enough

It can be hard to truly believe that we are enough in this world- to believe that we are exactly who we are supposed to be. Can you begin to trust that this is true? Another person may have told you or tried to convince you of this. Even if someone has attempted to do so, it is not someone else's job to say or believe it. The reality is, it is your job.

To believe that we are enough means that we accept that we are lovable. Why is that so very hard for us? Why do we resist the idea that we too deserve what is good and kind in this world?

What is stopping you from accepting yourself for exactly who are? If you don't already believe it, think about what it would take to truly love yourself and believe that you are enough. Take a moment to really be with this- because this truth really does lie within you.

setting the bar

In school, I always strived to get all A's. But who didn't, right? Now, even though I haven't been in school for years, I still hold the bar very high for myself- sometimes even too high for my own good. Lately, I am realizing that I put a lot of pressure on myself to live up to some idea of what I should be doing with my life. (So much so, that it trickles over into my blog to the extent that sometimes I have trouble posting because I feel like my words and art aren't "good enough").

As I have shared some of these thoughts aloud with my friends and family, I have discovered that it is only internal pressure. No one is watching me or disappointed in me. It is me who is expecting this high level of achievement and standard. That being said, it is not negative to set the bar high. However, we do need to be forgiving and allow ourselves permission to meet the bar where it seems to be settling at any given moment.

Are you setting the bar too high for yourself? Too low? Perhaps, you are feeling just right. If you are struggling with this like I am, I think the key to remember, like most things, is that we need to be more than okay with where we are- we need to embrace it.

yours to hold

Sometimes it's hard to admit or to say out loud that we are special or have wonderful qualities. Maybe it is just that we are humble or that in our society we are taught not to shout our amazing attributes from the rooftops. For some reason, it seems much more common to hear people putting themselves down than singing their own praises.

In a way, just knowing our special qualities is enough. It is almost like having magical superpowers. We have secrets that no one else knows, until we choose to share them. In that way, we are in control of whom we share with and how much we choose to reveal. These beautiful aspects are yours to cherish and hold close.

What are your amazing qualities? Do you acknowledge your spectacular characteristics? Do you reveal them often? Of course, it is up to you, who you choose to share with, but remember, it would be our privilege to be present when you do.

gentle strength

Craft idea inspired by Keri Smith

Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as true
strength.
-- Ralph Sockman

People are always telling us to “be gentle with yourself” or “be easy on yourself” when you’ve had a hard day or you are going through a hard time. For a long while, I thought this meant that I could do whatever I wanted to feel better like- sleep for hours, eat sugar, watch tons of television, etc. (what I would now deem “unhealthy” behaviors). It wasn’t until a couple of years ago through talking to various people, when I realized that being “gentle” with myself actually means loving and taking physical, spiritual and mental care of this thing we call our “self.” It means doing things that bring you joy and soothe your soul. For me, this may mean making a healthy meal, taking a luscious bath, going on a long walk, talking with a friend or writing poetry. I am not suggesting that I always choose to go for a run or paint instead of sitting on the couch watching tv. But, I do understand that taking care of myself is a state of mind and it comes from a place of self-respect. I now recognize that I am precious and something worth being gentle with. I have a strong feeling that you are too.

intuition

I am the type of person who has a strong sense of intuition. This applies not only to interactions and daily situations, but to larger issues as well. For most of the big decisions in my life, I have felt large shifts inside when my intuition guides me to action. There have been times when I have followed my intuition and moments when I have disregarded it completely. When I have followed it, everything has seemed to fall into place and I have felt grounded and settled. When I have taken opposite action, negative outcomes have usually ensued.

Lately, though, I have been doing some soul searching. I have big questions that need answering. During this time, I cannot tell whether my intuition has no opinion, or whether I am not listening carefully enough. Is it possible that my intuition is just taking a back seat on this one? Just relaxing and letting things settle out on their own? More likely (my intuition just stirred-there must be something here) there are blocks preventing me from truly hearing my intuition’s voice right now.

How do I remove these obstacles? How do I take action to create the space needed to hear my old friend, intuition?

I just don't know right now. However, I think I will start with my first intuition- taking a deep breath…

in the arms of leaves

On my walk today, the song "Arms of a Woman" by Amos Lee kept running through my head. I was thinking about the flowers and how they are loved and protected by the leaves. The deep greens and smooth shapes have the pleasure of growing alongside such beauty. The purples and yellows are wrapped gently in the arms of leaves.

Who are we the leaves for? Whose arms are holding us? Do we let them?

Can we be our own leaves? Wrapped in self-love and our naked arms?



Try it. You may just find some comfort there...

Our Characters

Fernando Pessoa is an accomplished author. It is thought that 25,426 documents constitute his archives. The interesting thing about him is that he created multiple characters- at least 72 of who are known. Fascinatingly, these characters are not in his books, they are writing his books. They each have their distinct personalities and biographies, some of which are close to Pessoa’s and some differ greatly. He wrote poetry and nonfiction from the voices of these various “authors,” including the wonderfully written collection of prose manuscripts, The Book of Disquietude by Bernardo Soares.

The idea of Pessoa’s characters is enthralling. I would venture to say that most of us have not consciously created characters outside of ourselves, yet our three-dimensional personalities are intricately complex. It is not possible to express all of our layers and facets all the time, nor would we want to. Therefore, we inevitably have many character traits hiding within us at any given time. What aspects are sitting below your surface?

Sometimes it’s hard for me to know that there are parts inside of me that others cannot see. At the same time, I know that there is purpose in the way we work. It allows us to function and enter various situations without pressure and vulnerability. There is comfort in staying a mystery and being the only one to fully understand who I am. There is choice and selectivity within my world and it is a special privilege for someone to be allowed to witness the parts that only come out in intimate moments. I thank the people that allow me this privilege in their worlds. I cherish these people who share their depths and make up the richness of my life.