It is important to remember your basic goodness. If you wonder if you are good or not, take this simple test. If you see a friend  of yours is crying, would you rather comfort them or poke them in the eye? If you choose comfort, you are basically good. That is your basic nature.

Remembering your basic goodness is important, because it helps you stop checking your thoughts and behaviors to see if your are good or not or good enough. Your basic goodness is good enough. You know what it feels like to suffer and you would rather not suffer, and you would rather that your friends not suffer. When you recognize that basic quality is enough, the pressure is off.

If you can recognize your basic goodness, then you have also recognized your basic intelligence. Suddenly you are not only good, you are good and smart. That’s also enough. You don’t need to be anything more than that.

When you are confident that you are good and smart, you can use your wisdom to explore your goodness. You can check in with your goodness whenever you make a decision. You can see if your actions are causing suffering or providing comfort. You can use your wisdom to see what the best way would be to give comfort. You can give what comfort you can. Then you are compassionate and kind.