Wisdom, by its nature, is hard to articulate. Maybe that’s the point of it. And while I can’t say exactly what it is, I do know it’s important to nurture wisdom. There’s a saying that goes something like, “the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.” For me that captures the paradoxical … Continue reading
Tagged with life …
More Perfectionism
Continuing the conversation from last week, I’d like to share my favorite story about perfectionism, from the book Art and Fear, by Bayles and Orland. Although the authors frame perfection specifically in terms of artists, their observations apply to perfectionism of any kind. And if you read it closely you will likely find something in … Continue reading
Perfectionism
Considering this week’s theme has been all about creativity, I thought I’d briefly stick my toe into the waters of perfectionism. Perfectionism. An experience most creatives are intimately familiar with. I know I certainly am. If I don’t carefully watch where I’m going, I can easily step into a perfectionistic mud hole. The big problem … Continue reading
Keeping the Channel Open
Susan Boyle is a sensational role model for keeping the channel open, no matter what. We can all be inspired by her willingness to embrace her talent and let it out into the world. And as a follow-up to my post about her yesterday, I thought it fitting to revisit Martha Graham’s famous words to … Continue reading
Susan Boyle
Like the rest of the world, I’ve been captivated this past week by Susan Boyle, the seemingly ordinary middle-aged woman who appears to be extraordinarily talented. I’m one of those who got goose bumps when I heard her sing. It helps that I’m a big fan of Les Miz in general and the song she … Continue reading
Spring
April has got hold of me. She firmly grasped me by the shoulders and said (somewhat urgently), “Don’t wait any longer.” April is my birthday month, and I love her combination of fierceness and gentleness. I consider April the true start of spring, which brings with it an urgency to clear out, clean out, and … Continue reading
Wake Up Calls
I’ve been away from the blog for a few weeks because of an unexpected turn: my husband’s almost-84 year old mother was diagnosed with cancer and hospitalized. The end of her life came quickly, and I admired her willingness to let go. She was at peace and told my husband, “I’m ready to see what’s … Continue reading
Worst-Case Scenarios
What’s your worst-case scenario? You know, the BIG worry that flattens you to your chair. The horror movie moment where you have to cover your eyes because you don’t want to look at the screen. These days, worst-case scenarios are like low hanging fruit, easy to pick but on the way to rotten. Oddly enough, … Continue reading
The Wishing Year
Last week I ventured out on a rainy night to listen to Noelle Oxenhandler read from her book, “The Wishing Year.” I debated hunkering down by the wood stove instead but was so glad I didn’t, because not only was Ms. Oxenhandler’s reading a delight, but the Union Hotel in Occidental turned out to be the ideal setting: … Continue reading
By Myself
I forgot it takes time to transition into the world of “by myself.” I don’t mean being alone. I’m frequently alone, working on tasks for my business or around the house. But getting away to be by myself is different. It’s something I yearn for (as do many of my clients). But we often have … Continue reading
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