Entry 4---The one most important thing in our lives is people. People are all looking for what makes them feel better, so in the end, the most important thing to people is love. Practice kindness.

There is not much to say here, other than, just do it, and practice kindness; but I am going say something anyway.  

I have been called a “hard woman.”  I am frank, and I really don’t “pretty up” anything I feel bound to say.  Sometimes, it is good to be a hard woman.  I stand on my principles. I try not to compromise my belief system. I try to stay “true in heart.”  Sometimes, that is what makes me a hard woman.  Sometimes people call that “tough love.”

We’ve all experienced those days with people we live with, with people we work with, with people we meet on the street, or in a grocery store, or wherever we happen to be, there is someone who is having a bad nasty day.  This is a golden opportunity given to us to use, either we screw it up, or we make it the best we can.  

It’s hard to be the person we are meant be.  There is a purpose for all life, even ours;  that purpose may be to offer a kind word, a smile, a sympathetic ear or even “tough love” (when you aren’t a doormat).  I think this is so hard because so many of us do not “love” ourselves.  All you have to do is pick up a fashion magazine to see how many women do not love them-selves. Reality TV shows are another great example.  We always like to see someone else being victimized; we experience that vicariously through those shows.  We project our feelings onto those hapless characters to make ourselves feel better.  How sad? 

If you are the person who is having a bad nasty day, perhaps you should realign your priorities.  That is easier said than done.  Do a “reality check.” Ask yourself, “Is this really worth getting so upset about?”  “Will my getting upset about this change anything?” “Are people going to be damaged because of my actions or decisions?”  “Is there a difference going to made in achieving the greater good here, or is it for some reason that will have no effect 40 years from now?”  Check your answers, write it down if you have to, but check those answers.  Make sure they are correct.  If it’s only about immediate gratification, then you could be wrong.  Is it selfish, petty, and insignificant?  Perhaps you may want to re-think your actions, reactions, or over-reactions.  

I am not advocating being a “cream-puff.”  No one who actually knows me would ever describe me as that.  I am advocating showing care and kindness in your everyday life.  There are times for you to be a teddy bear and times for you to be the grizzly.  Make sure you know the difference.  If you can’t tell, then a word of advice: Counseling.