Potential

Being is a word I have recently come to understand and appreciate. It is underused and overlooked in today's world. I observe how people cope with situations which makes them feel insecure or stressed. Quite often one of the first qualities to drop which causes a change in demeanor is kindness. Alongside this, inclusivity is no longer a priority either as the act of unkindness has already suggested that the person has intended to work the issue out on their own. I know this to be true because I have experienced this more times than necessary.

I learnt my lesson at the end though: My external world is not to blame.

Fostering kindness and inclusivity is paramount to start living a life that gives you vitality, appreciation and connection.

When I am kind and I am inclusive i.e. I feel like I belong, I feel like I am home no matter where I go, I feel like every human is a brother or sister and there is no need to fear or distrust anyone, my world is so open and everyday feels like an adventure.

However being kind and inclusive is not easy to do 100% of the time. There are times when the external world will give you every reason to hate. This is the time when strength is required to move ahead. When it feels like your world is crumbling around you, these are the golden times when all you need to seek are the ones that will show you kindness and be with you when everyone else has left you. There have been many times I have faltered and lost myself but there was always a someone who I could go to which is why I want to be kind and inclusive. I want to pay it forward a hundredfold.

2022 is an encouraging year for me. I have just discovered I love writing things that inspire me and creating poetry. I find that when I write, I begin to be and feel the words move through my body. I then take what I write to work with me and be a demonstration of who I want to be. When I am with my family, I am much more attentive, focused and appreciative.

At work, I want to be a demonstration of kindness and inclusivity by really exercising the belief that no one is above me and no one is below me. I work in a hospital as a nurse, so hierachy has its place when it comes to knowledge of medicine. However, while working there over the last year, I have come to see that some people think hierachy exisits in terms of their role and in relation to how they treat other people. My role as a nurse is unique where I am able to converse with people from the hospital on all levels. I have friendly conversations with doctors, receptionists, nurse assistants, porters, cleaners and my managers. Everyday, the gap between me and seeing others as my equal has been leveling. Sometimes, there are days when I feel like I was treated as an inferior being or at times I may think some idea of mine is superior which may cause me to act superciliously. I choose to practice equality consistently and I can see the benefits by what people say to me and how they treat me. I have been called beautiful, funny, an angel and although I humbly receive these compliments, I understand I received them because practicing equality creates such a feeling of unity or oneness that regardless of the praise, you know this to be true anyway. You begin to 'know thyself.'

At home I am surrounded by a loving family. As a mother and committed partner, sometimes, the ones we love the most is who we hurt the most. I am more committed than ever to be kind and be in a united state of mind with my family. This means not assuming, practice forgiveness and being true to my values. My strength lies in getting help from my partner where applicable or just remembering when there is a large to do list, the priority for me is to be kind and united so that all my actions from being that are from a place of truth.

Yesterday I went on a 2 hour drive to a beach to meet the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. My partner stayed home and usually a trip like this would cause myelf to be stressed, sharp and callous. However, it seemed kindness was with me and the only time I raised my voice was in the car after my 3 year old kept crying over an imaginary spider. It was a 7 hour outing and by the time I arrived home, I was still pretty cool and calm. It feels like practicing kindness and having a united perspective not only delivers a guilt free experience, but it encourages me to do it as much as I can; days run smoother and it feels like everyone wins.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi

It always gives me hope that to see change in the world, individuals are the ones that need to change, not the world. Although working on the self is much harder than criticizing the world and others, it is where change needs to be made to create potential in the world.

Through deepening my practice of kindness by exercising equality and not blaming, I am becoming increasingly aware that one man's mind has unlimited potential to make great change just like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi or any other great figure in human history. I think if more people foster kindness and deal with people with inclusivity, seeing kindness will start being the norm and undesirable qualities will hopefully fade out. That indeed is my dream.