Today’s Mandala
Gentle
“In the long run,
— Anne Frank
the sharpest weapon of all
is a kind and gentle spirit.”
“Growth
— Julia Cameron
is an erratic forward movement:
two steps forward, one step back.
Remember that
and be very gentle with yourself.”
“Be gentle first with yourself.”
— Lama Yeshe
Today’s MotD encourages us to be gentle with ourselves…we are all a work in progress. Just as we would be gentle with others, we deserve to be gentle with ourselves. Remember that we’re all just doing the very best we can, day in and day out.
From WebME: Being kind to yourself has four hallmarks:
- Speaking to yourself in a kind tone
- Understanding that pain is a universal experience
- Looking at your emotions clearly and soberly in a way that neither suppresses nor exaggerates them
- Setting realistic expectations for yourself in any given situation
Our challenge becomes being present and self-aware enough to catch the times when we are too hard on ourselves. It’s in those moments that we need to pause and acknowledge what we just said or did; then with a deep breath (or 2 or 3), do a course correction by changing the thought, changing the action, or changing whatever seems appropriate in that moment.
Being gentle with ourselves improves our overall well-being, and indirectly the well-being of others. So, let’s be kind and gentle. For ideas, visit LifeHack: 15 Ways to Be Kind To Yourself
“You yourself,
— Buddha
as much as anybody
in the entire universe,
deserves your love and affection.”
Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
btw…started with this:
Mandala of the Day 