Finding Love

How often do we self-sabotage ourselves, pick on ourselves or find fault where there is none?  Our negative self-talk follows us around and around and around and it takes away from our true selves -- Pure Love!

I found myself walking out of Stop & Shop the other day,  doing just that -- first, I lamented to myself that:  I was alone, then I found issues with my neck, then something else, and when I got to the fact that I even have “brown spots” (what am I a dog?),  I literally burst out laughing and laughed all the way to the car!  It was a revelation of how often I “pick on” myself instead of saying loving and nurturing words.

An excerpt from the book “A Return To Love” by Marianne Williamson that was also used in the speech by Nelson Mandela quotes:  

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that

other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone!

And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other 

people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”    

       

Well, why not Me?  We can choose every day -- be happy or be sad -- it’s a choice!  Let’s face it -- happy is certainly a lot more FUN!

So, let’s correlate that to our art or whatever creative endeavors we aspire to do -- look for the good -- look for what you love (I am talking to myself here) and there it will be -- right in front of you -- start with that and the joy will also be there.I live for the day when I only say  nice things to myself !

I say a truthful compliment to one stranger every day, and the smiles that I receive bring so much joy to me.  Try it -- there is always something special about everyone.  And in Art, there is always a compliment to be had!

It’s easy to find Joy and Love in everything you do -- choose it!  

And let me know how you are doing!

Here is one of my paintings that I painted in pure Joy!

"At The Lake", 12 x 9, Oil on Ampersand Board

Diane@DianeLeonard.com