How do you react when you someone is rude to you? Do you get angry, picture yourself plunking them over the head, and then let it eat away at you? Or do you respond with detachment and perhaps even compassion?
I was recently at an event where I ran into someone I was excited to finally meet in person. I walked up to this person and introduced myself, but he didn’t share my excitement; in fact, he snubbed me! In that instant, I was hurt and taken aback. Isn’t it funny how your wounded ego can grab a hold of a seemingly small incident and start screaming with frustration, anger, and pain? After a few moments, I quieted my little Goblin and remembered that I really had no idea what was going on in this person’s life at that moment. I could make a conscious choice to detach from the experience and just have compassion. In fact, just before the event, I’d actually planned to do this blog on showing kindness and having compassion. Talk about a synchronicity!
If you want to rise above the dramas of life and step into your power, you must show kindness and have compassion for the world around you…even when someone triggers you. Have you ever had the experience of someone lashing out at you and then held onto your anger for days? We all have… but it doesn’t serve us. When we get wrapped up in “low” emotions like anger, judgment, or unworthiness, we actually dim our light, disconnect with our intuition, and step off our highest paths. The more you react, the more you remain attached to the situation and asleep at the wheel of your life! And then you’re not even being kind to yourself!
So what about the people who are just plain mean? The ones who seem to deserve a plunk over the head? Remember that we all have wounded egos; people who are unkind are mostly acting out of their own fears and shadows. When you remind yourself of that, you can have compassion and detach from the situation. Of course, I’m not saying we should go hug a stranger who speaks to us rudely. But, rather than get fired up with anger, we do have the power to look at them in a different light. We can then be firm and calm and walk away.
Of course, the importance of kindness and compassion extends well beyond the people who trigger us. The more we hold kindness and compassion in our hearts and integrate them into the complexity and stresses of daily life, the more we connect with Spirit and pave the way to a better future for both ourselves and the world. As I’ve said in Remembering the Future, we’re all connected. Kindness from one of us reverberates through the world. Kindness includes smiling and saying hello to a stranger, saying thank you, and showing reverence and respect for our environment. With compassion, rather than kill the bug on your kitchen floor, we bring him outside. And, of course, kindness also includes respecting, honoring, and loving yourself.
Ultimately, when we approach life with kindness and compassion, we do our part to create a world where kindness is never a random act, but a way of life. Imagine what such a world would be like!
Exercise:
Do a kindness challenge! Commit to living from a place of kindness and compassion for the next week, no matter what.
When someone is rude, choose to raise your consciousness, react with kindness, and detach. If a lizard gets stuck in your bathtub, bring him outside. Pick up the empty can on the sidewalk. And, take initiative to bring kindness to others. Smile at those you pass by on the street. Make cookies for your neighbor. Send a thank you note. Likewise, practice compassion for yourself. Each day, ask yourself what you can do to be kind to YOU. Use your intuition. Perhaps you need to get outside, do affirmations, or have some more fun.
Here is a FORGIVENESS meditation you can try. If you’d like to purchase it, visit this link.
I’d love to read your thoughts. What do kindness and compassion mean to you? Please share your stories!
In service and love,
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