Life has its obvious defining moments: graduation, our first house or apartment, falling in love and getting married, seeing loved ones pass, memorable trips, finding success, experiencing failure.
The list goes on.
But what if one of our defining moments is a self-realization? An epiphany.
Very much like the thoughts of Kim Fredrickson: an author, a blogger, a marriage and family therapist, and a woman living with pulmonary fibrosis.
Indeed, people are happier when they have something that they’re living for, but what if our pursuits were as simple as a changed perspective?
A train of thought inspired by Kim’s suggestion:
“Treating yourself with kindness and compassion, which I call self-compassion…”
I love the simplicity of this.
We’re attracted to people who are passionate, who get animated when talking about what they love: be it fitness or family research or pop culture or transcendentalist literature.
Whether we’ll admit it or not, all of us, to a certain extent, want our lives to be indelible, our existence to be remembered.
The idea of legacy is a difficult concept to grasp, but it is the implicit driving force behind so many of our decisions and actions.
And yet, we zip-a-dee-doo-dah through life trying to plan and fulfill these big defining moments—our degree or wedding ring or job title—too often forgetting the in-between steps, the steps that really define us.
But what exactly does define us?
A trophy on our mantle? A framed degree on our wall? A ring on our finger?
Some say it’s our actions. Or perhaps it’s our intentions. But what if it is our thoughts, our attitude, or maybe just our day-to-day outlook on life?
This is an important question.
Maybe the most influential moments to define us are the simplest choice:
“Self-compassion helps to soothe my soul, brings truth and grace to my heart, and helps me be a friend to myself on my PF journey.”
I may have just found my New Year’s resolution.
