52 Week Creativity Challenge, Week 8- Easier

"Easier" taken on a Lumix G, no editing
by S. Clark

There is nothing easier than being a well-loved house cat. This is Blizzard, a.k.a. Blizzy Boy, taking it easy in a patch of sunlight.  Blizzy's hobbies include avidly watching the fish, hogging the dog's food dish, napping and purring. 

 











His favorite napping places include my bed, anywhere the dog is, my husband's lap and my desk chair, which is where he is right now as I am typing this.  I have approximately 3 inches to perch on while he occupies the remainder of the seat! 

Blizzy Boy vigorously encourages napping of all his humans and creates relaxation with his purring.  In that way, he makes my life easier, even if he steals my chair!

What About You? 1000 Voices for Compassion

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Compassion is concern for the misfortunes or struggles of another person or being.  It is the act of being non-judgemental and supportive when observing the sufferings of others. Compassion is often directed at the unfortunate; those living in poverty, the homeless, those with physical or mental disabilities, abuse victims, abandoned animals and the like.  We direct our compassion to those that seem weak and vulnerable.  

But what about you?  

How do you treat yourself?  

How do you talk to yourself?

Through my work as a therapist, I have come to realize that we are least compassionate to ourselves. Sure, you can have sympathy for the sweet puppy at the shelter or the elderly person hobbling down the grocery store aisle, but really, what about you?

Does that inner voice, the running commentary in your mind, have nice things to say?

Or do you talk down to yourself?

"How could you be so stupid?"  "Why don't you ever get anything right?"  "Don't even try, you can't do that!" "Everyone else has got it together, I don't know what is wrong with me."

If you wouldn't tell your best friend, your significant other or you child the things you tell yourself, then I can promise you, you are being overly critical of yourself.

Have compassion for yourself.  Know that all people fail, sometimes epically so.  Know that all people struggle, even if it doesn't look like it on the outside.  Know that you deserve compassion as much as anyone else.

Begin to speak kind words to yourself.  When you catch yourself being unkind, offer yourself understanding and compassion.  Know that learning to speak gently to yourself will take time and begin again. 

When you look back at your mistakes, remember the words of Maya Angelou,  

"I did the best I could at the time and when I knew

 better, I did better." 

When you look forward to your challenges, don't forget Christopher Robin's words to Winnie the Pooh 

 "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

Tell yourself that, as much as you need, as often as you need until you know it to be true.  Until you love yourself, until you have compassion for yourself and that voice is silenced.  

Click below for further information on One Thousand Voices Blogging for Compassion

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52 Week Creativity Challenge, Week 7- Beat

"Beauty in the Grey" taken on a Lumix camera, no editing
by S.Clark

I've realized that for the past few years, at least, I have a career crisis in January and February. This crisis takes the form of questioning my skills, my competence, and my effectiveness.  I also question if I am making the world a better place and if all the work I have done is worth it.  I begin to contemplate other careers; teaching, gardening, writing...anything but therapy.  Thankfully, this year I have realized that this a pattern, which suggests that there is nothing wrong with my career.  These feelings are more likely a reflection of my struggles with winter, how it grinds on my mood and degrades my coping skills.  Once the daffodils begin to bloom, all will be right in my world again.  Until then, I will try to find the beauty in these grey Pacific Northwest winters.  This poem is meant as a pep talk to myself.

Beat

I am not beat up,

by life

or people

or otherwise.

I am not beat down,

by hardship

or misunderstanding

or whatever.

I will not be beat by

my limitations

or challenges 

or anything.

I will not be beat,

because I am a fighter and a lover,

I meet adversity with compassion and strength. 

I will not be beat. 

52 Week Creativity Challenge, Week 6- "Rain or Shine"

"Rain or Shine"  Gauche & acrylic paint on quartzite rock
by. S. Clark

This week's creativity challenge prompt was "Rain or Shine." I had hoped for a bit of sunlight so I could photograph something depicting rain or shine but the weather was not cooperative.  So, I decided to paint something instead.  I don't happen to have any canvases right now, and hunting for some suitable surface, I happened upon a rock.  We have rocks all over our house because my husband likes to go rock hunting in the lower part of our property.  

This rock mostly likely was deposited here during the Missoula Flood, which was at the end of the last ice age. I have no idea when the last ice age was, so I just looked it up.  Wikipedia states that it was during Holocene Epoch and was approximately 11,700 years ago.  I know about the Missoula Flood because we took some rocks we found to a geology professor at the local community college.  He was thrilled to find people with any interest in rocks.  He also told us most of our rocks were quartzite, which is very common in our area. Quartzite is a metaphoric rock, which means it was formed under high pressure.  Mr. Geology professor was very informative.  

Now that I think about it, a painting on a canvas that is 11,700 years old is pretty epic.  

52 Week Creativity Challenge, Week 5- "Guts"

"Guts" Photo taken on a Motorola Photon Q, edited in Google Chrome
by. S. Clark

"No guts, no glory."  "He's got guts."  "That was gutsy."

Guts are synonymous with courage, bravery, strength.  The ability to take a hit and keep on going.  We usually think of soldiers, police officers, paramedics and firefighters as having guts.  And they certainly do, in spades.  I was raised by a Marine who was deployed to Vietnam.  He made great personal sacrifices and he's got guts.  

But guts come in surprising packages and don't always involve physical danger.  

I know a sweet woman in her late 50's.  She is married to a pastor and wears embroidered cardigans.  She got her nose pierced.  She's got guts.  

Another woman left an abusive husband with two little kids. She was terrified that he would somehow get custody of those kids and she wouldn't be able to protect them.  She got a lawyer and a doctor and a psychologist to stand with her.  She got her kids.  She's got guts.

One man was in a severe accident that should have taken his life.  He broke nearly every bone in his body and has extreme chronic pain in his entire body.  He doesn't use pain meds because addiction runs in his family.  He's got guts.  

Little boys and little girls who disclose abuse to me or other trusted adults, sometimes after being threatened by the perpetrator to not tell.  They told anyhow.  They have guts.  

The adolescent girl who has panic attacks at school but goes anyhow.  She has guts.

My friend who started running marathons in her mid-30's? She's got guts.

My other friend is a military wife who has made 6 moves that I can remember.  She had two toddlers to care for while her husband was deployed.  That takes guts.  

My guts take many different forms.  I help some people leave abusive relationships.  I help children recover from abuse.  I teach people how to manage anxiety and depression.  Those are my professional guts.

I am a perfectionist and being unsuccessful is a good deal more threatening than it should be. So, I do new, scary things. I am learning to take pictures, exploring my artistic side more, writing prose more and writing poetry.  I am learning to let myself fail.  Sometimes having guts means I do nothing and that I am still. That I sit with my anxiety or distress.  Those are my personal guts.  

By having guts, we improve ourselves or we improve the lives of others.  It is worth it to step outside your comfort zone, to try something new, experience something terrifying. 

Have guts.