turning corners

Today, while discussing a proposed mural, I had cause to pull up this page for a photo to illustrate a point. I feel good about these paintings. Recently I took someone to see them (they are currently in semi-storage in an office in Cassino) and I sat there feeling pretty good about the work. I hadn't seen it for over a year, and I think it is improving with age (insert trite happy face here). I accepted the offer of a coffee just so I could sit and admire my handiwork a little longer. I really did enjoy seeing it again.

My fingers are getting itchy, I need to be painting again.

But on the subject of (trite, happy) yellow smiley faces, here is something interesting to listen to. It's not too long (8.44). You might know someone who needs to hear it. It is Barbara Fredrickson, talking about The Positivity Ratio. (And while you are there on Youtube, there are a few other equally interesting videos of Barbara talking about her research results).

How do I manage to put these two diverse things in one post? Too often we are too self critical. We reject praise. We beat ourselves up. If opening my webpage and seeing a work I am happy with gives me a buzz then I am going to run with it and feel good, and not look for things that I could have done better.

We (that is, I ) need to learn that we are, as we are, good enough.

Yes, I am/we are good enough, And oh how hard it was not to add to that "when we do our best" or "although we must strive always to improve"... there, I've done it anyway!

Today I am grateful for "the goodness of the present moment".