Inspired By Values

Ways I live through love and creativity

Here’s an idea I’m playing with. My top core values are love and creativity. What if I begin sharing through this channel, ways in which my life flows through these values so that others can be inspired to notice and connect to theirs? 

How Did I Love? What Did I Create?

Let’s begin with recent choices that I personally made. I’ll end with some failures, because there is always a balance and I want to write with transparency and heart. Real life finds us perfectly imperfect.

1. By opening my studio for others to access their innate creativity, a priceless experience was made possible. My friend from high school – yes, I am blessed to be part of a vibrant community of women from those years – brought her 95-year-old father to my art studio to make things. Her mother and his wife passed away in January of this year. He is still active and wants to stay that way. She brought some of her mother’s costume jewelry and created a lovely nature scene with it (my new favorite thing!). He created a watercolor mountain scene. My heart was overflowing with love and gratitude, and I’m certain they were feeling some of the same emotions.

   

2. During a recent coaching session with a client, who was brain-dumping a busy and stressful week, I noticed how she was assigning blame and shame to her precious self. I could have stayed silent, and instead chose to pause her story and ask her to acknowledge herself for all she did RIGHT. It would not have occurred to her to see things this way. She was able to access self-love in that moment, which transformed her story. Guys, we can change our story in any moment that we remember it’s OUR STORY.

3. As I’ve written before, I’ve had some health challenges including an inciting incident in November. I’ve prioritized improving my healthy choices since soon after mom passed in April, and then even more so after November. I’ve been loving myself by choosing healthy nutrition. Food is medicine! 

4. Toward that end, I’ve been moving my body with the intention of strengthening my heart and my core muscles so that movement for the rest of my life is possible. My husband and I have discovered a place nearby to hike, which has brought a surprising amount of joy into our relationship. My love affair with trees has expanded to my husband and we can both be found giving giant tree-hugs along the trail.

5. At this time in my life, my friend's parents are passing away. I remember my mom reaching this place, which in some way comforts me. The circle of life is inevitable and predictable. This past week I attended a Celebration of Life for a friend’s mother, who was a s-hero in our community. There were many times during the celebration where I learned of acts of kindness she performed. She was a strong woman who stood for all people – a pillar of compassion. I was moved to tears several times and cried for her while remembering my mom and her strength. Instead of going home right after as I’d normally do (introvert), I chose to go to the cemetery and the gathering afterwards, my heart extending into my community. We don’t mourn unless we love.

6. I had a long, passionate and honest conversation with someone who sees the current state of our political climate differently. We found shared ideals, while listening intently to one another with respect. We continue to see things differently and we expressed our love for one another anyway. We value the same things even though we differ on what we believe are the best ways to get there. Our hearts opened to one another. This is the way through.

I started this piece by stating I’d also share my failures, so here goes:

1. I didn’t always love people or open my heart to them. I struggle to understand when people seem to want division and hatred, which ironically leads me to judge them. My aim is to create real conversations where ego can be set aside and we find even small places of alignment. This is a work in progress.

2. Old stories of body shame still live inside me. I notice the inner voice when I look in the mirror, and when I see others. It’s gross. I recognize it for what it is – generational shame from the matriarchs that have come before me. I vow to heal and transform that particular story in my lifetime, and pray my daughter will make the same choice.

3. I did start a new creative piece, pictured below. I judged myself for not spending more time in my studio creating. Logically I know I’m too hard on myself. It’s such a blessing to have a well-stocked art studio and I often think I’m not there enough. NOTE TO SELF: Anytime the word ‘enough’ creeps in, notice the self-recrimination behind it.

   

That’s enough for now. If you’ve gotten all the way to the end of this, congratulations! I love you for your attention to my words and sincerely hope you are inspired in some way toward living into your unique purpose because of them.