Remember 2020? #BeKind was everywhere. It felt like a revolution, spurred by Caroline Flack’s tragic passing and the looming uncertainty of the pandemic. It was a call for humanity, a plea for gentleness. And honestly, any push towards kindness is a win in my book.
But here’s the thing: kindness isn’t a new fad. It’s ancient wisdom, woven into the fabric of human experience. Yogis have been practicing Ahimsa for centuries – the idea of “no injury,” of causing no harm to any living being, in mind, body, or soul. My own yoga teacher prefers to call it “kindness,” which resonates so much more with me: it’s about doing, not just avoiding. It’s #bekind in every word and action.
Because here’s the truth: energy is real. When we speak ill of someone, even if they’re miles away, that negativity imnpacts. It settles in our own aura, as well as theirs. We’re powerful beings, and with that power comes responsibility.
And it’s not just about how we treat others. It’s about how we treat ourselves. “We are our own worst critics” – whoever said that nailed it. We dissect our flaws, amplify our mistakes, and drown ourselves in self-doubt. Let’s lead with #bekindtoyourself, ok?
Recently, I’ve felt a strong pull towards Kuan Yin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion. At first, I was confused, but I’ve learned to trust those nudges from the Universe, to lean into them, for that is where I find the profound shifts in my wellbeing.
I started wearing my “compassion glasses,” observing everything through a lens of understanding. I paid attention to my words, my thoughts, my actions. I curbed my tongue, corrected my inner critic, and found I genuinely liked myself more.
I also observed others. And without judgment, I simply saw their actions through compassionate eyes. What I noticed was this: often, unkindness stems from fear. A deep imbalance, a root chakra screaming for attention, manifesting as knee-jerk reactions, closed hearts, and angry words.
The most important thing? I didn’t meet that negativity with more negativity. I simply chose to see it with compassion. I saw the fear, the pain, the imbalance. And by doing that, I stopped the flow of negative energy. Just like that.
I asked myself, “What’s the right thing to do?” And I did it. Without ego, without hesitation. Just pure, simple kindness.
It’s about taking responsibility for our power. Choosing high-vibrational responses instead of getting sucked into the low-vibrational traps of blame and retaliation.
We can’t control the actions of others, but we can control our reactions. And if we all chose compassion daily, if we all wore those “compassion glasses,” we could shift the energy of the world.
It’s about understanding that everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. It’s about choosing gentleness, even when it’s hard. It’s about remembering that we’re all connected, and that we can choose to allow kindness to ripple outwards, creating a wave of positive change.
So, let’s choose compassion. Let’s choose kindness. Let’s choose to see the world with love. #bekind.
We’ll be exploring more of this in my FREE facebook group in the coming weeks and months, to encourage that positive ripple. If you’d like to join us, then we’d love to support to you, come find out more here.
