Larry loves to dream, big or small, it doesn’t matter
People tell you to dream big
but maybe it’s the tiny dreams that matter.
Sometimes my dream
is just to make it through the day.
I wrote these lines a few weeks ago and have been waiting for more words to come to mind, words that would sound more positive and hopeful. (I shared in my last post that I’ve been dealing with a bout of increased pain–more than my usual baseline of chronic pain, which I’ve learned to manage.)
I’ve decided to stop waiting for any profound insights because I’m really at a pretty basic level on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs right now. So, I’ve decided to take my own advice and focus on the tiny dreams:
- When I feel tired, I will rest.
- When I feel hungry, I will eat.
- (And I’ll try not to get the previous two mixed up.)
- When I feel sad, I will let myself cry.
- When I feel happy, I will let myself smile.
- When I need help, I will ask.
- Regardless of how I feel, I will be kind.
- I will remind myself that my blog is called The Self-Compassion Project!
Most of all, I will remember that tiny dreams are still dreams. All dreams matter.
The Self-Compassion Project 
I have fibromyalgia & CFIDS (and perhaps other Autoimmune diseases to be named later) and have been sorely lacking in Self-Compassion. This post touched my heart & firmed my resolve that kindness to others means very little if I’m unkind to myself. Thanks.
I love your “not getting the two mixed up” comment!
Its a start to a poem but really could be considered a slogan that reminds those of us struggling with chronic pain the need to be able to adjust our expectations (dreams) to fit our current reality. I love the concept of “Self Compassion”. Whether we suffer from chronic pain or other challenges in or lives, many of us are great at being kind to others but do a lousy job of being compassionate towards ourselves.
We all could use to remember to have more “Self Compassion”. I have Sjogrens, RA, Crohn’s, and a laundry list of other autoimmune diseases. I will have to make a list like yours to remind myself of some of the same things. I am most hard on myself as I am sure others are due to guilt about not being able to do things for others. I feel guilty about sleeping during the day. I feel guilty about feeling sick, sad, mad, or even having a good day. Crazy! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. I am glad to know I am not alone. I wish us all good health and great days ahead!
I love this and it’s just what I need to hear. I am struggling at the moment with hypermobility syndrome- I finally got diagnosed and referred for physio but it hasn’t really worked out so I am now on my own again, without much hope for improvement in my condition. Small dreams- I will eat nutritious food to support my body in it’s struggles, I will do some gentle physio each day that I can manage it, and take a stroll with my dog in the fresh air, I will keep on loving my children and remembering that that’s what they truly need from me, and I will not beat myself up if I don’t achieve much more than that each day.
This is beautiful – I have MS and I am going to follow your blog 🙂
And if all else fails, cuddle with Larry. Best medicine on the planet.
Back to the basics, one tiny dream at a time. i’m going to focus on nurturing them too. loving advice – grateful xo p.s. enjoy the cuddles too with cutiepie larry (big smileo with that pic!)
This is a reply to all! I’m trying to converse my arms (typing is hard) for now. Thank you all and I hope to check out all of your blogs and make individual replies soon. All of your kind words and knowing I’m not alone means so much!
Reblogged this on chronicpainsurvivor and commented:
Words to try to live by if suffering any illness…
Barbara, all the best with this important self-compassion project.
Adeline
Reblogged this on mothering – the heartaches and the joys.
“Regardless of how I feel, I will be kind.”
….need to work on that one…..
This is so absolutely true. Being kind to ourselves and listening mindfully to what we need is vital. How can we be all we are supposed to be a present part of the lives of our loved ones if we neglect ourselves. Not necessarily putting ourselves first but not neglecting ourselves either.
This is wonderful Barb, so very simple in it’s intent and yet so very hard to achieve in daily life. I hope that you are managing to do this, or at least being more mindful of it.
I’m just catching up on your blog at the moment, last few months have been crazy busy. You might have noticed that self-compassion was part of my 30 days of vulnerability, I did ok but had some very serious self-compassion failures as well. I wish you had written this one a few weeks earlier 🙂
I think it’s important to let those tears fall, sometimes during a session clients ask why I don’t offer them a tissue and I remind them that crying is a healthy way to get those emotions out and a tissue to stops them from getting out.