Why Improving Executive Function is Necessary for Self Compassion

In this video, I explore the crucial link between improving executive function and cultivating self-compassion. If you've ever struggled with overwhelm, anxiety, or burnout—especially as someone who is neurodivergent or chronically ill—understanding executive dysfunction is key to transforming your relationship with yourself. We'll discuss how challenges with working memory, metacognition, and emotional self-control contribute to difficulties in being kind to ourselves.

You'll learn practical self-care strategies and tips for emotional regulation, helping you overcome executive dysfunction and take steps toward recovery from burnout and depression. I also share insights from my course, The Action Navigator, where I teach tools for managing your time, regulating an overwhelmed nervous system, and mastering self-compassion—all while honoring your unique neurodivergent experiences.

If you're feeling stuck in life, dealing with neurodivergent burnout, or simply looking for ways to practice better self-care, this video will give you actionable steps to get unstuck and start offering yourself the compassion you deserve. Don’t forget to check out my program for even more tailored support!

00:00 Start
00:37 3 Elements of Executive Dysfunction
01:10 Working Memory
04:02 Metacognition
07:06 Emotional Self-Control
11:28 Putting It All Together

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#ImprovingExecutiveFunction #OvercomingExecutiveDysfunction #SelfCompassion #CassieWinter

[renoftheshadows]

Very interesting video. Some of those tips about feeling your feelings were a good reminder for me. I would definitely love to see a video on a self compassion SOP!

[iamstefanie]

I’d love a self compassion SOP that could support my productivity!

[geneg]

Cassie is one of the few YouTubers where I was less hard on myself after watching Cassie's videos.

[ajwu]

I would absolutely love a video on examples of a self compassion standard operating procedure!! It’d be so so helpful :) PS, I’ve been a long time subscriber and Cassie your videos have been so crucial in my self compassion and self development journey. I appreciate you!! 🥰🥰

[dddd]

As a neurotypical person, I've noticed that we're strongly discouraged to be metacognitive about our feelings unless it's in service to productivity.

We're taught to power through no matter what. Because some of us actually can do that untill the battery is drained dry (and people benefit from that and encourage us to keep pushing), we can have difficulty with self compassion. You see it a lot in academia and unsurprisingly, homemaking.

[RambleMaven]

This may be a bit random, but it would be interesting to see your reaction to various productivity videos and explain why those tips do and don’t work for you. I’m not sure if it aligns with how your channel mission or not but I thought I’d put it out there since I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts, and I figured I’d be a great way to delve into your productivity style vs someone else’s.

[Mary-eiw]

Let me politely disagree with the statement that executive dysfunction and emotional dysfunction are connected. That is too much pathologization for people with executive dysfunction which enables any healthy feeling of individuals with ED to be seen as 'you need to calm down, you cannot control yourself'. As someone with executive dysfunction, I don't have problems with my emotions at all. Also I think you are the most emotionally intelligent person I have ever seen. I would like to know more about emotions and emotional life from your own experience cause most studies about emotional life were made by people with zero emotional intelligence that's why they are irrelevant.
Also I disagree if you don't feel your feelings somewhere in the body it's alexithymia, cause there are people who feel some kind of disturbance in their body but still cannot name or deal with the feeling at all.
In myself, I would connect inability to feel self-compassionate because I never experienced compassion towards me from others and have too much trauma where others were disrespectful and violent to me, so I learned this lesson from others - I am not worthy. But of course everyone is different and it is only my experience. Now I learn self compassion through your videos because you show it to your subscribers❤ And I am really thankful to you!
I hope I made my point understandable and was not rude, I am not that good at english and the topic is really complex.😅
I rarely comment but I watched many of your videos, I really think you are one of the best youtubers not only on the topic but in general too because of your compassionate style of communication.