Kindness matters.
It's on coffee mugs,
Bumper stickers,
And posters in classrooms.
It's something we try to teach our kids,
And something we strive to model in our relationships.
But here's the thing,
Most of us think about kindness as something we give away.
But we forget that it's also something we can give to ourselves.
So today,
Let's just take a few minutes to practice just that,
Turning that kindness inward.
Let's go ahead and settle in.
You don't have to have a perfect posture,
Just find a place where your body feels supported,
And your breath can move with ease.
Let your hands rest.
Let your eyes soften or close.
Let's just take a slow breath in through the nose,
Exhale through the mouth.
Do it again,
Inhale,
Exhale.
Let's just sit here with the breath,
And simply notice how you are in this moment.
Not how you think you should be,
Not how you wish you felt,
Just how you are.
There's nothing to fix,
This is just awareness,
With a little kindness.
Now,
I'd invite you to think about how you treat someone you love who's having a rough day.
Maybe a friend,
Or a partner,
Or a child.
You wouldn't shame them for feeling off.
You wouldn't rush in to change their experience.
But,
You probably would offer something small,
A soft,
Kind word,
Maybe a gentle touch or a hug,
A little space to breathe.
And now,
Ask yourself,
What would it look like to treat me that way,
Right now?
Brené Brown reminds us,
Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love,
But what does that mean to you,
In this moment?
Maybe it's a phrase you need to hear,
Something like,
Hey,
You're doing your best,
Or it's ok to be tired,
Or you don't have to get everything right today.
Maybe just offer yourself a gentle hand on your heart,
Let your forehead soften,
Or soften your jaw,
And just allow your breath to move a little more slowly.
Kindness to ourselves isn't dramatic,
It's quiet,
It's subtle,
And it's intentional.
And here's the thing,
It's not always easy.
Most of us are so practiced in self-criticism.
We catch ourselves judging,
Second-guessing,
Pushing forward.
So if kindness feels awkward or uncomfortable,
That's ok.
It is a muscle that you're learning to use.
You can just breathe,
And come back to the invitation,
Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love,
And stay with that for a few breaths,
Resting in that space of kindness,
Breathing in kindness,
Breathing out ease,
Inhale,
Exhale,
Again,
Inhale,
Exhale,
Just sitting here and feeling how your body responds to the breathing,
To the kindness that you offer it.
Alright,
So as we begin to close,
Just bring your attention back to your physical presence,
The ground beneath you,
Your hands,
Feel the breath in your body,
And just offer yourself a small smile,
Not because everything is perfect,
But because you took this moment to treat yourself with care,
And that matters.
So as you move into the rest of your day,
See if you can carry that intention with you.
Kindness isn't just something that we offer to others,
It is something that we get to offer to ourselves,
In small words,
In moments of rest,
In the way that we return to ourselves again and again,
Because kindness matters,
Especially to you.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
And may you be at peace.
Thank you so much for joining me.
