'Smile, Breathe and Go Slowly"

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

 “The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh

 “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh

 “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh 

Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen Biddhist monk who is credited with bringing mindfulness meditation to the west, has died at the age of 95. Read about him here.

For excellent resources on Mindfulness meditation, some of them free, click here. 

Writing prompts:

• Write about any suffering you are experiencing right now and how it would feel to allow yourself to be happy. Set a timer for six minutes and write without stopping.
• Write about the need for hope in a better future.
• Is it easy to wake up with a smile? Are you living fully in each moment? Do you regard other beings with compassion? Explore the answers to one or all of these questions in your writing for seven minutes.