As this week comes to a close, what has it been like for you—to lean into self-compassion as an expression of humility in your everyday life and experience? Let’s share with each other some of the ways we have taken compassionate steps toward ourselves this week, and perhaps what that felt like. For me, I had planned to write all this week’s posts ahead of time and schedule them out, because I’m on vacation with my family in the mountains. But it didn’t end up being possible, so offering myself compassion meant being okay with that “failure” and allowing this week to be a time that I could lean into compassion for myself in real time, in the midst of extended family dynamics. I asked myself many times (probably mostly because I was writing on this topic—it wouldn’t have been on my radar otherwise!) what the *compassionate* response would be, when I found myself responding with irritation or shame (or my typical Enneagram 9 response of zoning out when things get tense!). Sometimes the answer was that I needed to step away and rest, or sometimes it was entering in more fully and presently. I even asked for help a couple of times, as a result of this question! I gave myself permission (aided by that permission being vocalized by someone else – thanks, @Rachel Reed ;) to not-write if needed. To put things up late, or not at all. To be present in the ways I had capacity for, and not worry about the rest. Then, this morning, I woke with a splitting headache, and it was *so hard*, even after a week writing about this, to take medicine and go back to sleep instead of writing my morning post. But I’m grateful I had the opportunity in real time to offer that compassion. To not let guilt and shame have their way, but to let my capacities have limits and still be okay. These are just small things, but I would love to hear if anyone else discovered small ways of offering themselves compassion this week, too, and perhaps how God met you there in those very limitations and kindness offered. Share in the comments, if something comes to mind!

Posted by Jamie Bonilla at 2022-07-29 17:51:51 UTC