Saturday, January 23, 2010

Be Gentle with Your Self...

The evening has been spent chatting with friends.... at one point, I said to one "be gentle with yourself"....

Such a good reminder.

I used to be very hard on myself. I expected more than I should have, and didn't allow myself the fallibility of my humanity. Pushed myself when I should have allowed myself to rest, and spoke harshly when a gentle tone was in order.

"Be gentle with your Self" - over and over I heard those words. One day, I asked for clarity. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Allow yourself time - to eat, to play, to rest, to breathe (deeply!), to be.
Allow yourself the opportunity to discover who you are.
Forgive the mistakes, embrace the imperfections.
Realize it's OK not to know all the answers - one day you might, some you never will.
Allow yourself the freedom to decide - what is in your best interests, what is not.
Give yourself the chance to listen for God's whispers.
Turn off the "old tapes" that run incessantly in your head.
Create new tapes that encourage and build up, rather than tearing down.
Realize that you don't have to make a decision TODAY.
Believe that it is OK to change your mind.
Know that you are here for a reason, that you are a child of God, and that alone is enough.

You don't have to prove yourself.

He already knows.

1 comment:

Monica Garcia said...

Hi Linda! Kara directed me to read this today, and I am so glad I did. Such wise words, so needed today and everyday.
Love, Monica