I recently read a line in Brene Brown’s latest book “Rising Strong” that keeps rolling around in my mind the way that truth often does.
“…the most compassionate people I interviewed also have the most well-defined and well-respected boundaries. It surprised me at the time, but now I get it. They assume that other people are doing the best they can, but they also ask for what they need and they don’t put up with a lot of crap.”
I want to be a compassionate person. Sometimes I am. Most of the time I think I have good boundaries, but what I notice about the times I don’t (which is more often that I’d like to admit) is that I am hardest on myself. I give away what I know is kindness towards me in pursuit of what I THINK will make others lives easier/better/etc.
What if other people are doing the best they can? What if you are, and I am?
How would we be different? How might that change…everything?
Best,
Caryn