I accept your faulty perception of me.

My therapist wrote these words for me to go over. And over and over. And over. So much so I had her write them down so I wouldn’t forget. I think part of me feared them, and the truth, because that post it fell out in my van between my seat and the middle console. So then, in a moment of bravery of owning the words I snapped this pic. And then, I decided to share this truth with you all.

Now get this, When I first heard her tell me these words I was like, “I don’t really like that…it makes me uncomfortable.” And I squirmed a bunch in the seat.

So, as a good therapist would do, she repeated them and then had me say them out loud.

I squirmed more.

And in that uncomfortable, I realized a bit of truth - I hate being misunderstood. I hate the faulty perception. I couldn’t accept others not seeing me as “good” or “put-together” or <add what you’d like>.

That dislike of the faulty perception only kept me trapped.

Bound into being a bit more quiet, bound into justifying myself, bound into being, as she put it “perfect enough” so I could hypothetically control the perception.

Other people’s perceptions are out of our individual control.

Did you hear that?

We can only control our own self.

We can do the best we can, we can try, we can be love and then we can live untethered to the perceptions others might make.

It allows our spirits to be free.

It allows creativity to flourish.

It allows relationships to develop.

It allows true self.

Friends, maybe this will help you.

I know it took a bit of cutting to my core truth looking at my heart to get to the place where I could say that with freedom.

Showing up in this world mattters.

Being your true self matters.

So yes, life is about learning, and for me, a great deal of letting go. It’s about never believing perfection is the epitome, but rather that life - with its valleys and peaks and normal days - is truly the ultimate gift.

Life is rarely perfect.

But honestly, it’s the imperfection that makes it beautiful. And for me, part of my untethered journey is finally getting to the place where I simply can accept a faulty perception.

And move on.

-Rachel

#findingjoy

#getyoursparkback

Ps….it’s been three years since she wrote those words for me. Three years of investing in my heart, in working through things, and in learning to lean into my courage. My book, Get Your a Spark Back, is a result of those years of work and me learning to let go, to trust, and to take the next steps again.

Source: Facebook - Finding Joy

Why Me Lord Story - Told and Sung By kris kristofferson

God Rest His Soul 

This made me cry. So very beautiful...

No more; no less.

It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore's stick house.

Inside the house was Eeyore. "Hello Eeyore," said Pooh. "Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet," said Eeyore, in a Glum Sounding Voice. "We just thought we'd check in on you," said Piglet, "because we hadn't heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay." Eeyore was silent for a moment. "Am I okay?" he asked, eventually. "Well, I don't know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That's what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. Which is why I haven't bothered you. Because you wouldn't want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All, would you now."

Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house. Eeyore looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing?" "We're sitting here with you," said Pooh, "because we are your friends. And true friends don't care if someone is feeling Sad, or Alone, or Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are." "Oh," said Eeyore. "Oh." And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.

Because Pooh and Piglet were There.

No more; no less.

Source: Facebook - Astonishing

e.e. Cummings

 

Truth

 Harrison Ford once said: "They will criticize you for what you are, for what you are not, and for what they think you are. They will judge you for what you do, for what you don't do, and for what you fail to do. They will talk about you for what you say and for what you keep silent about. They will point at you for your successes and for your mistakes, for your decisions and for your doubts. No matter how much you try to please, there will always be opinions. So, live for yourself, because in the end, the only thing that matters is being true to your own path."

JOY COMES BACK

JOY COMES BACK

When you finally realise that joy

is less fireworks

more firefly

less orchestra

more birdsong

she will come back much more often

for joy will not fight

with the fast pace of this life

she is not in the shiny or the new

she breathes in the basic

shimmers in the simple

and dances in the daily to and fro

joy has been beckoning you

for many a year my friend

you were just too busy doing, to see

the very next time joy wraps

her quiet warmth around you

as the garden embraces your weary body

in its wildness

tip her a nod

you cannot force her to stay

but if you are a gracious host

joy comes back.

