One of the greatest gifts (skills) you can cultivate is not inspiration, motivation, organization, or education. One of the greatest gifts you can cultivate is learning how to soothe. Yes, soothe.
To soothe yourself and to soothe others.
We live in a media-freighted world where we are constantly bombarded by messages and images that feel like sandpaper rubbing on our souls. Irritating, aggravating, fear-producing, discouraging, disheartening, and toxic.
We move through our days experiencing other people (and sometimes ourselves) being rude, thoughtless, impatient, cruel, or hurtful. The end of the day can feel like we’ve been crawling through a war zone.
We’re not created to live in these kinds of sustained states. Rather, we must consciously and deliberately soothe ourselves and others as much as possible.
Bring down the heat. Soften the harshness. Reduce the inflammation. Recover. Heal. Restore.
Here’s some ways to bring soothing. Feel what happens inside of you as you read the following –
- “It’s been a rough time. You really do deserve more for yourself.”
- “Maybe it’s time to take some time out, catch your breath, be kind to yourself.”
- “We all have moments when we are less than our best. Time to let yourself off the hook. You’ll figure out how to do better.”
- “You are precious.”
- “You are cherished.”
- “You’re doing the best you can.”
- “You can always start again.”
- “You are always more than you’ve forgotten.”
Cultivating this skill and extending this gift to yourself and others brings much needed relief.
Here’s some more ways to soothe yourself and others.
