I’m in the last stretch of this challenging month of challenges. Right here I could kick back and say I’ve done quite a bit so I’ll slow down. Since I’m playing to see something different this month, I won’t do that. I’ve done that in the past. Not now. While I’m pushing, though, I have to remember to do what the next challenge requests I do for myself and others.
Today’s challenge: Practice utter compassion for others every chance you get. Particularly in difficult, intractable situations and especially for yourself. Pour compassion into everything you do.
A few weeks ago, Martha Beck tweeted about compassion:
Compassion is such a slick, selective thing. I can be compassionate with people I like or feel a need to protect. No problem. People who I feel threatened by do not get compassion bestowed. Thus far, I’ve been giving up being right and working on other methods to improve my communication with others. This challenge asks me to go further and really care for others in the most difficult situations–to care about what I think they might care about. Faced with compassion, enemy boundaries melt. I explore this with trepidation but I am very sure that the composition of my heart will change with this application of compassion even in the toughest situations.
Then I’m to go even deeper the compassion game and give it to the last person I ever give it to: myself. I’m a hard driver of self. I work hard. I go hard. Relentless. What would being compassionate look like for me? I’m not sure but I know that it will make a huge difference and I’m willing to explore it.
Today’s victory: I was very kind to myself and gave gifts to myself that I would reserve for giving to others. Exquisite self-care in action!
Gratitude: I am grateful for adventures awaiting my spark.
On the horizon: Something regularly avoided
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