Our world can feel so hard-hearted. Which means that the people in the world are being hard-hearted. Our true nature is Love. When we feel loving, our hearts are soft.  When we make a whole-hearted commitment to be loving to ourselves, when we have a softer heart for ourselves, we can be softer and kinder to others.

There is a famous quote from Ian MacLaren, a noted Scottish author (this quote has also been attributed to Plato). It goes: “Be kind. Everyone you meet is carrying a heavy burden.” It is often stated as: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  We know this to be true, we feel it for ourselves.

So let us be kind, to ourselves first. We all carry heavy burdens, even as we endeavor to come to terms with them and find peace in the midst of them. We often feel we are fighting a hard battle. Be kind, soften our hearts to ourselves…..and our compassion for ourselves will flow out from our full and open hearts to everyone around us. And life will feel softer.