Hi friends,
Here are my top five values:
- Authenticity
- Compassion
- Integrity
- Well-being
- Connection
When I violate my values, it almost always is rooted in me being over extended. When my energy is strapped, I struggle to care well for myself and others. When I’m emotionally or physically stretched like Gumby (90s kid), I’m unable to channel my energy into my values. Additionally, I think suffering poorly can make it challenging for me to live into those values. When I am hurting in isolation or hurting in a way that leads to me hardening myself, it can be really hard to be authentic, compassionate with self or others, to connect, etc. Being gentle with myself when I am suffering helps me to stay tender (and still tough– but not hard), and managing my resources wisely is key.
Also– pain/suffering keeps coming up for me in many of my peacemaking conversations… and I just want to notice that. So, here’s me noticing. 🙂
8 comments
Shelby, thank you for the truth in these words: managing my resources wisely is key. It has taken me a very long time and some very hard lessons to finally believe that resources are finite commodities and I am not the exception to that fact LOL. So I am happy to hear that you are already enlightened to this and being diligent with this practice!
I think so much of this deep spiritual work is being able to observe and notice. It is a new way of paying attention to your inner being and to God. So way to go with the noticing!
I don’t know that I’ve ever paused to consider noticing/observing as spiritual work… but framing this way is really powerful to me! Thank you, Mindy!
This is so beautiful, and I agree! I am going to a poetry retreat in a couple of weeks, and our assignment is simply to notice and write down something each day. Sounds so simple, but I feel the holiness each time I take a moment to notice and name something touching, beautiful, funny. It’s been a little oasis each day!
A couple of weeks ago, I was upset that someone hadn’t done something they said they would do (again), and my wife said to me, “You simply cannot have any expectations of anyone right now. People are disoriented, hurting, anxious, and afraid.” In the moment (and several moments since), I was infuriated by this bit of hyperbole. And yet, I keep coming back to it.
So, I’ve been working on being gentler with others these days – extending grace, practicing patience, offering understanding. It’s definitely a work in progress. That said, I’m actually pretty terrible at giving myself these same mercies.
May the Spirit equip you to be especially gentle with yourself with all that’s going on, Shelby.
Your wife is wise! Thank you for sharing her comment. I appreciate the work you are doing to be gentle with others and yourself. I too would do well to embody more grace and patience.
Guuuuurrrrlllll….me too! Over extended, over functioning, is so my recipe for neglecting my values. Here I go again with a practices question…what practices refuel you (us) to help you (us) be more authentically you (us) in line with said values?
Thanks for asking, Katy! In this season of my life, the single most important step for me in refueling is to not let my tank get to empty in the first place, by monitoring how quickly I’m using my resources. In short, I can’t use my energy faster than I’m refueling… So, the practice of being really thoughtful about what I say yes and no to feels paramount at the moment.