Resilience Mouse: When We Feel Too Small

This is a message from Resilience Mouse for when we feel too small:

Small things are powerful. Don’t underestimate the power of small actions, thoughts, words, and steps done with love.

Keep reading for Shelly’s commentary.

All of us feel too small sometimes–like we don’t have what it takes to succeed.

Maybe we feel like a very small mouse in a world of lions.

Or maybe we feel like we have only small seeds of talent, small ideas, or small accomplishments.

We feel small. And maybe we feel like only very big and profound things get the job done.

It’s easy to  buy into this mindset.

But there is a different way to think about small things.

Small things are very powerful.

For instance, I was thinking today about this saying from the Christian New Testament:

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there”, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:30 NIV).

It reminded me that blossoming bushes, abundant plants, and trees all come from very tiny things: seeds.

We can take heart that small, loving seeds can bring great results.

And earlier today I went hiking and climbed a really, really steep hill. It was hard.

But I kept taking one step after the other, and I made it. This reminds me of Confucius’ quote from the Analects: “

The man who moves  a mountain beings by carrying away small stones.

Repeated small things build great things.

I recommend Ivanhoe and Van Norden’s anthology for readings from Confucius’ Analects, as well as other classic Asian philosophical tests. You can find it at Amazon here.

In fact, the world is filled with evidence of the power of small things. (I mean, take a moment to think of the power of atoms, electrons, and molecules.)

The next time you feel small, give yourself time to feel that feeling. After all, feeling our feelings is one way we show ourselves compassion.

So show yourself compassion.

And then remind yourself about the power of small things.

You might also like this post: Care Package for Stressful Times #1

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