The Art of Self-Kindness

Let's say that compassion is trending.

Putting it into action is different than taking on a hashtag and still treating a barista or cashier or family or friends like a set of machines, or worse, treating yourself like one. I find that when I'm not being kind to myself, paying attention to my mental state, or listening to my body, I forget how to value anything or anyone around me. It happens like a slow fog, one I refuse to see. I just know I feel...not right. And when this happens, the tendency is to blame everything else, avoiding the internal gaze more and more. There's a lot to be said for self-care, but even more to be done about it. Defending the topic can be righteous, but the thought made real can be terrifying. Saying, "hi boss, I need some recovery time" and taking breaks for mental health isn't in our cultural story. Yesterday I did just this. I think the only way the story will change is for people to take it upon themselves to rewrite it.