I recently took a Mindful Meditation Class through the amazing U.C.L.A. Mindful Awareness Research Center and on our last day, the instructor read us an excerpt from the book There’s a Hole in My sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery that really resonated with me. I have shared it with several of my friends and clients and thought I would pass it along.
This excerpt is a nice reminder that we are all learning and doing the best we can. When we know better, we do better. AND…teaching ourselves new habits, even when they are good for us, can be painfully difficult and we often find ourselves falling back into old routines.
The next time you find yourself knee deep in an all too familiar pattern of unhealthy behavior, consider this. Slow way, way down, close your eyes, take 3 deep breaths and gently and lovingly begin to question your thoughts and actions…”Why am I being so hard on myself? What am I doing? Is this good for me? Does this feel right?”
While you are following these simple, yet powerful steps, show yourself the deepest sense of gratitude and compassion to create the space for your answers to come forward for you. Showing yourself genuine, loving compassion is the only way to change and move past unwanted, negative patterns of behavior. Becoming frustrated or angry with yourself will only cause you more suffering and prolong your painful experience or cycle of behavior.
Be kind to you now and always…you deserve it.
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
Chapter I.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter II.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter III.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter IV.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter V.
I walk down another street.