Part of embracing the now is acknowledging your place in the world. Now, that may sound fatalistic but I assure you, I don’t mean to detract from anyone’s personal greatness nor uniqueness by making this statement. Rather, I believe that sometimes in our quest to find a niche for ourselves—a one-of-a-kind niche—we drift away from the bond we all share as human beings.
Although we alone are the only ones who can live our lives, as members of the human race, we are all part of a greater experience—the human experience. Our surges of happiness and our personal sorrows are certainly uniquely our own, but we are not alone in experiencing joy or sorrow. In fact, the ability to do so is itself an aspect of being a part of the greater human whole.
Every person on earth shares in the common bond of being human, with human attributes—both flaws and strengths. Acknowledging this bond, this common humanity we share, helps foster empathy. This empathy, this compassion we feel for others, is the first step toward feeling compassion for ourselves as humans living in the present moment.
Embracing your own humanity, and your part in the greater whole of the human race, can help you with gaining further insight into all aspects of yourself, thus allowing you to better remain mindfully aware of how you fit into the world in the here and now. So remember this: being human is good, even when it involves erring. Being part of a greater human whole doesn’t detract from your individuality, but contributes to it. Embrace it, and free yourself to be you—imperfectly human and perfect that way.
Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/06/22/cultivating-self-compassion/
