Find a song that speaks to your heart. Play it over and over, and sing along to it over and over, as though you are doing it for all the wounded souls. If none of that helps, use your vacation days to take a trip. Go somewhere you’ve always said you wanted to go—the Grand Canyon, the Camino de Santiago, Machu Picchu. All by yourself. Just you and the road. After spending time alone, go to your own sacred place. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Even if you are not that spiritual, invoke the heart of compassion and feel the embrace of acceptance. Downcast and heartbroken, I know you were once me and I was once you. So today, I pray for you.”

Love yourself despite your imperfections. Do you not feel compassion for yourself as you struggle through life? You are so eager to help your friends, but you treat yourself so poorly. Stroke your heart once in a while and tell yourself, “I love you.”

Excerpt From: Haemin Sunim. “The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm and Mindful in a Fast-Paced World”.