To thine own self, be kind

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It wouldn't be an over statement to say that my husband says things like it is. This includes the bad stuff - he does not sugar coat anything. But, it is also true that he can be my biggest cheerleader. 

Like recently, for some reason, he decided that I could sing. And, he took it upon himself to champion my lost cause. 

He got me to sing in some family event hosted by our church. All this is nice and fine. But, I'm not being modest when I say this - my voice sounds like a squeak in my head! And, singing in front of so many people was like having a panic attack. 

Of late, I've been telling myself to do things out of my comfort zone and I was reminded not to take myself too seriously. So, I ventured out trying to sing and feeling like a bumbling fool. I was glad that I got this out of my system and people were all so encouraging and supportive. 

As if this was not enough, my husband decided to share my talent (or lack of it) with the online Facebook crowd, which meant that everyone and their mother could see my "performance". But, friends were again sweet and encouraging. 

This got me thinking that perhaps we are our own "harsh-est" critics. When we criticize or judge ourselves, we feel isolated. It seems as though we are the only one in the world who has that particular flaw. And yet, we are all imperfect and so connected in our imperfections.

Self-kindness creates a caring space within ourselves that is free of judgment — a place that sees hurt, insecurities and failures. It allows us to soften our hearts to allow experiences to change ourselves. It also enhances our sense of belonging - the feeling that we are all in this together.

So, the next time you are looking in the mirror and not liking what you see - remember that you are an integral part of a flawed, wonderful, wounded and miraculous human tribe.


"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" - 2 Timothy 1:7

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