June 7 - Positive Pain

Day 158 of a year of Kindness

Today is World Caring Day and I learned a lesson in kindness. I’ve been in pain for three months trying to heal the tendon in my foot to no avail. This week I got the boot. On Monday, I’ll get an MRI. This morning I was on a call with an author. I’m helping edit her book about leaving the Mormon Church. She asked if we could meet again early Tuesday morning.My exact words: “I would love to but I have to get an MRI on my stupid foot.”There was silence.

“Did you just call your foot stupid?” she asked. “The same foot that took you across Spain and Portugal and carries you everywhere you want to go?”

And then she got kind of choked up. She takes pain very seriously. She’s been in a lot of pain. She suggested that I give my foot the care, love and respect it deserves. My foot is hurting. It needs my loving attention. There is no reason to insult or shame my foot. This is also not a time to focus on what I can’t do but what I can do.This is why kindness is hard and why it takes practice.

I’ve been doing this every single day and I still need a coach! I really appreciated her passion about self-compassion and pain. I heard her loud and clear. In honor of World Caring Day, I hope you are kind to your pain. I know I will be.

Science of kindness: Research shows that maintaining positive feelings about ourselves during illness or injuries can improve both physical and mental well-being. #bekind #kindnessiscontagious #kindnessisfree #kindness #yourfootisnotstupid