Poems to open the door to self-compassion

Author’s Note:  These two poems are meant to feel like a meditation or an exercise in self-compassion. The focus doesn’t have to be about religion. It’s about not putting so much pressure on yourself.  My intention is that these poems provide you with stability, peace, and grace during difficult times. 

By Tom Cramer

Brand New Start

I’ve been trying to kick them down with force 

I’ve been trying to break these walls with all I have in me 

I’ve been trying to use all my strength 

To find a way 

Back to me 

Then a small whisper from the heavens above

Said slow down my child 

You are enough 

You don’t have to hide who you are anymore

Just open your eyes 

And open the door 

To a brand new place where you are completely free

From all the pain and all the anxiety

To a world where you love yourself for exactly who you are 

To a place where you no longer need to scream 

All you need to do is a take a breath and breathe 

You no longer need to pound the pavement to reach the stars

Just be gentle with yourself 

And that will create a brand new start 

I’ve been taking up arrows and putting on my boots

Until I realized in this game of life that is how you lose 

You need to be strong and you need to be tough 

But the best thing you can do 

Is remind yourself that you are enough 

You don’t get to where you’re going by yelling out loud 

You don’t get to where you’re going by making a sound 

You find it within you every day that you were born to do this 

and you were born to shine 

And now is the time to take your place 

And remind yourself you can’t be replaced

God is saying slow down child 

God is saying no more

The door has been opened 

The door to a brand new start 

Done The Impossible

In the moments when you feel you can’t 

You can 

In the moments where you are remembering 

Look forward 

In the moments where you feel it’s impossible

Remember you’ve done the impossible before 

In the moments when you feel scared

Be still 

In the moments where you feel afraid 

Don’t look away and feel what you’ve always had inside of you

Tap into the determination and the strength 

Tap into His wisdom and His grace 

Tap into the part of you 

That has brought you through the storm 

Time and time again 

In the moments where you don’t know yourself 

And you feel like running away 

Remind yourself of who you are within 

Not the thoughts

Not the illness

Remind yourself that you won’t hold yourself back any longer 

Remind yourself that you are not the picture you have painted for yourself 

Remind yourself in the moments it feels it’s impossible 

That you’ve done the impossible before 

Writing has always been one of Tom’s biggest passions. He graduated with his degree from Eastern Michigan University in Communication, Media and Theatre Arts with a minor in Journalism. He’s struggled with mental health for most of his life and writing has gotten him through some of the darkest times he’s experienced. 

3 thoughts on “Poems to open the door to self-compassion

      1. Alison, I also miss him and can’t find him. I tried to message him on Twitter and it won’t go through.

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