To get more details and read stories about self-compassion, visit the #RedThumbForLove blog.
What is #RedThumbForLove?
Teaching can be a lonely profession. Often, we don’t have anyone to turn to who understands the challenges we face. Self-care may be the only strategy we can turn to when the job gets too hard. #RedThumbForLove is about visually inspiring teachers to be self-compassionate. When you feel overwhelmed, this little self-compassion reminder may just be the thing to bring you a little ease. Paint your thumbnail red or any colour of the rainbow, so that each time you see it you are reminded to be kinder, gentler, and more compassionate with yourself. Each time you look at your coloured nail, check your state of mind to see if you’re in your old pattern of blame or shame, and remember that you are doing the best you can at that moment. Acknowledge what you are feeling: don’t push it away and don’t dwell in it. Just feel it.
Where did the #RedThumbForLove idea come from?
Read Teacher Self-compassion #redthumbforlove for the story.
Who is #RedThumbForLove for?
– Current teachers
– Teachers in training
– Retired teachers
– People who used be teachers but changed careers
– Friends and family of teachers
– People who think teachers do amazing work and need a little support
What is the future of #RedThumbForLove?
Currently #RedThumbForLove has its own Facebook page and blog. This is where I curate stories of self-compassion, resilience, mindfulness, kindness, and well-being, all with teachers in mind. My dream is to one day help create communities where teachers can meet to offer support and share stories of self-compassion and wellbeing. I imagine these communities would be founded on unwavering support, healing play, and vulnerable courage.
If this type of community sounds appealing to you, please contact me via any of the mediums I have shared here, as well as via Twitter: @josettelb
In gratitude,
Josette LeBlanc
Throwing Back Tokens 
Compassion for others is a great place to start for some who have difficulty starting with themself. Once I have compassion for others, I can become compassionate for myself!
A belief that I choose to have is that EVERY person is doing the best they can ( at that point of time, with what they have available). This belief has helped me be more compassionate.
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Thank you so much for your comment here Andrew. To be honest, I forgot I had made this page public! You reminded me of some work I need to do building my site. :)
I agree with you regarding connecting to others first before trying to find compassion for oneself. From your words, it seems that you practice lovingkindness meditation. Am I on the right track here? I’ve often heard meditation teachers share that lesson as well, and go to it whenever I’m having a hard time connecting to myself. When I care for myself, I can care for others. It’s a constant feedback loop.
You might also be interested in joining the #RedThumbforlove Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/redthumbforlove It’s still a work in progress in terms of projects, but for now it serves as a place for teachers to be reminded to be gentle with themselves.
Happy to meet you Andrew!
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Hi Josette,
Thank you for your comment.
I have practiced various kinds of meditation amongst other things that have enabled all helped me in so many ways.. Yep caring for ourselves IS NB… Caring can take many forms. We can uncover all that by learning to better understand myself. Once I do that, I can better care for myself as then I will know what I need, not what I think I need & I will do what I need to do not do what I think I should do ! :-)
all the best!
Andrew
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