Becoming Kind

Day 21: Becoming Kind

“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” – Buddha

If the above quote is true, what happens when our mind works in a negative pattern? What becomes of us as adults, when as children we did not have adults who modeled unconditional love, understanding, acceptance, truth and encouragement? How does one create a mind that thinks positively? How do we change the negative self-talk and turn it into a loving, understanding, gentle and nurturing voice that loves unconditionally? I think it begins with awareness and observance of our thoughts and patterns. Taking the time to check in and find out what triggered the negative thought pattern and self-talk is a start. 

1. Kindness to Self:

   We are the only ones that can make the change, nothing on the outside of us will make up for what we think and how we feel on the inside. Becoming kind will only happen when we are first kind to ourselves and that starts inside. Patterns can be changed with dedication, courage and lots of unconditional love.

2. Kindness to Others:

   Becoming kind in our thought patterns will inevitably and organically lead to being kind in our actions and interactions with people. We will naturally become kind to those around us; our children, spouse, friends, co-workers and community.

3. Kindness to Strangers:

   I wholeheartedly believe that becoming kind is a domino effect. Being kind inside ourselves, in our thoughts and self-talk will lead us to become kind to those around us and even to those people we do not know or understand. When love and kindness come from within, it will then shine out and touch everyone we come in contact with.

4. Kindness to Our Planet:

   “Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.” – Unknown

Jennifer Palazzo

Photo Courtesy of FreeImages.com/Sebastian Danon