MOMENTS OF KINDNESS

Kindness, cheer, smiles, and loved-up feels. Imagine if that’s what everyone felt every day.

If that was reality, I imagine the energy bubbling between us would feel buoyant! Luscious, safe and supportive, thick almost, so when we swayed from our path, it was there to nudge us back to alignment. We couldn’t fall, or if we did, we’d hardly notice as it would be comfort we’d land on.

Would it be possible to create that?

If you’d asked me 15 years ago, my answer would be no.

Maybe in a few months, my answer will be no.

But today, in this moment and with you now, I’m saying yes! Yes to the possibility of creating energetic feelings of safety, even when life’s offering you heartbreak, hard times and hopelessness.

I WANT to believe that. Don’t you?

Think of your darkest hours, then imagine you knew you could feel safe and supported through them. That feeling would be INVALUABLE.

Let me be clear, I’m not suggesting feeling safe and supported or comforted by luscious, positive energy equals NOT feeling sadness, exhaustion, grief or hurt. I’m suggesting the opposite. I’m setting my sights on a world where these co-exist.

I’ll share an example and why this is at the forefront of my mind.

For many years, I felt down, depressed, alone and lonely, even though there was nothing wrong, nor a reason to be sad. I’d not experienced loss or grief, yet the world certainly didn’t feel warm and cuddly to me.

Today, when I slow down and take a birds eye view of my life, the contrast between then and now is clear.

THEN, I was young, I lacked emotional and cognitive maturity, I had limited life experience and I had lost my youthful hopefulness for life.

In contrast, NOW I’ve studied, lived, watched, learned and built relationships. Most significantly, I’ve changed my beliefs, not just returning to hopefulness but intentionally choosing it as a life strategy!

This week I stood aside friends, as we watched another friend farewell a love of her life. Our bodies physically reacted with every distraught wail of the grieving parents. It was so sad, and it was beautiful too. I watched on as wives comforted husbands, mothers comforted young children and friends comforted friends. The energy in the room was full of grief and unanswered questions, but it was also full of support, care and kindness.

It doesn’t help us to think in black and white when we’re doing life’s ups and downs, 'cause life's a constant and ever-changing movement of happy and sad, hopeful and hopeless. That’s not going to change! What can change is the way we choose to experience it.

What if you chose to feel safe and supported in the good and the bad times? How would your life be different (better) if you CHOSE to believe kindness to yourself and to others was the missing ingredient in a life recipe of meaning and satisfaction?

And why does meaning matter, you might be wondering. Because meaning equals purpose, and lack of purpose is directly linked to feelings of depression.

So, if you’re feeling down today but you don't want to, choose someone you can action a Moment Of Kindness for, then notice how you feel. Did you feel down, sad or depressed at that exact moment?

This one act of kindness isn’t enough to change your life forever, but leaning into them consistently sure can. Especially when those acts of kindness are directed at yourself.

If you're reading this and you feel alone, so alone you're certain no-one's kind to you, what could change for you if you chose to believe the Universe (Source, God, Faith - call it what you will) DID have kindness, or that YOU could be the kindness your craving? Yes, sweet friend, even when it's simultaneously offering you pain, is there a possibility you can search for moments of kindness like a bed to sleep in, eyes to see with, flowers to smell? Can you call these Moments Of Kindness from something or someone?

As you head off today, imagine the flow-on effects if you believed kindness was the answer to living a life of hope, contentment and safety. Now imagine you feel those emotions daily.

Think of how you'd be in your home, in your workplace, and as you go about your daily life. The way you'd engage with those you love would be more secure, more calm and more present. Oh, what we'd all give for more presence with those we love.

You can choose to feel safety in a loved ones arms, your clean sheets, while sitting on the grass or when eating a meal. If life has rocked you, I implore you to find the small things that bring you support, and I remind you that you've got a 100% success rate of getting through the hard times. I know this because you're here with me now.

Stay amazing, savour and be kind to you,

Catherine