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'I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart' Anne Frank
The 12th March marks the anniversary of a true inspiration to the world; Anne Frank. Anne Frank was a courageous young woman who is remembered and admired for her loving nature and ability to look past her life as a prisoner in the Nazi war and find forgiveness and hope. My writing is therefore dedicated to her compassionate thoughts and how we can take what she learnt and apply it to our lives today.
It is easier to blame other people for negative feelings and to remain victimised by current situations than it is to take responsibility. Anne Frank nurtured her belief that Nazi soldiers were still good people in spite of their behaviour. In this situation the unthinkable happened however her perspective provided her with hope and faith. This has since provided us with evidence that you can still find peace despite what is happening in your life if you choose to think about it differently.
We are living through an empowering time were people have the freedom and courage to follow their dreams. However as imperfect humans we still face obstacles to happiness and the kind of profound love that Anne Frank demonstrated. Therefore this is an invitation to take responsibility and accountability for your thoughts and actions toward other people.
Is there someone in your life who takes the brunt of your unhappiness or stress? Would you like to feel happier for yourself and the people around you who you care about the most? If so then the following suggestions will help you relax and de-stress so you can find your own compassion that lies untouched and always available, underneath the stressful thoughts.
1. Start your own journal or diary that will act as part of your emotional self care. Writing your feelings down can release stress/frustration/anger. It is often said that paper has more patience than people. If you’re writing something positive or inspirational it can help embed it further and act as evidence of the best of who you are. On her diary, which was first published in 1947 and continues to empower people today, Anne said ‘I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support’. Get to know yourself on paper and give yourself some unconditional support.
2. When you find yourself stressed out or negatively affected by the behaviour of another person, take time out by yourself. We all operate out of different belief systems therefore it is important to remove yourself from a stressful situation in order to gain a greater perspective. In that time gently allow yourself to consider the situation from the perspective of the other person. What must be true for them to be thinking or behaving the way they are? Can you see it from their perspective? Could you take yourself out of the situation and view the situation as an observer, would you see the situation differently then? It makes a huge difference to delay your reaction time and give yourself the space to calm your emotions. Once you’re in a better feeling place you well be able to access that understanding part of yourself.
3. Practice relaxation techniques. This could be in the form of meditation-spending as little as ten minutes in the morning or at night before you go to bed quietening your mind by focusing on one thing. This one thing could be a simple affirmation or the sounds of the cars outside. It could be that you play a piece of inspirational music that helps you unwind. Enjoy reading a book while relaxing in the bath. This time spent recharging your batteries will provide you with more patience to enjoy the rest of your day.
4. Visualisation. I am a firm believer in using visualisation as a tool to help you attract what you want and become who you want to be. Creating a vivid picture of yourself in a more peaceful place like on the beach lying in the sun can shift the way you feel. Try visualisation to help you reach a state of mental and physical relaxation.
5. Stop blaming yourself. Any anger and frustration that we feel is an essential part of our growth as it shows us that we are either working ourselves too hard, having critical thoughts about ourselves or someone else or that we need to develop healthier habits for life in general (fill in the blanks with your reasons).
I hope this email has been an inspiring reminder to develop the ability to respect each other and appreciate and understand each other’s differences.
With love
Lucy
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