Double Dare: Be The Change You Wish To See In The World
I’ve had this quote on refrigerator magnets, greeting cards and such for years. I never really understood it until today.
I understood it to mean you are kind, loving, forgiving and compassionate – to other people. For example, when I see a hate and fear filled political rant instead of getting pissed off and returning the hate I try to embody cooperation and collaboration. That’s what I was doing when I posted about Osama Bin Laden’s Death.
I thought I was being the change I want to see in the world. This morning I realized how innocent my understanding was.
This morning my Course of Miracles Lesson explains that it is our beliefs that keep the world in chains. We are like tuning forks. What we vibrate we send out into the world. What we vibrate we create in the world. And holding kindness, loving, compassion and forgiveness for others is just a meaningless facade if you do not truly hold it for yourself.
Whoa! That really hit home! If I had a nickel for every time someone gave me the feed back that I’m too hard on myself. That I need to show myself some kindness. Some compassion. Be gentler with myself… It comes from people who have known me for years. It comes from people who have just met me. Clearly my tuning fork is vibrating this message strong and loud.
Recently, I’ve become very very clear my goal, my passion, what I’m inspired to speak and to write about is the shift this world needs to more compassion and collaboration. My goal is to inspire people to dare to dream of designing their life around their passion and help them figure out the practicalities of actually making it so. I want to be a catalyst for raising our Gross National Happiness.
Now I see that by refusing to grant myself the same kindness, compassion, forgiveness and loving that I readily give others I am actually limiting it for the world. For right now, until I really develop the habit of giving myself all those things I’m using the motivation that by doing that for myself I’m serving the world.
Next time you find yourself wishing for change in the world. Stop and ask am I giving this to myself first?
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Filed Under: Choose Your Reality • Double Dare
Thanks for this Lydia. I, too, never got this one quite right until one day someone asked me, in response to my rant about one shortcoming or another, “What would you say to your child if they made the same mistake?” Followed by, “So, why wouldn’t you give yourself the same break?”
You post brings the same sort of sentiment home even more clearly.
Now, if I could just stop beating myself up for being down on myself
Good Point Michael! Thank you for that image of talking to a little kid.