Be Kind to Yourself

Be kind to yourself.

Be kind when you rewind.

Be kind when you think no one is watching.

Be kind even when people are.

Sometimes it can be even harder to be kind to ourselves when we feel others are watching or judging us. That we’re somehow not worthy of this kindness, and honoring, or respect.

But we are.

YOU are, my child. My darling, sweet friend, and companion.

You are worthy.

That is what I want you to know.

And every word you think and deed or action you take, every desire, every wish that aligns with love and kindness towards yourself, brings infinite treasures…a wellspring flowing from within.

It allows treasures to flow forward into your life in ways you could never expect.

I still remember the day, sitting in my mom’s car in the rain. The Portland Rain.

I had just left a counseling appointment. I’d found a new counselor to have extra support there for me as I was dealing with sudden and chronic mystery illness.

And I loved her. Thank goodness. Not all therapists are kind, and the kind of souls where you feel respected, heard and cared for through their actions and words.

But something in her bio on her website read “transcending suffering.” And I KNEW, this was what I wanted to do. After everything I’d been through with my dad, watching him die a most horrific (in so many ways) death, this was my opportunity to use my illness to help my soul shine through in ways it never had before.

Reflecting, there in the car — sitting at a stop sign, with my mom, in the rain, I said…

“If I can learn how to be nice to myself through this experience, I think that will serve me well for the rest of my life.”

Don’t you just love the prophetic things you say, before you even realize how prophetic they truly are?

The things we say, half-joking or not in full sincerity — but that actually have a grain, if not a mountain underneath, of truth beneath them?

This has happened to me many times.

But I have to say, that one of my favorite things is seeing the growth of where life leads along the way. It hasn’t always been pretty. But it has always been kind. On the highest level, deep within — somewhere deep within my heart-center there is a love that is always calling to me.

And there is for you too.

Have you ever heard the love song from your heart?

Have you heard it sing to you — a loving lullaby or a dancing, happy tune?

What is your heart singing right now?

Mine is singing a song of peace, complete with a smile on my face as I type these words to you.

Because I want you to know that you are worthy of kindness. You are worthy of honoring and respect. And the more you can practice this kindness towards yourself the deeper your roots will grow.

And deeper roots mean stronger branches. And stronger branches mean fairer blossoms.

Imagine now the most beautiful rose or flower blossom you can imagine.

Now imagine what would happen if that blossom didn’t get the air, or sunlight, or water it needs to survive. It would wither and die, right?

The same is true of us.

Kindness is like the oxygen in the air that helps our lungs to breathe — to breathe in life, and the richness and goodness of all that life has for us.

The good, the bad, the not so great — whatever it is life is presenting you with right now, it is your choice whether or not you take that deep inhale. Whether or not you let that life-giving oxygen in to nourish your cells.

If you’re going to go through whatever you’re going through anyway…why not take some deep breaths of oxygen rich kindness to breathe some life, and health and nourishing love into all of your cells while you go through it.

It’s not to say that hard things will never happen.

It’s that breathing in that oxygen — treating yourself with that kindness is what makes life worth living. It helps make it bearable. Easier.

It’s what makes it beautiful. Knowing that you always have a choice.

You can make things worse, by starving yourself of the kindness and appreciation and love that your body and soul craves…

Or you can let the fresh oxygen of grace in through love and feel every part of yourself filled up with a kindness beyond your wildest dreams.

You may not always be able to control everything. In fact, I know that you can’t.

But you CAN control the kindness. You can make the choice to be kind. To yourself, to others. And chances are, if you’re reading this right now, you’re a sensitive soul like me, which means —

Being kind to others comes naturally to you. Knowing what others are going through. Feeling their pain, celebrating their triumphs, feeling deeply whatever it is — so deeply that often, you might even confuse it for your own.

Whether you’re feeling something that belongs to you, or something that’s not yours to carry, kindness is what helps you to set it free.

It sets your own soul free to let go of the burdens it holds. From the traumas, the past regrets. The illness, the isolation…whatever the case may be.

And it also is what frees the temptation to hang on to something that isn’t yours.

It’s the quiet voice that says, “oh, my darling, that isn’t your bag of rocks to carry. Let’s help you set that down and go find a quiet place to frolic in the meadow or dance along the sand by the ocean’s song.”

This is the voice of kindness.

The voice that sets you free.

The voice that says she’s proud of you, when all seems completely lost, and fallen apart and you feel utterly forgotten.

She’s the one there. To comfort you. To bring you loving words in a caress of Angel Song.

And she’s there within you.

Kindness is her name.

What can you do to let her into your life today?

Who would you need to be to sing along in harmony?

How are you worthy, right where you are, today?

This is what she’ll tell you. Because she’ll always believe that you’re enough.

She’ll sit with you, and sing with you — and hear every care and worry.

And then at the end she’ll tell you how worthy you are, how much you matter — that you’re loved and adored. And she’ll wrap you in a hug and make you some tea. And you can sit there together and smile.

Smile through the tears.

Smile with the sunshine.

Smile with the happy times, and the peaceful memories from the past.

Smile with dreams of the future. And with all that makes your heart content.

You’ll smile together. And know that you’re free.

You’ll know by the feeling you get when you’re with her. And you’ll know that you’ve found your way home. Home to the light of your being. The place where God is close. The place where you’re connected to Divine Light and Divine Grace, and the knowing that you never have to do it alone.

It all begins with Kindness.

Where can you start, today?