When we look back on our lives, we can see that we have survived many trials and surmounted many obstacles, often to our own amazement. In each of those instances, we had to break through our ideas about how much we could handle and go deeper into our hidden reserves. Think of it like a frozen lake: it appears impenetrable, but when we break through it, we find a deep reservoir. When we break through the thought that we don't have more to give or to even fall back on, we can find a well of energy and inspiration trapped beneath. Sometimes we break through by cutting a hole in our resistance with our willpower, and sometimes we melt the ice with compassion for our predicament and ourselves. Either way, each time we break through, we reach a new understanding of the strength we store within ourselves.
When we find ourselves up against that barrier of thinking we cannot handle our situation, we may find that the kindest choice is to love ourselves and our resistance too. We can simply accept that we are overwhelmed, exhausted, and stretched and offer ourselves loving kindness and compassion. If we can extend the unconditional warmth of a mother's love to ourselves, before we know it, the ice will begin to melt.(Daily OM)
