Monday, March 28, 2016

Practicing Mindfulness Is Befriending Yourself

Mindfulness is the art of befriending yourself.
 
It is not selfish to think of yourself unless you are doing it every minute of the day.  Mindfulness is a gift you give to yourself.  When I step back and breathe, I am healing myself on many levels and that makes me a better person.  By befriending myself and allowing myself to heal my own brokenness, it is also good for other people.  The more I am centered within myself, the more calmly I can deal with the rest of the world.  When I am really calm I can even deal with people who are difficult or obnoxious.  It is important to love yourself but not to the level of being a total narcissist.  A person with self- esteem, confidence, and a calm spirit is a person who can change the world around him.  Two of my favorite examples of such people are the Dalai Lama and Gandhi.  You don’t have to be a jerk or an authoritarian type person to be highly effective.  In fact, quite the opposite will probably be true because those around you will be quietly revolting against you.  I have never suffered from being too kind or too compassionate.  A kind and compassionate person is not a weak person.  They generally have a strong presence and more often than not make great leaders.  Stop, breathe, love yourself, be kind and compassionate, and you will be a positive force in the world.    

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