Kindness Is A Choice, Even For Ill People

I feel so bad, hurt so much, am so discouraged, have so many obstacles, that I can’t be kind. Well, I beg to differ. We can always try to be kind, even while we are ill. It might not always come across kindly to others but we sure can try. We can think before we speak or maybe just not speak sometimes. I do believe kindness is a choice, for the most part.

What I have done is try. With that has come many failures, lots of apologies, and fumbled interactions with others.

That’s okay, at least I am trying.

Pick A Path

I am not kidding, pick a path. Do you want to be a grouch? Chances are you really don’t.

I speak to many ill people every single day and I have yet to hear one of you say that you desire to snap at others, make others uncomfortable, or have any desire to let the grouchies come out of your mouths.

Sometimes we just feel so awful that it slips out. Sometimes the physical pain is so intense, it slips out. Sometimes the obstacales appear so impossible to overcome that our dark shadow gets cast on ohters.

It is still a choice to be kind, no matter what. Whew, that is easier said than done.

Stop Before We Speak

Let’s already assume that we are a bit on edge because we are ill. Let’s assume that our words most likely sound more harsh than they are meant. Let’s even assume that we do not see the dark shadows of our moods from all of this yuck-and-muck of chronic illness.

With those assumptions, slow down. Stop before we speak. Take a moment to think.

I know chronically ill people are usually in a brain fog but come on, we can try a little more instead of using our illness and brain fog as an excuse for saying some of the things we do.

I am not only a victim of some grouchies from other ill people, I am the guilty party myself at times.

Let’s keep trying to be kind.

Perspective of Others

Remember that what we see on social media or blogs are not a full and accurate representation of people or their true lives.

Do you really think I would make a video or take picture of my messes around the house? Or how small and old my house is? Or record a video without a smile and makeup to try to present myself as best as I can? Of course not.

What you see is not who I am IN MY ENTIRETY. Neither are others.

We can all try to be authentic and transparent, but really… over the Internet, no one can get a full picture of who we are or our entire circumstances.

Money seems to be a quick trigger for chronically ill people. Just because others appear to have more does not mean they do. Come on people…. there is no possible way we can have that full knowledge of others. Let’s be kind and not make assumptions.

When we are quick to perceive what we see a certain way, we miss out on the whole picture of who people are.

When we make judgements based on our perspective, we usually say very inappropriate things and hurt others.

Practice Kindness

Kindness does not exactly come easy, especially during chronic illness.

So practice!!!!

Remember that when we are in groups, making comments on messenger, texting, whatever… we are quick to speak without thinking it out.

How is the recipient going to take what you say????? Answer that from THEIR perspective and pick your path of kindness.

We cannot heal our souls which heals our cells if we have the grouchies.