Good Things To Be Good To Others
“Please know you deserve to be loved”
From Trying To Be Free
Words have power. When my self-doubt has me stuck as a ship across the Suez Canal, the words of a friend – even the encouragement of a stranger – can free me.
In the days since my new single came out I’ve received a lot of kind words from friends and strangers and they’ve given me motivation on days where I’ve felt drained and overwhelmed. I’ve had a lot of those days lately, as I’m sure so many of us have.
These are hard times and the ones you love might need to be reminded that you love them.
This week I’ve gathered 3 Good Things that remind me that I need to be good to those around me – and empower me to do it.
Thing To Listen To: May Your Kindness Remain
I love Courtney Marie Andrew’s ode to simple kindness, May Your Kindness Remain.
Her voice wavers with the frailty of someone who knows what it means to hurt, while the music crescendoes with a rising affirmative hope. It’s a potent mix that leans into gospel and has earned many repeats in my house.
Here’s an excellent live solo version.
Also be sure to check out her latest album Old Flowers. So much aching beauty.
Thing to Watch: Brene Brown on Empathy
In just under 3 minutes, Brene Brown defines empathy as the antithesis of sympathy. Empathy, says Brown, is “feeling with others”.
We are all cradling our broken hearts these days, trying not to drop any pieces. If you want to help me carry mine, here’s a good place to start.
Thing to Use: Life Checklist
Here’s something I’ve experienced so many times, but don’t understand. Broken people often collect broken people. They take care of each other, which I think is beautiful. I often wonder, though, if they’d be more effective helpers if they also took better care of themselves. Self-care is not a selfish act. In fact, taking good care of myself is often the best thing I can do to take care of those around me.
In the spirit of self-care, here’s a “Personal Life Checklist” that offers a helpful check-in on mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. It gets a bit specific to its author, Johnny Webber (you may or may not need a five year career plan), but there are still manyy good questions to reflect on here.