Photos by Dan
2015 has been very relaxing yet confusing for me so far, a whirlwind of emotions and expectations. I have a clear vision of what I want that do not exactly see eye to eye with some, it takes hard work, determination and definitely time. I remember when I was travelling in Paris, the sweetest airbnb host, Monica, sat down with me for almost 2 hours and gave me advice that I can never forget. "Don't believe it's easy, even if you got it." Those are the words that stuck with me ever since. I want to share one of my favourite chapters of a book (Don't Sweat The Small Stuff), that I go back to every time. It's such an important message and this book perks me up whenever I'm feeling low or unmotivated.
"We deny parts of ourselves that we deem unacceptable rather than accepting the fact that we're all less than perfect. One of the reasons it's important to accept all aspects of yourself is that it allows you to be easier on yourself, more compassionate. When you act or feel insecure, rather than pretending to be "together," you can open to the truth and say to yourself, "I'm feeling frightened and that's okay." If you're feeling a little jealous, greedy, or angry, rather than deny or bury your feelings, you can open to them, which helps you move through them quickly and grow beyond them. When you no longer think of your negative feelings as a big deal, or as something to fear, you will no longer be frightened by them. When you open to the totality of your being you no longer have to pretend that your life is perfect, or even hope that it will be. Instead you can accept yourself as you are, right now.
When you acknowledge the less than perfect part of yourself, something magical begins to happen. Along with the negative, you'll also begin to notice the positive, the wonderful aspects of yourself that you may not have given yourself credit for, or perhaps even been aware of. You'll notice that while you may, at times, act with self-interest in mind, at other times you're incredibly selfless. Sometimes you may act insecure or frightened, but most often you are courages. While you can certainly get uptight, you can also be quite relaxed.
Opening to the totality of your being is like saying to yourself, "I may not be perfect, but I'm okay just the way I am." When negative characteristics arise you can begin to recognize them as part of a bigger picture. Rather than judging and evaluating yourself simply because you're human, see if you can treat yourself with loving-kindess and great acceptance."
-Richard Carlson
xx
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