Yet precision without mercy can turn clinical and cold. The Stoic habit of clear seeing (Marcus Aurelius, Meditations) and the Buddhist practice of loving-kindness both insist that truth should relieve, not punish. Contemporary research on self-compassion (Neff, 2011) shows that gentle self-talk improves resilience more than harsh critique. Therefore, let your definitions be exact and your tone humane. In the end, reaching beyond fear is not an act of conquest but of careful, patient illumination. [...]
