Extending grace

Recently I was inspired by a monthly inspirational workshop with author Suleika Jouaud, a writer who blogs about her own experiences with cancer. She sends out messages and inspirations, encouraging creativity and scheduling time to help you find your own means of expression and set aside an hour once a month to that end.

The writing exercise she led made me think about where I’ve been and how I feel in new ways. The focus of this month was about Grace.

Grace—an amazing thing that comes to us by chance or by the opening of our hearts. She speaks of it as extending grace to others, but also to yourself. No recrimination, just a means of forgiving yourself for how and when you respond to things, how you heal, where you are in the world. Illness has a way of pulling your psyche down and making you feel “less than” or somehow “broken”. It can burden you with self doubt and embarrassment.

But if we offer ourselves the same grace and forgiveness we might extend to others, a surprising thing happens. A lightness within that allows you to relax, loosen the tightened spaces in our chest, breathe better. And feel emotionally lighter too.

Sometimes we have to allow that we didn’t hit the mark or are still challenged by what’s challenged us. But when we’re not at the point where we thought we’d be—or hoped to be—extend a little grace to yourself that you’re doing your best at that moment and this is all you can be for now.