Don’t wait to be happy

Don't wait to be happy

“The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don’t wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Just because we are hurting doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for moments of happiness all around us. One does not need to exclude the other. Allow yourself to be happy when those moments come, even if your suffering is not over.

 

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Awe stretches the heart

Awe stretches the heart

“When suffering constricts the heart, awe stretches it back out, making us more compassionate, more loving, more present.” ~Valarie Kaur

I love this image of awe restoring a constricted heart! How often do you allow yourself to truly experience awe as an adult? Perhaps we would all be well served by seeking it out and immersing ourselves in awe more often.

 

Image created with a stock photo from a Canva subscription package.

What we allow the mark of our suffering to become

“Contrary to what we may have been taught to think, unnecessary and unchosen suffering wounds us, but need not scar us for life. It does mark us. What we allow the mark of our suffering to become is in our own hands.” ~bell hooks

This really gets to the essence of kintsugi living, doesn’t it? We always have the choice of “what we allow the mark of our suffering to become.” We can choose to find (and become) the gold of healing.