Today I'm thinking about the lifelong conversation I have with myself. Every decision I make, everything I say and do, every yes and no, every interaction I have is another etch in the marble carving of my personhood with all of its subtle facets and contradictions and jagged edges and smooth curves. I love being me. I love forgetting and remembering the lessons around prioritizing my satisfaction and living for myself over others and giving the people in my life the gift of my truth and my vulnerability, allowing us both to better determine our right relationship. My first web project was a conversation with myself and I find myself wondering how that particular flavor of public introspection might resurface in my long creative life. Yesterday I watched a few vlogs from my month of daily vlogs. I feel grateful that I allowed the vlogs to be part of the lifelong conversation. Each of these creative gestures doesn't have to be a Hugely Impactful Thing. It is enough for each creative act to be a continuation of the conversation. I am living proof of the value of the lifelong conversation. I have nothing else to prove. |
When I find myself facing a temptation lately, remembering that the opposite is the medicine soothes me. I do the difficult task and abstain from the unhealthy food and tell myself the uncomfortable truth. These things don't feel good in the moment, but responding to life's tests by doing the opposite of what my habitual lower energy pattern would have me do is my self-loving, self-helping medicine. Knowing that makes it a bit easier to stomach. It's these small victories, these little...
A few weeks ago an impromptu collaboration on Twitter led to the creation of this meme: via @christineist on Twitter I enjoy and appreciate the many self-other love and growth loops in my life, and I think there is a lot to be gained from internalizing that you get to be your own friend. It's simple but not always easy: treat yourself how you want your friends to treat you. See the good in who you are and what you do. Take good care of yourself. When you're your own friend, your friendships...
My friend asked me: How did you find the questions you are most curious about, that you are asking constantly, that you are investigating with your life? How would you help someone else to find their own questions, their own curiosity? What does the activity of considering that bring up for you? And I answered: How I found the questions feels like a fish in water scenario. There's probably things from childhood that generated my fascination with other-connection, self-connection, creativity,...