How do you respond to ridicule?

Ridicule affects people differently.  Some people react to ridicule with intense emotion and/or use words.  Ryokan offers another example.  He is a Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit. He responds to ridicule by bowing deeply in silence.  He does not seek to explain or justify himself.  

What if you allow energy to flow and respond to everything and everyone with kindness? Take a moment.  Notice what you feel is happening.  Wisdom is not acquired, but reveals itself inside as one lives fully. 

Mindfulness serves you

Choices actually do not harm you.  Being unaware of the thinking process behind your choices or being selectively aware of the consequences, does not serve you.  You may ask then, what truly serves you? 

Many people are materially-wealthy but crave time. How often do you question or reflect rather than follow the norm? When it comes to happiness, how do you measure it, how much do you want or need? Contemplate the extent of your own short-sightedness.  Which choices serve you and which do not? When you want things, do you honestly feel satisfied? The wealthy are those who make time for each other, who create a loving quality of life. Peace, contentment, compassion, generosity, are immeasurable.  To want for nothing is a most wonderful feeling. As you align with timeless peace in the heart, share it with the world.

Undermine the delusions

Consider states of mind thrive on negativity and control.  Some people sense fear prompts one to control and perpetuate delusion. One discovers that to access the doorway to the heart requires a shift in focus. 

What happens as you take off the pressure? How does it feel to realize you do not have to please anyone?  As you empower others, you cease to judge and exert control.  To judge indicates you have an ego that assesses and you do not understand truth. As you raise awareness, everything is unjudgable.

Why judge self? To be unconditionally aware reminds you how to be unconditionally kind, loving to self and others.  You are free and have no reason to judge. People who free themselves do no harm and teach freedom to others.  The less you control, the deeper you connect with the infinite joy, health and energy within. The effort to control others reminds you that you have an ego.  To detach is to gradually vanish. 

Be kind to yourself

When was the last time you truly noticed how you treat yourself? Listen to the words you use. Are you kind? Are you understanding? Do you accept, resist or reject what is happening? Do you get easily uptight? This is an invitation to care.

Open your heart.  Allow yourself to feel your way through the inner messages you are sending. What if every time you communicate to the world, you are actually inviting yourself to love more unconditionally? Laugh uncontrollably.

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” 

-Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa & 8 Points to keep yourself on track

Mentors are viewed as inspirations and leaders who set uplifting examples.  Mother Teresa's life choices illustrate what it feels like to 'do the right thing.'  She set the intention to be herself regardless of what she encountered.  Her  behavior speaks for itself. Take this to heart.  Keep yourself on track:

1) People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred.  Forgive them anyway.

-As you forgive, you choose not to be lowered to their level and thus rise-up higher to inspire.  People who gripe about life would like nothing better than to hurt successful people. Why give them that satisfaction?  Why not inspire them to transform instead?

2) If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

-Be kind because this is your nature, not because you have ulterior motives.  Be genuine and you will attract sincere, like-minded people to assist you with your pursuits.        

3) If you're successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.  Succeed anyway.

-People will disagree with you or be offended.  Ignore these reactions.  As you learn to avoid relationships of convenience, you can build a reputation of integrity.

4) If you're honest and frank, people may cheat you.  Be honest and frank anyway.

-Treat others as you would hope to be treated.  Rise above a fear of dishonesty.  Set examples.

5) What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight.  Build anyway.

-As you give life to your inner passions, you share joy because it gives your life meaning. If anyone burned your writings or destroyed your creations, you couldn't help but continue.  You sense this is what you're meant to do.

6) If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

-People around you always benefit from examples of happiness. Even grumps might come around.

7) The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.  Do good anyway.

-Give of yourself not as an effort to seek approval but to uplift or cheer people for the sake of it.  Visit friends, relatives and strangers in nursing homes or hospitals. Brighten their spirits.

8) Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough.  Give the world your best anyway.

-As you detach yourself from desired outcomes, you'll be surprised at the benefits.  You aren't meant to predict all the events you touch. Many are beyond your scope and control. Appreciate all that unfolds.