Have you ever reflected on how you treat others when things are not going well in your life? Are you able to maintain a level of courtesy in your home and in public spaces. I do recognize that mental health plays apart in our behavior. Most of us are somewhere on the spectrum, even if you have not received an official diagnosis.
Half of World's Population Will Experience a Mental Health Disorder (https://hms.harvard.edu/news/half-wor...)
Think about how your demeaner changes when your family, job or social life is in chaos?
Does your peace come from your current circumstances, or do you have an inner peace that you anchor to? Our circumstances will always change, like our moods. Who are you when the darkness sets in?
"Researchers found that people who were kind tended to have higher self-esteem and a sense of self-efficacy. To a lesser degree, they also experienced less depression and anxiety and improved physical health.
How Kindness Fits into a Happy Life (https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/arti...)
If you function off the external, you will be up and down. You will allow your circumstances to take away your inner peace.
It can be challenging to maintain kindness in this broken world. It really takes an intentional effort to keep a pleasant disposition. I can recall moments like you, were I allowed circumstances or a person to affect my demeanor.
World Events(Mass Shootings, Inflation, Injustices, Politics)
Relationships
Rude Customer Service Encounters
Coworkers-Passive Aggressive
Drivers-Recklessness
Inner peace is permanent and unwavering. We cannot really be kind unless we have all the other virtues to support us. We require mercy, temperance, patience, empathy and more. I can usually observe if a person is hurting, by their behaviors and actions.
"The real trouble is that 'kindness' is a quality fatally easy to attribute to ourselves on quite inadequate grounds. Everyone feels benevolent if nothing happens to be annoying him at the moment. Thus, a man easily comes to console himself for all his other vices by a conviction that 'his heart's in the right place' and 'he wouldn't hurt a fly,' though in fact he has never made the slightest sacrifice for a fellow creature. We think we are kind when we are only happy: it is not so easy, on the same grounds, to imagine oneself temperate, chaste, or humble."
― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
In recent years, I have made an intentional effort to maintain a level of kindness, no matter my circumstances. We can make a conscientious effect to be polite, engaging and a light in a broken world. You can look at the state of our world and see the lack of peace in the eyes around us. I think we all could use a smile, or kind word from someone. This process is not easy, it comes with taking a moment and deep breath.
Let us take a deep breath and look at our ever-changing emotions. Let us try to be anchored to that inner peace. You will find you are a more consistent and content person. Think about mountains and how they stand firm during chaotic weather. Now you are the mountain.
Dalai Lama say long ago: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
I would love to hear from you on how you have dealt with your being kind in challenging times.*
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. Feel free to check out my other stories on Trauma, Abuse, Bullying, Mental Health and Music!
Please stay tuned for my upcoming interviews with Local Musician Sean Warren. Sean's music can be located on Spotify. We will also be interviewing Australian author Lyndal Walker on her book Intimacy, Intercession and Increase: An adventure with Jesus to explore a life of prayer.
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