If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete ~Buddha
Something happens and all your great intentions to be kind to you vanish into thin air. Self Compassion goes into hiding and you feel flat. I felt that way yesterday after a visit to the doctor. I was having my knee checked after my fall last week. Anyway the news wasn’t good- was told that the healing of the knee was going to take 3 months and that ice was the only treatment, of course along with rest! Then to top it off my blood pressure that I thought was back to normal was too high! My doctor gets concerned as high blood pressure and kidneys do not go hand in hand and she is being cautious I understand that. As Des says I never really got how close to death I came.
So I came home feeling quite flat. I shared this today with my friend Stephanie and she said: Well more letting go for you and TRUSTING. I was then reminded of this week’s Heart Whisper that I had painted and written for my friend Heather who has some serious health challenges and is in hospital recovering from her first operation. Looks like my heart was whispering for me too:)
In showing ourselves self compassion and kindness, I find I really have to watch the thoughts I think and the words I use. Quotes and affirmations remind me to be kind to me. Make them as a screen saver, keep a list in Evernote so you can access them on your phone, read them first thing in the morning.
Today I started the day with self-kindness by staying in bed, having breakfast in bed and then taking more time to meditate and journal. This helped me regain my positive outlook and accept that in being kinder to me all aspects of my life can heal faster. So yes I am saying yes to me and being kind to me.
- “When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny better than you do.” – John O’Donohue
- “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha
- “If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.” – Dalai Lama
- “The art of being yourself at your best is the art of unfolding yourself into the personality you want to be. Learn to love yourself, be gentle with yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.” – Wilfred Peterson
- “If a man does not keep pace with his companions perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him keep step to the music which he hears, however measured or however far away.” – Henry David Thoreau
- You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody -Maya Angelou
- “Accept everything about yourself – I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end – no apologies, no regrets.” – Clark Moustakas
- “Love brings you face to face with your self. It’s impossible to love another if you cannot love yourself.” – John Pierrakos
- “Being extremely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” – Sigmund Freud
- “The only person who can pull me down is myself, and I’m not going to let myself pull me down anymore.” – C. Joybell C.
- “Talk to yourself like you would talk to a lover” – Brene Brown
- “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “To be nobody but yourself in a world that’s doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting.” – E. E. Cummings
Be kind to you and say
How does that make you feel?
What will you do today to be kind to yourself?
with love and gratitude
Listening to the whispers of your heart brings ♥More FUN ♥ More LOVE ♥ More ABUNDANCE ♥
Follow me on Twitter @suziecheel Join the #heartwhisper conversation!
These are beautiful, especially the Thoreau one. One of my favourites is:
“I must have been incredibly simple or drunk or insane
to sneak into my own house and steal money,
to climb over the fence and take my own vegetables.
But no more. I’ve gotten free of that ignorant fist
that was pinching and twisting my secret self.” ~Rumi
Love to you Suzie <3
Hi , this is a very timely piece, it is very inspiring. You are so blessed , you can inspire your readers this way. I love the quotes and and the art works. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
What a beautiful post Suzie and fabulous images… being kind to myself is something I am working on all the time. Much love and hugs Di xxx
Welcome Di, Yes once we start on this path there is no looking back, which is why some people never start 🙂 Love an drugs back to you too 🙂 ♡
What a great post Suzie!
I love the quotes you have used and the artwork is lovely. Are you on Pinterest? I’d love to follow you there too.
Thank you! 🙂
Welcome Alison,
yes I am on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/suziecheel Thank you I love that you like my artwork xx
thanks Suzie – I’ve always loved ee cummings poetry and I totally agree with his quote! Great food for thought xx
Hi Lisa thanks for visiting and commenting, yes ee cummings verse is wonderful xx
Thank you for such inspiring reminders and beautiful artwork!
Hi Sandi,
thank you for commenting and great you like the art- that makes my heart sings xx
Hi Suzie,
You post is self love served on a golden platter,spiced with quotes,laced with magnificent intent,and garnished with absolute appreciation by this soul in one corner of the universe….typing out its gratitude to you.
