~ Maya Angelou
Note bene: Angelou starts with “one for helping yourself.” That’s key. How can I help others if I’m radically depleted? Also, taking care of myself is not some grabby “ME FIRST” thing – it’s “me too.”
Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.
~ Christopher Germer
How can I consider my self to be a compassionate person if I’m not showing my own damn self some simple grace and kindness? Hmmmmm?
Which beings me to...
Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.
~ Ramana Maharshi
Greatest? Well, it’s a start. It is only when I know myself fully, grokking my flaws and fabness both, that I can truly help others.
He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.
~ Lao Tzu
Yup. Getting to truly know and understand myself is taking a lifetime. I started early too! I'm a slow learner I guess. Having said that enlightenment is not something accomplished in some quickie weekend seminar and it doesn’t come in capsule form. It’s hard bloody work, sometimes brutal.
Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different. It’s accepting the past for what it was and using this moment and this time to help yourself move forward.
~ Oprah
YES.
The vast majority of adults have never met themselves.
~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana
I dunno about the vast majority BUT there’s too damn many people who wouldn’t recognize themselves even if the ran smack into their ownself on the street.
Imagine reading an account of yourself, like in a NY Review of books column OR your very own eulogy – what would be said? Unless your’re a Trump administration ghoul or an NRA backing gun humper there are probably a lot of positives being shared.
Be brave. Get to know yourself so well that folks, reviewers aren’t left saying, in an attempt to speak something nice “she could fuck up a peanut butter sandwich on white bread but she meant well.”
