[2023-04-11] Be patient with yourself
There was a time when I believed wholeheartedly in quotes like this:
Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them.
~ Jack Canfield
In recent years, however, I've become suspicious of messages that encourage us to choose positivity regardless of the circumstances. Such messages—even if relevant most of the time—don't allow for occasions when we just need a good cry.
The person newly diagnosed with cancer, for example, probably doesn't want to maintain a positive focus, at least not immediately. That person needs to know that it's OK to feel all emotions, including shock, anger, sadness, fear and anxiety. They also need to know that they're not alone, and that they are loved and accepted at their most vulnerable and needy.
A better quote, for me, is this one:
Be patient with yourself. Nothing in nature blooms all year.
~ Author unknown
This message acknowledges that there will be times when things aren't going along tickety-boo. A healthy response is to be patient with ourselves, to take care of ourselves, and to surround ourselves with love.
One of my favourite quotes is this one from The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse:
"What do we do when our hearts hurt?" asked the boy.
"We wrap them with friendship, shared tears and time, till they wake hopeful and happy again."
It may take time, but hope and happiness almost always return.
