So I have this little rub-on fake tattoo on my arm at the moment, looks like a silver bracelet. I’ve never been a tattoo person, would never dream of getting a real one, but I think these are fun.

As I was giving an adjustment to one of my yoga students in class today, one who does happen to be a tattoo person (TONS of tats in yoga studios, y’all!), she said, “I like your tattoo,” and smiled.

Instead of just saying “thank you” and smiling back, because god forbid we just take a compliment and say “thank you,” right?...I said something like, “Oh, I’m too scared for the real thing.”

And then instead of her saying, “Oh man, you should totally get a real one!” or “Don’t be chicken-shit!” or anything like that, she just said, “You’re brave in other ways.”

You're brave in other ways.

Whoa.

Do you see what she did there? She turned my being self-deprecating about something as silly and unimportant as a rub-on tattoo into an even greater, deeper, more real compliment than her first one. A compliment about my soul.

Whoa. Student becomes teacher and vice versa. (P. S. This lovely student of mine is currently going through yoga teacher training, and I think she’s going to be awesome because SHE GETS IT!)

In case you didn’t know, this blog post is not about tattoos at all; it’s about how we talk to ourselves and each other. Can you imagine how amazing it would be if a) we stopped with all the self-deprecating crap, and b) if we catch a friend saying that kind of crap, we turn it around to make them feel good about themselves?

Whoa.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

Let’s try it. Who’s with me?

Kindness is free. Sprinkle that shit everywhere.