Participants should sit down in a comfortable position and write out something that has been painful. There is no limit to what could be the subject of self-compassion; it could be a parking ticket, or an extremely traumatic life challenge.
It is important to understand that sometimes a person may write down something that is painful but be unable to share it. They can write something else down, or just sit with the group.
The group will continue to share the painful things that have been written down until everyone has participated.