Back to Basics: Grace & Compassion — for yourself & others
I initially worked on this back in March 2020. The ironic thing is that things have changed yet stayed the same.
“I started working on my last article at 8:00 am, and posted at 3:00 pm — life happened. I started working on the article while drinking my morning coffee. Then the rest of the family got up, breakfast, more coffee, phone calls, coloring, technology time, cat meowing, baby crawling in circles around me, lunch, nap time for the baby while the parents ate ramen for a late lunch, then folding laundry. But in the end, the article was posted.”
We are living in a time more than even that we need to give ourselves grace and compassion. We’re probably trying to do things we usually do not do in our daily lives: spend all day with our spouse and family, teaching our kids school lessons, being isolated by ourselves, stressed and anxious over the current state of the world, trying to relax, trying to be productive, binge-watching one of many streaming services, or just not sure what to do.
But rather than focusing on that, back to grace and compassion.
Grace’s definition is a favor or goodwill with synonyms of kindness, kindliness, love, benignity, and condescension.
Here are some ways to show grace to yourself:
You’re doing the best for you and your family. Don’t compare yourself to others — possibly take a social media break.
Show yourself kindness and love with at least five minutes to yourself. You can find those five minutes between your responsibilities — less than one half a percent of your entire day.
Ask for help; everyone needs help from time to time. Shifting some things off your “to-do list” can free your mind.
Compassion’s definition is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Here are some ways to show compassion to others:
You can check in with friends — even if it is just saying hello.
Know your friend’s reactions may be a reflection of something they are going through — nothing about you.
Offer support; everyone may need support sometimes. Helping others is beneficial to both you and your friends.
Showing grace and compassion will be rewarding — try it.