Donna Ashworth

From her brand new bestseller - Growing Brave

Artwork: Lisa Asiato

I'M NOT BLIND, I NOTICE EVERYTHING.

I'M NOT BLIND, I NOTICE EVERYTHING.

I notice

...when people treat me differently.

...when others tell lies thinking I'd be too dumb to realize.

...when I'm not part of the plan.

...when some people act weird towards me.

...when I'm just an option.

...when I'm being used for someone else's gain.

...when kindness has another meaning.

...when people connive.

I notice everything.

So don't mistake my silence for naivety.

I'm too keen for that.

I'M NOT BLIND, I NOTICE EVERYTHING.

Source: Facebook - Moon Lovers

Simple Song: Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt and Joe Ely

I don't want to know you.

I think about her all the time. I wonder where she is and how her kids are doing and if her dog still snores. But if I saw her stepping down a grocery store aisle towards me, I would turn and walk away.

I still laugh to myself at our inside jokes and I think about her every time I put on that particular sweater and somewhere in my house there are pictures of her still framed. And if she called me tomorrow, there’s not one single chance that I would pick up the phone.

I think about her when I light fall candles or when I make really good pasta or when I drink a strong vodka and sprite. I think about her when the leaves turn orange and red and sometimes I can still hear her voice in my head. Sometimes I run into our mutual acquaintances and I don’t ask about her because

I just don’t want to know her anymore.

I want her to be happy and I want her to have all of the wins. I want her to get out of bed in the morning and feel the sunlight on her cheeks and I want the coffee she drinks to be not-too-hot, but she isn’t on my Christmas card list anymore. She is just not invited anymore and we are not even old friends.

Sometimes a crack turns into a sever and a sever turns into an amputation and -

Even though phantom pains still haunt my insides, I’m still glad that she was excised.

Friendships are funny I guess. We’re all adults and we’re all out here trying our best and we’re all failing sometimes. And I guess that means we’re failing each other sometimes, too. I think we don’t mean to … no. I think we really do mean well, but sometimes people become collateral damage and that’s really just a fancy phrase for,

“I’m sorry I somehow lost you while I was triaging my own self worth.”

I think it must be okay to say that I miss them sometimes, but no -

that doesn’t mean I want to know them anymore. I think it must be okay to say that I miss them sometimes, but this new version of me - this version that’s a little more whole and a lot more strong and a tiny bit lighter - well,

she doesn’t have room for friends that carry words for weapons pointed at the backs of others.

This new version of me

simply turned the corner

and walked the other way.

And it was all okay.

Love you, mean it.

- B.

Source: Rebecca Cooper, Author/Facebookreactions:

How to forgive...

This is how you forgive someone:

When you think of them,

simply speak to them, within your mind,

“I love you. I bless you. I send you love.”

Over and again in your mind,

enough times for it to bring you peace.

And then feel that love within you,

until all that is left is love.

And because time doesn’t exist,

even if they have exited your life,

one day they will get to hear what you said

and feel that love you sent them energetically

and be touched by your forgiveness.

This is how

centuries of hatred have been forgotten,

in the love of a second."

Words by Tahlia Hunter

Artwork by kelogsloops

Note: Forgiveness is a personal choice

Sometimes I get lonely.

 Good morning! I wrote this last year but I think I’ll share it again!

I have many things I love to do…but sometimes I get lonely!

I have many friends but they have busy lives and…sometimes I get lonely.

I have grown children and many grands …but sometimes the loneliness is overwhelming.

I don’t work anymore outside the home, but I miss it…sometimes I get lonely.

My husband passed away many years ago…sometimes I get lonely.

Lonely for my littles and their little grubby hands and bouquets of weeds and hugs that stretched my heart.

Lonely for a cup of coffee with someone who knows me like a book, in the early hours of daybreak, or holds my hand when we are walking. Sometimes I get lonely.

Source: Journey of a mountain woman/Facebook

Pic is my ai creation