I think we are constantly involved in a tirade against ourselves,constantly denouncing and discouraging ourselves.We are also constantly searching for the minutest excuse to make ourselves unhappy.
Why don’t we reverse this pattern?We are constantly deciding our right to be happy and worthy depending on our comparisons with others,or their imagined responses,or past responses toward us .We have forgotten to value the most important person in the universe.Ourselves
Thanks for the great reminder
Mona.
Hi Mona, I love you words, they make my heart sing. I am going to share them. Yes so often we are so unkind to ourself and then we get lost and can’t see the gift we are to ourself and the world.
Yes when we reverse this pattern we bring love and joy into our lives
with gratitude
Suzie xx
I can’t even describe with enough words how gratifying it is to read your words. It lifts the spirit, heals the soul and gestures a person forth, into sunshine filled days full of the wonders inherent in living your own happiness. I wish I’d found this blog sooner, but now that I have, I’ll absorb the wisdom with great gladness in my heart.
Welcome Becca, I love it when my blog touched others hearts. Let me know if I can help you in any way and look forward to seeing you here again xx
I so resonate with your challenge, Suzie! The universe keeps reminding me in special ways to slow down or be more mindful or spend more time on self-care. For example, I fell on my bum last month and couldn’t sit for a week, which meant very little computer time.
I love how you decided to take care of yourself by spending more time in bed, meditating, and journaling. That’s a great inspiration for me.
Sandra, wow not being able to sit is for sure an interesting message. Funny how the universe keeps sending the slow down messages. Last time I was feeling great about some completion and moving forward, now I am playing catch up and realise I really have to let go of much that I think I can fir into my day.
Yes last week I just decided to be kind and feel okay about staying in bed-Maybe I will make that a weekly ritual 🙂 Love Suzie xx
Suzie,
I just LOVE this post! “Talk to yourself like you would a lover…” oh, that is so, so great!
Talk to your knee like you would talk to a lover 🙂 Take care of you sweet friend. I know I have been remiss in setting up a Skype date but life is moving at light speed right now. After I get back from Ireland let’s connect <3
Sending you oodles of healing light for your knee and blood pressure!
xo
Peggy
Thank you Peggy,
I love that- I am now loving my knee and massaging lovingly too 🙂 I look forward to connecting after what i am sure will be a wonderful trip. Somewhere Des want’s to take me too. When I lived in England never got to Ireland.
I have got that healing light and love streaming in
Love
Suzie xx
Suzie,
I greatly admire your artistic gift! Your artwork is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. And, thank you also for sharing these quotes as well. You are such an uplifting person, and I feel so inspired and uplifted when I see your art and read your pieces. Thank you.
-Victor
Victor, thank you, your comment has my heart singing and gives me a wonderful feeling of joy I truly appreciate you
Namaste 🙂
You are soooo deserving of self love Suzie. Think how beloved you are in our e-reality! Your art brings so much love and light into our world and we are all blessed by it. You are loved. 🙂
Thank you Elle my heart is smiling and singing , I love e-reality and you comment about my art, I do really have to believe it and start to share it more widely and so people can buy it. 🙂
Love you too 🙂 Namaste
Thanks for the Thoreau quote. I had forgotten it yet it hung on my wall when I was in my early 20’s.
Good infö here Suzie
Welcome Terry My pleasure and I know that feeling, sometimes what is obvious as well as helpful we sweep aside.
Well you know I love quotations and you have some real beauts here Suzie. That said, I think the quotation by Henry David Thoreau is my all time favorite – probably because I relate to that message on a very personal level. That you for the beauty and inspiration. 🙂
Hi Marty,
Yes I agree with the Thoreau quote to touched my soul and reminded me that walking to a different drum has been the path that bring me joy. When I am in conforming mode I do not seen the same inner joy. Wow your comment sparked that, interesting that we both relate to that 🙂
Love
Suzie xx
these are wonderful sayings, suzie! and your artworks are cute.
Welcome Lux and thanks for your joy xx
I love these, and how beautiful to read them in this collection, and to sigh with happiness looking at your paintings.
Thanks, Suzie, for brightening my day.
Blessings,
Sue
Hi Sue, so great to see you back in the blog world and than you for making my heart sing
love Suzie xx