Dare to be Yourself
When life gets us down and does not go our way, it’s not always easy to communicate our feelings in a respectful way. Sometimes, it’s easy to allow our emotions to take over our hearts and mouths.
In Enough is Enough, book seven of Tools of the Heart‘s series, the lead character Colin the Oak Tree is feeling a bit tired when his best buddy Fluffy the Squirrel is feeling frisky and playful. Colin becomes agitated with Fluffy as he climbs and swings from the oak’s branches.
After enduing a bit of the furry character’s morning raucous, Colin feels overwhelmed and shouts, “STOP!” This makes Fluffy freeze in his tracks and he asks his friend, “Why are you shouting…?” The squirrel then runs and hides from his friend who is mad because he “just wanted some peace and quiet!”
Colin realizes he needs to get back to a calm place and begins to take long, deep breaths. He reaches into his heart to find his rainbow of wisdom and begins to feel a bright light growing.
Purple the Elf appears to the oak tree and reminds Colin that instead of calmly explaining to his friend he was in need of rest, he simply shouted at Fluffy. Colin realizes that instead of communicating his needs to his friend in a kind way, he held his emotions inside him until he burst with anger which in turn hurt his friend’s feelings.
The wise elf explains to Colin the importance of expressing oneself with respect as well as acknowledging one’s mistakes and apologizing to those we hurt. Colin seeks out his best friend and explains to Fluffy his mistake. Fluffy in turn tells Colin that it bothers him when he reacts with anger instead of telling him why he was upset. The dear friends come to a truce. Colin apologizes to his friend and tells Fluffy it will not happen again.
“Helping children to express their feelings and needs openly is a key element of self-respect. It not only teaches them self-care, but to take care of their relationships as well. ” – Patrick Arguin, Tools of the Heart author
When you feel misunderstood and are unsure of how to express your feelings, follow these three golden rules:
- Openly express yourself in a clear, and kind manner. People cannot read your mind.
- When something upsets you, talk about your feelings.
- By communicating to others how you feel, they understand you better.
About the Author:
Patrick Arguin is an educator and proud co-creator of Tools of the Heart, where he combines three passions; illustrating, communicating and helping little ones blossom into their own! Originally developed in French with the help of two heart-minded collaborators, later to be translated in English, Tools of the Heart aims to help young children learn self-care and develop or maintain a stronger sense of self through its books and guided meditations.
Patrick resides in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, where he continues to develop Tools of the Heart and its different projects, which include teaching meditation to children and teenagers. He also works as a Reiki Master and counselor.
Follow Patrick and Tools of the Heart on Social Media:
Facebook YouTube Instagram Pinterest Twitter
Purchase Tools of the Heart books HERE!
Hodge Podge Podcast and Blog 