Today is May 13 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often do you carry mountains instead of just climbing them?”
Andrea F. Polard, author of A Unified Theory of Happiness: An East-Meets-West Approach to Fully Loving Your Life, believes there is nothing wrong with wanting to transcend the status quo and attempt to become the best person we can be.
The pursuit of personal growth or professional development is healthy for many reasons. Unfortunately, many people overdo it and beat themselves up for everything.
Being too hard on ourselves, Polard explains, can be a sign of withdrawing love from our selves. Doing so is counterproductive and symbolizes our capacity to love unconditionally when it comes to our own selves, somehow splitting off kindness when confronted with a part of ourselves that is less than perfect. “And here is the crux of the matter: We are prone to seek perfection in a world that suggests that perfection is possible. We look up to high ideals; unreachable role models from Jesus to Buddha; moralistic and religious stories; fairy tales that split the good from the bad and the Beauty from the Beast; and last, but certainly in the U.S. not least, the advertisement industry that bombards us with must-have products that elevate and perfect us, wiping off any flaws from our faces, masking our lines, offering anti-aging therapy to turn us back into the beautiful people we never felt we were. I can be is the one who accepts imperfection.”
Polard concluded that "I cannot be more lovable than when I face and embrace my vulnerabilities. It is possible to relate to my good and bad sides with the same kind attention, supporting myself unconditionally no matter what."
Lebanese Canadian educator Najwa Zebian wrote “These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”
This is perhaps one of the most impactful statements of self-compassion to remember. Do you realize the power of self-compassion?
Psychology professor Dr. Kristin Neff noted “Research shows that the No. 1 barrier to self-compassion is fear of being complacent and losing your edge; the research shows that’s not true. It’s just the opposite.”
Several studies have shown that self-compassion led to greater personal improvement, in part, through heightened acceptance, and that focusing on self-compassion spurs positive adjustment in the face of regrets.
As you pursue personal growth and professional development, remember to ask yourself ‘how often do you carry mountains instead of just climbing them?’
As you pursue personal growth and professional development, remember to ask yourself ‘how often do you carry mountains instead of just climbing them?’