On Being a Friend

A recent theme occurring for me is the idea of being a friend to myself. That may sound odd but hear me out.

Even in our mindfulness practices of meditation, yoga, prayer, music we can hurry through, push to achieve a goal or achieve a result. In the most sacred of practices we can abandon ourselves as we hurry up to become more self-aware, balanced, centered. Isn’t that odd?

If I am taking the best care of myself, I can sit in stillness with no goal or desired outcome other than to enjoy my own company. The truest voice of the soul can only be heard when we slow down and listen. I’ve discovered how much I don’t listen to the voice that whispers like the wind. Fine-tuning the ability to be still and quiet is an art, a practice that increases awareness of what we might not be comfortable learning about ourselves.

What would it feel like to be a true friend to yourself? What steps would you take to show unconditional, positive regard for your self? What is your soul longing for you to know?