I've just randomly opened my "workshops" note book and there on the page staring at me from am Art and Business workshop I went to in August with Andrew Fraser from 6-2-3-Zero -
"Horrible days doesn't equal horrible life. Don't let it define your life.
Don't self sabotage - just walk away and come back later"
Thank you for the reminder Andrew! That was exactly what I was doing - self-sabotaging.
I don't know where this written piece below came from originally, but a friend shared it on her Facebook page today, and so I thought I would share it here, as it really ran true with me. I know how easy it is to be caught up in what others want, expect, think, say, instead of being true to ourselves. It can be very disabling.
I once asked a very successful woman to share her secret with me. She smiled and said to me..
"I started succeeding when I started leaving small fights for small fighters.
I stopped fighting those who gossiped about me...
I stopped fighting for attention...
I stopped fighting to meet peoples expectation of me...
I stopped fighting for my rights with inconsiderate people..
I stopped fighting to please everyone...
I stopped fighting to prove they were wrong about me....
I left such fights for those who have nothing else to fight...
And I started fighting for
my vision,
my dreams,
my ideas and
my destiny.
The day I gave up on small fights is the day I started becoming successful & so much more content."
Some fights are not worth your time..... Choose what you fight for wisely.
Sometimes it is hard to push aside the curtains and sift through the haze to find out who we are and what our dreams are. They are your dreams. They don't belong to anyone else. Just you. And you are special and deserve to follow those dreams.
I have been reading a book this last week called "Under Story" by Inga Simpson. Inga lives in a cottage in forest in south-east Queensland, Australia. In each chapter she describes the trees of the Canopy, Middlestory, and Understory of her forest garden. I know many of the Australian trees she describes.
Interwoven into this is a memoir of the dream her partner and her had to open a writer's retreat. Along the way they were hit by the Global Financial Crisis and lost almost everything and were left with a huge debt. Inga's partner also left her. Inga eventually starts over, found her own path as a writer, and has successfully published several books, won awards, and offers writing mentorship.
I think underpinning all this is finding your "under story" and your path. Who are you? What makes you happy? Our own happiness is so important not only to ourselves but to those around us.
What is your understory? Where is your happy place?
Mine is my creative life. Not always on the surface as I go about my life as a wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, and numerous other "me's". But it is always under the surface. As a photographer I am always seeing the way light plays. My happy place is walking in the Australian bush with my camera. It is the place that takes me away from the stresses of life.
Years ago I wanted to be a botanical artist, but without the encouragement to do so, I didn't keep up the practise. Perhaps this is something I can go back to. Now I represent the Australian bush through my photography, paper flower making, and in the last couple of years through eco-printing on cloth and paper. The eco-printing is an absorbing and fascinating art as you never know what you are going to end up with.
I still have a lot to learn, and my eco-prints don't always work how I would like, but I was very happy with this recent print on Georgette silk printed with eucalypt leaves from near where my mother used to live as a girl in the Western Australian wheatbelt. The cloth was original dyed with avocado skins and then the leaves printed over. I love the orange prints from the leaves and the unopened flower heads.
I think having something we love doing which we can retreat to helps us during those dark times that I am sure come to all of us at some stage. So please do follow your dreams.
And remember even in the dark shadows of the understory we can find light and colour. It's there. We just have to look for it.
Recently I was discussing with some friends that people only seem to share on social media the good things in their life. We share on social media looking for affirmation and likes. And become upset if people don't respond. Such a pressure, particularly on young people, to appear perfect. We make ourselves out to have everything, are involved in lots of things, have a fantastic life and that we are always happy. But that isn't real life is it? There are dark times too. And I think sharing these can help others. I hope so any way.
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I didn't really know where my blog post was going today, but I hope it made sense and that there was something in it that connected with you. Perhaps you would like to share with us your "understory". Where is your happy place?
I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.
You might also like:
A walk in the bush with my 50mm lens
Blessings and inspiration
Exploring your creative side in retirment
I am linking up the the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.
If you are a blogger you can join Wednesday Around at Communal Global right here!
my vision,
my dreams,
my ideas and
my destiny.
The day I gave up on small fights is the day I started becoming successful & so much more content."
Some fights are not worth your time..... Choose what you fight for wisely.
Sometimes it is hard to push aside the curtains and sift through the haze to find out who we are and what our dreams are. They are your dreams. They don't belong to anyone else. Just you. And you are special and deserve to follow those dreams.
I have been reading a book this last week called "Under Story" by Inga Simpson. Inga lives in a cottage in forest in south-east Queensland, Australia. In each chapter she describes the trees of the Canopy, Middlestory, and Understory of her forest garden. I know many of the Australian trees she describes. Interwoven into this is a memoir of the dream her partner and her had to open a writer's retreat. Along the way they were hit by the Global Financial Crisis and lost almost everything and were left with a huge debt. Inga's partner also left her. Inga eventually starts over, found her own path as a writer, and has successfully published several books, won awards, and offers writing mentorship.
I think underpinning all this is finding your "under story" and your path. Who are you? What makes you happy? Our own happiness is so important not only to ourselves but to those around us.
What is your understory? Where is your happy place?
Mine is my creative life. Not always on the surface as I go about my life as a wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, and numerous other "me's". But it is always under the surface. As a photographer I am always seeing the way light plays. My happy place is walking in the Australian bush with my camera. It is the place that takes me away from the stresses of life.
Years ago I wanted to be a botanical artist, but without the encouragement to do so, I didn't keep up the practise. Perhaps this is something I can go back to. Now I represent the Australian bush through my photography, paper flower making, and in the last couple of years through eco-printing on cloth and paper. The eco-printing is an absorbing and fascinating art as you never know what you are going to end up with.
I think having something we love doing which we can retreat to helps us during those dark times that I am sure come to all of us at some stage. So please do follow your dreams.
And remember even in the dark shadows of the understory we can find light and colour. It's there. We just have to look for it.
Recently I was discussing with some friends that people only seem to share on social media the good things in their life. We share on social media looking for affirmation and likes. And become upset if people don't respond. Such a pressure, particularly on young people, to appear perfect. We make ourselves out to have everything, are involved in lots of things, have a fantastic life and that we are always happy. But that isn't real life is it? There are dark times too. And I think sharing these can help others. I hope so any way.
Thank you so much for stopping by today. I didn't really know where my blog post was going today, but I hope it made sense and that there was something in it that connected with you. Perhaps you would like to share with us your "understory". Where is your happy place?
I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.
You might also like:
A walk in the bush with my 50mm lens
Blessings and inspiration
Exploring your creative side in retirment
I am linking up the the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday
Life in ReflectionWednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Travel Photo Thursday
Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.
If you are a blogger you can join Wednesday Around at Communal Global right here!
