“I alone can not change the world, but I can cast a pebble into the water and the ripples may change lives.” -Mother Theresa
Many of us forget we really do have the ability to change the world.
Just like Mother Theresa.
One kind gesture - a smile, a wave, allowing someone to merge.
All of these are free to us.
They can have a huge impact on the person who receives them. Who may “play it forward” and impact someone else.
And so on, and so on.
Changing the atmosphere of the neighborhood, community, city, country, and world.
One smile at a time.
But we often miss one person in our efforts to be kinder.
Ourselves.
Think about it. When was the last time something did not work the way you expected? (This is a regular occurrence in my day!)
You walk into the kitchen - stop - and have no idea why you are there.
What did you say to yourself?
For many of us, the self-talk goes something like: “I can’t believe I did this again - what the heck is wrong with me, I can’t be this stupid, etc.”
So much for kindness.
Would you say any of this to your friend? Spouse? Family Member? No.
So why do we beat ourselves up?
We have been taught to do it.
WHAT?
Think about it. We value and encourage self-esteem. In ourselves, our children, grandkids, friends, etc. To develop self-esteem, we need to build success.
Which means you have to “win” something. Enter the age of participation trophies. Everyone is a winner. Until……
What happens when we don’t win? Like remembering what we wanted to do/get in the darn kitchen?
We get aggravated, irritable, and even angry. We call ourselves names.
Decidedly not kind.
Your words really do matter.
Whether you speak them out loud to someone else, or internally just to yourself.
This week, try to be kind to yourself. When you catch yourself berating yourself. Stop and take a pause.
Would you use the same words if it were your friend or grandchild?
Kindness, like all things, starts at home.
Our own mind/body is our “home.”
Treat your “home” the way you want others to treat you.
And then spread kindness through the world - one ripple at a time.
