Most of us are aware of the abundant rewards in extending kindness toward others—but what about self-kindness? The truth is that when we are kind to ourselves—personally, professionally and spiritually—we will naturally be kind to others.
Excerpt from: The Kindness Ambassador and the Sugarholic Prosecutor, 13 Keys to Living the Life You Are Meant to Love
~ A semi-autographical inspirational novel written by Joyce M. Ross, Cofounder of Kindness is Key
A few years back, my life looked very different than it does today. From my finances to my soul, gambling had overtaken my entire being. Having misled or lied to most of my loved ones, borrowed money I couldn’t repay, and made promises to quit gambling that I couldn’t keep, I was filled with remorse and shame.
Desperate and disgraced, I turned to my spiritual guides and asked the question that would forever change my life—What is it that I really need?
The human-conditioned response that I was expecting to receive was: You need a swift kick in the butt or to win the lottery. That wasn’t the message I was given. The answer I did receive was—you need kindness.
Following what I’ve come to view as my kindness aha moment, for the next several seconds, a magnificent numinous energy fused with my being, shrouding me in radiating celestial love. My self-recrimination, angst and regret gave way to inner-peace and a sense of well-being, as I realized the divine key to healing and moving forward was self-kindness. Kindness was and remains the key to my recovery.
Kindness is the key to healing a myriad of societal ailments, including poverty, addiction and depression. Everyone needs and benefits from kindness. And the place for you to begin a kindness healing journey is with yourself.
Self-kindness is the key to global kindness. It’s also the key to re-intending your life so that you’re living in alignment with your divine purpose. If you feel your life is already divinely inspired and purpose driven, then congratulations. You’re the example of what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” For those of you who feel you might be off track, I invite you to start making positive changes and taking steps toward your purpose-path.
The steps you take don’t have to be huge, but they need to be constant. Life is filled with both compassion and compassion-distraction. Which is why it’s important for those of us who see ourselves as light-workers to stay focused on the contributions we want to make. To help stay on what I believe is my intended path, I read spiritual books, listen to inspirational music, and associate with likeminded people.
The final message I’ll leave with you is that no matter where you are on your purpose-path, whatever personality traits and gifts led you here, are the same personality traits and gifts that will lead you the rest of the way. My determination led me to be successful in business, and was a factor in my gaming addiction. When difficulties arise in business, I determinedly find solutions. When I lost at the casino, I went back determined to regain my losses. My love for people led me to become an organizer of singles dances, which I did for seventeen years. Love of people also explains my attraction to the never-ending party at the casino. Currently, our mutual love for humanity is why Patricia, my Kindness is Key mission partner, and I encourage others to seed global kindness by sharing their healing experiences in our Heartmind Wisdom anthology collection.
My gambling addiction is the shadow that led me toward the divine light of kindness and to write the inspirational novel The Kindness Ambassador and the Sugarholic Prosecutor. Be grateful for your shadows, light and dark—they are your compass to the life you are meant to love.
The Kindness Ambassador and the Sugarholic Prosecutor
13 Keys to Living the Life You Are Meant to Love
is available from Balboa Press and Amazon.
I would love to hear from you. Please contact me at kindnessiskey (at) hotmail (dot) com or visit my blog at Heartmind Wisdom Blog.
Joyce M. Ross
REVIEWS OF THE KINDNESS AMBASSADOR:
“A warm engaging novel, rich in messages of love, forgiveness, joy, and kindness.” —Ted Kuntz: Psychotherapist, Inspirational Speaker and Author of Peace Begins with Me. www.peacebeginswithme.ca
“A refreshing and inspiring read! Although heartrending at times, you will laugh and wonder as you see that by reaching outward, inward and upward—releasing shame, doubt and fear—love and prosperity are what boomerang back.” —Taslim Jaffer: Speaker and Author of Let ME Out!! Blog. www.letmeoutcreative.com
“I wish this book were available when I hit ‘Brock bottom’ at age twenty-three. I’d have tucked it in my knapsack during my ten thousand mile bicycle tour seeding kindness across North America.” —Brock Tully: Kindness Ambassador, Speaker and Founder of the World Kindness Concert. www.brocktully.com
“An entertaining and gripping story written in colorful metaphors woven into the background fabric of inspiration, belief and forgiveness. A chance meeting, a dog called Lightening, along with a boy named North Bay, will captivate your attention and imagination from beginning to the unexpected finale. I spent a whole, long, lazy Sunday, turning the pages, totally absorbed, and unable to put the book down while I read it cover to cover!” —Roswyn Nelson, co-author in the Heartmind Wisdom Anthology Collection, Book 1. Roswyn Nelson