The world could use a lot more compassion.

As with many things, compassion cannot exist outside of us if it does not exist inside of us.

What is the self talk when you do something wrong? What do you for yourself when you’re tired? How do you treat yourself when you are running late?

All of this is likely reflected in how we speak to our children, our partners, and our closest loved ones.

Be kind. Be gentle. When you start feeling that self compassion, you will be able to bring it out to the world.

Our journeys are more alike than they are different. In fact, generations before us have lived similar journeys, faced similar challenges and celebrated similar achievements. And generations after us will do the same.

The idea that we and our journeys are special and unique may actually hurt us more than it helps us.

Yes, self identity and expression are so crucial for our happiness.

But community, relating to other humans and being in the presence of others fill our souls in ways that we can’t achieve alone.

We need both – to know and be ourselves in community.

“Keeping up with the Joneses” is an American phrase for a global issue, a mindset that keeps us small, petty and distracted.

It is comparison analysis paralysis. It is one upping a neighbor instead of partnering with them. It causes us to adopt external standards for our family and our personal worth.

Media and companies with fancy marketing bombard us with messages to do or buy the things to be like all the other people who have done or bought the things.

There is literally a show called “Keeping up with the Kardashians.”

Signing the opt-out form to that rat race is a conscious choice, but when the pool you swim in is filled with everyone trying to keep up, it is easy to be pulled into the group think mentality, blindly follow and perpetuate that mindset.

However, opting out is not a cop out. It is a declaration of life on your own terms.