No matter how you feel
Ring, ring.
Who is it?
It's your best friend.
What do they want?
They want to tell you that they're having a hard time.
I'm on my way to help. Tell them I'll be right there and I love them.
Ring, ring.
Who is it?
It's your body, mind and heart.
What do they want?
They want to tell you that they're having a hard time.
Ignore them. How stupid, weak and embarrassing. I don't have time for this. Tell them to shut up and go away.
The next time you feel a difficult emotion, I want you to imagine that you're receiving a call from yourself. Your emotions are the ringtone, alerting you that you are in need of your own care and compassion. In moments of pain, treating ourselves kindly is one of the best things we can do for our stress levels and overall well-being.
You might have learned that when the phone rings, you should ignore it, yell at it, or hang up on it. But when we answer and listen to our needs, we are setting ourselves for far greater peace, resilience, and happiness.
Your loving answer can take many forms:
When you're sad, you can treat yourself with tenderness.
When you're angry, you can acknowledge your hurts.
When you're lonely, you can reach out to a loved one and ask for help.
When you're ashamed, you can connect to our shared human experience.
When you're grieving, you can take the time to honor what you've lost.
When the phone rings, and it's you on the other end, asking for your own love? Please, pick up the call—you're always worthy of it.
The Definitive Guide to Happiness
A groundbreaking new approach based on a decade’s worth of research and brought to life with beautiful artwork, New Happy shows you the proven path to happiness.
