Day17: be gentle with yourself

Desiderata is one of the poems/ prayers that gets me through the good and the bad, the sublime and the difficult, the joys and the sorrows. I am sure I will share it here more than once as there are so many delicious nuggets of inspiration in Max Ehrmann's word.  For today I felt we could all use a reminder to be gentle with ourselves.

With September comes new adventures and challenges, and when many of us start a new endeavor, such as starting a new job, a new relationship, a new school and/or a new practice, we ride the energy of the excitement and adrenaline and can set very high goals and expectations for ourselves.  It is an exciting time and one to fully enjoy, but as the newness fades and things feel more routine it is easy to get frustrated, overwhelmed and/or depressed.  So it is so important to remember to be gentle with yourself!!! 

This is a good mantra for everyday, but I feel that it is easy to get caught up in the rush of new opportunities, bestowing on ourselves Herculean abilities and standards which are unrealistic and can back fire. So it is SO important to remember to be gentle with yourself, take extra care of your self, like get enough sleep, eat regularly and well, get lots of fresh air and drink lots of water, and make sure to take time to just relax.  

So darling be gentle with yourself and keep peace in your soul! 

love, mom

Desiderata


Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.