Reflection
Gentleness in times of trouble
Many years ago, I was going through a hard time, and one of my best friends, my former college roommate, said to me, "I hope you are being gentle with yourself" Those words rocked my world. I always tried to be gentle with others, but it had never been a conscious thought that I could also treat myself gently.
Now it is probably the single phrase I use the most with my friends- when they are hurting, when they are scared, when they are heartbroken, when they are unsure, when life has gotten messy.
And life in the US is so exceptionally messy right now.
I want to remind you that in times of trouble, it's okay to be gentle with yourself, to be kind to your nervous system, to give back to your heart, to offer yourself reminders that you are more than the work of staying alive.
You are worthy of a warm bath. You are worthy of a good meal. You are worthy of dancing in the kitchen with someone you love. You are worthy of a good movie or a good book or good music. You are worthy of taking 10 minutes to meditate before you sleep or when you first start your day. You are worthy of deep breaths and bursts of laughter and silly hobbies.
Honoring your nervous system, your humanity is one way in which we are able to stay in this work. Remembering that everyone we are fighting for has inherent dignity, and that you are a part of 'everyone' keeps us well.
How can you start incorporating ways to be gentle with yourself- even in times of trouble?
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