellbeing is personal. But it is also relational. We thrive through belonging, recognition, and empathy.
Leaders can model this by:
Speaking openly about mental health
Supporting flexible boundaries
Celebrating rest and reflection as much as results
“The most powerful tool we have is connection.”
It is time we centre that in our leadership cultures.
Reflective Close: A Coaching Invitation
This Mental Health Awareness Week, pause to ask:
Where might I replace pressure with permission?
What does mental wealth mean to me?
How might I offer myself the same compassion I extend to others?
Notice one moment this week when self-compassion changed your response. For relationship dynamics, see Navigating Emotions in Relationships.
Join the Conversation
It would be great to hear from you. What is one small shift you are making to nurture your mental wellbeing this month?
If you would like to explore how coaching can support your team’s wellbeing, let’s connect.
Ready to explore this with support? Book a free 30-minute introduction.
Comments