A Beautiful Reminder - Be Kind - Kathy Caprino

A Beautiful Reminder - Be Kind This week, a wonderful participant in my  Amazing Career Project group coaching intensive shared a quote that made me stop in my tracks. It was this: Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Wendy Mass That quote struck me hard and gave me a pang.   I realized only after reading it that Ive forgotten this truth, and I havent been my   highest self this week (or this month). I   hear from hundreds of people a week, and often, theyre urgently in need of help and advice. Sometimes, when people are sad, beleaguered, and challenged, they can be harsh.   They lose their softness, gentleness and patience, and they forget to be respectful and kind. And I know when Im going through deep challenges, my patience wears thin and Im more easily annoyed and angered. Im not the person I want to be. When my first post when viral on Forbes a few years ago, I was floored at the 300 emails I received a day for a week from people needing help. They often demanded my advice, without a thank you or a kind word. But after this happened several more times, I finally figured it out: when our cup is empty and were deeply afraid, we often lose our ability to be compassionate and caring for others. My work allows me a special window into peoples lives (and souls), and Ive found that when you peel the onion youll find this to be invariably true every single person on this planet is fighting some kind of battle, some kind of challenge, trauma or situation that we know nothing about. And if we knew about it, our heart would soften. Wed be more compassionate, caring, and understanding. Wed want to help. I find it beneficial in my life and work to remember this what we see of people is not the whole story, not by a long shot. As a friend shared recently, I wish my life were as wonderful as my Facebook page makes it look. So true whats going on behind the scenes and in our hearts isnt what we show the world.   We dont let on whats really going on how scared and confused we feel, or let down by life. Sometimes we dont even let ourselves see whats really going on. If someone in your life is acting unkind, I hope youll think about the hidden battle that theyre going through, and find it in your heart to be understanding and empathetic. I know when I stop and remember this, my load becomes lighter, I feel better, and my path to joyful work and living is a bit smoother. Whats the hidden battle that youre struggling with today, and can you reach out to someone who can help? (To build a more joyful life and career, visit kathycaprino.com and take my 6-Day Amazing Career Challenge.)