K - Kindness

A quick short blog

My this blog K has been delayed a lot. Am sorry, I must say.

I felt really guilty when I could not get it out on time, but I told myself, it’s ok. It’s more important that I am kind to myself and not feel guilty.

Life over the last few weeks has been very hectic .. I feel I have just been on the move and in this state honestly between my health and travel I just could not write.

A wonderful children’s program ( Sesame Street )  has a wonderful video that teaches kindness to children saying K is for kindness. Unlike many books that taught us K for king or K for kangaroo, I feel we must teach children how important kindness is to others and to ourselves too.

Kindness is defined as the quality of being friendly, generous and compassionate. If we can apply this to our life we by being kind to others become more gentle, more affectionate, more compassionate too.

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF KINDNESS:

•          Kindness to people: giving a sibling a hug, helping someone in need, and listening to a friend.

•          Kindness to animals: adopting a pet, filling up a cat’s water bowl, or walking a dog.

•          Kindness to the environment: recycling, planting a garden, throwing garbage away.

Kindness has been found by Scientists to be the most important in satisfaction and stability of relationships. Many colleges, including Harvard, are now emphasizing this on applications for admission.

As this is a quick short blog, my only question to you is

Do you show kindness to yourself?

And if so, can you share the different ways you do.

We all do learn from each other right .

D – DISNEY

Why did I call this one Disney? If I say the word Disney what comes to your mind? The word “Disney” reminds me of my childhood. Of fun and laughter and excitement. It reminds me of the time we took our children to Disney ( their fun, their curiosity, laughter, excitement) and it truly brings a huge smile to my face and my heart.

Recently someone was riling me and I turned around and said ‘Stop troubling me ..I will patt patt You’ They completely cracked up. Who says patt patt? It’s a word we used when our children were young to say I will smack you. I still use these words unconsciously .. I still use a lot of words, terminology I used as a child. Yes, I love children, love being childlike and this really connects with the child within me.

I realized that I love being a child – I am very curious, love laughing, giggling, dancing, playing and just being a little girl. At this age, I still often tie my hair in pigtails ( as you can see in the photo). It brings out the girl in me.

For my Birthday last year My husband and 2 boys took me to meet Santa Claus in Finland – OMG! I really was like a little girl running around and so excited. I also told Santa that it was my Birthday

Our inner child is that part of our personality that still taps into the childlike feeling within. Many therapists think it’s important for adults to get in touch with their inner child. This is so we can accept ourselves and be more loving and compassionate with ourselves…
Healing your Inner Child will allow you to fill any gaps and this will help you live a more positive and rewarding life .. one filled with fun, laughter, compassion authenticity, and most importantly, with self- love and love for others.

What’s childish? And what is childlike? When one is being Childish one is self-centered, throwing tantrums, being bratty and wanting one’s way.  When one is childlike there is innocence, curiosity, compassion, and a sense of wonder about the world.  The main thing here to focus on is the childlike qualities ..not childish. And in these childlike qualities, you find your inner child.

There are many different ways to nurture your inner child.

You can send loving messages to yourself. Tell yourself regularly – “I love you and am grateful and appreciative of all that you are.“

Value, love and appreciate yourself
Look after yourself.
Do things you enjoy for yourself.
Respect yourself
Set healthy boundaries with others.
Believe in yourself.
Be compassionate with yourself.
Sing, dance, do all the things which make you feel like a child

I definitely relate to this saying by James Broughton

“ I’M HAPPY TO REPORT MY INNER CHILD IS STILL ALIVE “

C – COMPASSION

As the Dalai Lama says “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

I remember, I was 8 months pregnant and taking a flight. I hobbled onto the bus to board the flight. The bus was full so I  looked around – not one person got up and offered me a seat. I am short and can’t reach the top bar too easily So I held onto the door bar and made it to the Aircraft. It really made me think… where are we? What are we so engrossed in that we cannot notice someone pregnant? And I was a Big Pregnant girl ( hahaha! )

I guess that was when Compassion got activated in me. Today I always give up my seat when I see an older person or someone with little children or a pregnant lady. It just comes so naturally .. something I do not need to think about. And honestly, it makes me happy to do this.

When someone is kind, caring, and willing to help others, that is when they are showing compassion.

Compassion is when we are thinking of another. When we are ready to give without expectations.

It has been said the Compassion exists within each one of us. But each one of us has a different condition that will activate, wake up the compassion within us.

A person’s compassion could be activated with things relating to Mothers and children, while other ones could be related to dogs and another with helping students or .. You get my point?

Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.

So, what’s the difference between kindness and compassion? With kindness, You may feel sorry for the person But you may not feel what the person is feeling. Whereas when you have compassion, you feel what the other person is feeling and therefore want to do for them. When you are compassionate you feel the emotions that the other person is feeling – happiness or sadness.

There is a lovely Morning practice You can do to incorporate Compassion into your life.

A practice shared by the Dalai Lama:

Every morning say “Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

You are Compassion – Share it with people who need it now