Live Your Truth. Be Kind. Help Others.

“Some people will not get you. What matters is you get you. Be kind. Help others. And don’t forget to live for yourself. - Yung Pueblo

Only we know our truths. Some days this might not feel like enough, especially when faced with opposition, hatred, or adversity. For abuse survivors, the truth could be attacked by an abuser’s denial, as if the initial betrayal wasn’t hurtful enough. How do we alleviate our pain from being misunderstood or in defense of our truths? How do we find peace within ourselves in a world of untruths, betrayal, and others’ suffering? Yung Pueblo’s response in that we must “be kind, help others, and live for ourselves” is further supported by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu’s commentary in The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. Desmond Tutu reiterates that “deep down we grow in kindness when our kindness is tested.” The greatest danger in the face of adversity or abuse could be, as the book puts it, “the risk of losing heart, of losing compassion, of losing our humanity.” And that, “these experiences can lead us to have great inner strength.”

When we live for ourselves, when we honor the truth we know; this is the kindness we do for ourselves. And we in turn grow that kindness toward others. Living for ourselves means honoring the heart, compassion, and humanity we own and that we trust can never be stolen or lost by the doubt or wrong action of others.

As a former yoga teacher put it, “Don’t ever let anyone steal your peace.” This peace is the foundation of our kindness, compassion, and humanity. This peace can be found within ourselves. And this peace can be cultivated through the mind, body connection, the concentration, and the meditation of a yoga practice.