InnerSelf Daily Inspiration - September 24, 2026

InnerSelf Daily Inspiration

September 24, 2026

Introducing Kindness As A Daily Practice

By Choden and Heather Regan-Addis

When we practise Mindfulness, we get to know ourselves better; and in particular we get to know more about our habitual patterns of thought and behaviour. It is a bit like turning a dimmer switch up in a room. In a similar way, Mindfulness increases our inner awareness and this starts to reveal more and more of what is in the room of our mind.

Some of the things we get to know about ourselves we won’t like, perhaps that we are more selfish, angry or anxious than we had previously realised. Usually, when we see something about ourselves that we don’t like, we give ourselves a hard time. This is counterproductive, because it merely strengthens the voice of our self-critic, whereas it might be more skilful to cultivate a kind and encouraging voice in the face of our difficulties. It is like the example of the two kinds of teacher (or puppy trainer!) – one who shouts when we make mistakes or one who encourages us when we fall short of our goals. Which teacher would you prefer?

Kindness is a genuine wish for the happiness and well-being of ourselves and others. People often think that kindness is a form of indulgence, but if what we are doing is motivated by the wish for the happiness and well-being of ourselves or others, then how can this be indulgent? We can check the difference between kindness and indulgence by examining our motivation.

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Book by these Authors

Mindfulness Based Living Course: A self-help version of the popular Mindfulness eight-week course, emphasising kindness and self-compassion, including guided meditations
by Choden and Heather Regan-Addis.

Mindfulness is an innate capacity of the mind that can be trained to alleviate stress and low mood, to reduce the power of rumination and self criticism, and to evoke emotional well being and proactivity. The Mindfulness Based Living Course is a practical guide to the development of a mindful approach to living in the modern world. Its distinctive feature is a compassionate approach to mindfulness that is based on many years of experience in the practice and delivery of mindfulness training by two of its leading exponents - the former Buddhist monk Choden and Heather Regan-Addis, both directors of the Mindfulness Association.

Order book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1785358324/innerselfcom
(Also available in Kindle format)