The One True Act of Kindness
Often when we think of an Act of Kindness, the first thought comes: doing something for someone else. Paying It Forward. Helping Those Less Fortunate. Giving so Others can Receive. These are all loving and definitely kind acts of human nature. The reason there are so many of us living on this planet today: so we can all help each other in the process called Life.
Yet - what if we told you that there was one singular act of kindness that would continue 'paying forward' for the rest of your life? And, that this one act could grow and expand to include more kindness for your family, your friends, your community and even the energetics in your own world?
Would you consider performing this one act of kindness each and every day? Especially since it only takes about two minutes of your time, with no other cost?
Now, what if we told you this one true act of kindness begins with: LOVING YOURSELF FIRST !
We have heard you say - 'Oh -I love myself'... Do you? Really? Unconditionally? Or is it more 'I'll love myself when I lose 5 pounds', or 'I'll love myself when I find that right someone else to love', or... so many other reasons.
There's lots of discussion and teachings about having unconditional love for others. The word 'Love' itself is open to even more discussion, and then 'unconditional love' yields volumes of interpretation, especially as there are so many conditions that all humans place on 'love'. Saying 'I love you' - as long as you don't hurt me, for then I withdraw my love'. Therefore, based on our experience with so many different people of culture, religion, nationality, race and age: love is conditional. In actuality, if we can't love ourselves without conditions, how can we possibly fully embrace unconditional love for anyone else?
Loving Myself First means: having compassion for myself - accepting myself without judgment, without opinion and fully and totally allowing myself to BE exactly who I am. Knowing that I am the only one who can really change myself, I must in this moment - love myself and accept responsibility for all my creations.
So ask yourself again? 'Do I love myself - unconditionally?' Wouldn't this be the best Act of Kindness you can do - to love yourself as Creator loves - unconditionally?
There are many books that have been written about loving yourself. Yet it still appears most people don’t know how or haven’t come to that place of loving the self first. For many of us in our older generation, it comes from our upbringing: our parents taught us that to think of ourselves first was selfish. We were chastised to always think of the other person first and place our own self, our needs, our desires and our wishes last.
Their generation came from the previous generation dictating that suffering was being like God – embracing the suffering of Christ. So we grew up thinking that putting others first and suffering ourselves to be last was the way to live life in the right or God-like way.
Thankfully we see there are many who have realized this to be foolish, and not in keeping with the peace, joy and unconditional love and compassion of Creator. When we teach, we relate this analogy:
When we are in a plane, the steward/stewardess instructs us that if the oxygen level within the plane gets low, a mask will drop down in front of us. We are to place that mask over our own face first – then proceed to help anyone else.
Embracing the fact that we are only as good in helping others as we are in helping ourselves, the simple act of kindness must first be - for ourselves. Accepting with compassion all the things that we don't like about ourselves. Holding the good feelings and vibrations within us so that we truly believe that we love ourselves and that we deserve this kindness - toward ourselves.
When we love ourselves - we are no longer emotionally dependent upon another individual. That is an act of kindness towards others. When we love ourselves, we are no longer reactive to situations that could normally trigger frustration and anger. That is an act of kindness towards others. When we love ourselves - we can have unconditional compassion for everyone and everything in our world. Total acceptance without opinion or judgment for everyone and everything - that is the best act of kindness we can give back to the world.
If you will begin a simple technique (taking you only 8 seconds each time) throughout the day (for a total of about 2 minutes) - you will first gain compassion for yourself. Then you will begin to like yourself. Shortly - you will begin to love yourself unconditionally; in that moment - then present in every moment.
Here’s the simple technique that you can use yourself. It will help you change your thinking and perceptions about yourself and your world within three days:
http://www.kenpage.com/healingtechniques/moment.html
It would be great if reading the full story would help even just one person change from where they are now to being kind by first loving themselves. Then the opportunities will be revealed on how we can best show this same loving kindness to the world.