Day 2: Daily Self-Kindness Challenge

This week you will use your Love Journal in a slightly different way, looking for ways to extend kindness, and practice friendship with yourself. When you can pay attention to yourself the way you would a good friend, with curiosity, compassion, and gentleness, you create a sanctuary for yourself to grow and thrive.

Think about those same two love habits we talked about last week, equanimity and generosity, and consider how you might offer them as a gift to yourself:

-Generosity is the ability to be open-hearted and open-handed with self-love; to put full effort into caring for yourself, and to give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Generosity requires extravagant love and alertness to your own needs. 

-Equanimity is the ability to maintain an even-temper, patience, and grounded-ness in the midst of the chaos of life and your own perplexing behavior. It allows you to remember that your needs are not always logical, but are always more important than your schedule. Equanimity is a habit that requires that you cut yourself some slack and allow yourself to be imperfect. 

For example, I know that I don't respond well to being criticized, and I am impatient with illogical ideas. When I know I'll see someone who might push my buttons, I can plan to have equanimity ... BUT that's my growing edge, and if I don't manage perfect equanimity, I want to be prepared to offer myself a balm of patience and kindness, because feeling angry with myself doesn't help. 

I realize that half the work of equanimity is understanding how I am feeling and stilling that voice of impatience with myself! It's all there in my Zen Pause habit:

1. Name how I'm feeling.

2. Hold my feelings in love and light.

3. Expand my thinking. 

I want to understand myself, and what sends me out of balance so I can (possibly) do better next time.

What is your growing edge?

Take out your Love Journal. This week you will focus on getting to know and understand yourself better:

• First review conversations and interactions you had yesterday, and your general frame of mind with the world.

• Next, think about the people you will see today, and the conversations you may have. Make note of times when you might need to draw on extra time, attention, and nurturance for yourself. Consider when you might need inner calm and patience with yourself, and what situations might likely turn you into a "difficult person", overly sensitive, or annoying.

• And then answer these queries:

-When am I most impatient with my own behavior?

-How can I be more generous of spirit in my self-talk? 

-How could I nurture myself on a difficult day?

• Brainstorm some small generous acts you might do this week for yourself, as practice, that will challenge your growing edge. Add these to your Month Map or your Inspiration Page.

• And end with a 5-minute Love Meditation. Send the "pink light of love" to yourself.