Contained in the fall is exactly what we need to stand

We think hitting the ground is a mistake, but the ground we hit, the failure we experience is not a mistake. The world is endlessly mysterious, experience is profound… but it is never a mistake. To foster even a meager appreciation of that is to begin to practice. It is the decision to stop complaining and to start paying attention. Contained in the fall is exactly what we need to stand. ~ Bonnie Myotai Treace

Photo © Sandy Hibbard – Aristide Maillol, Air, 1932, Plomb at the Jardin des Tuileries

Comparing ourselves to others, even those we may admire tremendously, is the surest way to stifle or even lose our own power. While others may be quite inspiring, their path is not ours; ours is not theirs. As such, comparisons can only hinder our progress with ourselves and our relationships with others. The idea is to graciously accept each day as a gift of time that allows us to further uncover and discover our own power.

~ @SilverDisobedience

This is one of the most important things we will learn in life – to accept ourselves as we are.

It’s so easy to say, and man can we girls tout this philosophy at our book clubs and get-togethers, but then we race to the makeup counter and the botox clinic to improve those little things that we think make us look less perfect. Here’s something: you will never be perfect! Perfection lies within the acceptance of your own beauty. How you carry yourself, your attitude, joy, your confidence, THAT is what makes your natural beauty shine.

So back to the comparing thought… We live in a youth culture. We are confronted, often assaulted, with flawless beauty and extreme perfection everywhere we go – technology and social media exacerbate it 24/7. It’s hard to be ok with our flaws. I get it! I am a woman living and working in a youth culture of Instagram and influencers that eat botox for breakfast. I have to remind myself that there are no smoothing apps in real life. This is it baby! And you know what? At the end of the day, I’ve learned to be ok with myself. I have learned to even be dazzled by the imperfections that make me a unique human being.    HOWEVER, I dare not go down the rabbit hole of comparing myself to 30-somethings, if I do, I will surely lose my shit!

Women and men rise up to your beauty!

Accepting yourself right where you are is the beginning of realizing your own personal power. Living in the moment and understanding that it is a gift, is the place where love is born – love for yourself and others. Healthy acceptance without nasty judgement frees you from the constraints of fear.  My #SaturdaySoul for you and I both today is simply to rise up and embrace your unique beauty – let your joy, your love, and your own personal power soar!

XOXOXOXO

People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. The biggest challenge is overcoming that!   

~ Jim Morrison

When you are seeking awakening, trying to uncover your eyes of consciousness, what is it that you fear the most?
 
 
Painting: Caspar David Friedrich – Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

Acceptance without Judgement is Better than Forgiveness

“Just accept how foolish you have been and move on, don’t hate yourself, learn something . . . we have all been in that boat!”

 
 
 
© Sandy Hibbard 2017

Embracing ourselves and our talents as they are, AND our limitations as they are, is the place where freedom begins.
~ Sandy Hibbard

The most difficult thing [to some] is accepting yourself – right where you are. I think as an artist/creative we’re always worried about how other people are going to perceive the scope of our work. Battling and dealing with how things are going to come across to others is a struggle, yes, but not just because we care about what they think about us, I think it’s more about the worry of how they will accept our talent and gifts. To make things worse, we deal with our own struggle for perfection and wrestle with our inadequacies.

As humans, we are always changing and growing, evolving, learning, and unlearning. One set of skills increase then decrease as we develop excellence in another area.  This is life – we ebb and flow. We grow into our best by building upon layers of experience. You have to accept who you are TODAY, with what you have been given and learned so far. Embracing your gift as it is in the present is an important part of our journey… that’s awareness!

Accepting Yourself for Who and What You Are
As a writer and artist, if I wrote a poem out of inspiration today and then rewrote it next year, can you imagine how different it would be?  If I record a song today and go into the studio and re-record it 2 years from now, they would be completely different songs. At some point, you just have to say ‘enough’ and accept your art, your gift, AND YOURSELF as you are in this moment. You have created the art that speaks to you now and from your current level of experience. That has immense value. You have shared what is from your moment in time along your journey, what could be more pure and beautiful than that? Being ‘OK’ with ourselves and our talents as they are, AND our limitations as they are, is the place where freedom and growth begins.

When you embrace yourself and your gifts as they are, without judgement, it will be a relief. You can relax and settle into who you are, accepting the opportunity and the room it gives you to expand on so many levels – and there will be nothing to hold back the growth. There is a beautiful confidence and ability that comes with acceptance, an honesty and awareness that is attractive and inspiring.  Sure, you can always do better, but how wonderful it is when you put yourself out there, let go of the judgment and criticism and can say ‘this is real now, this is who I am’ – with no shame and no apologies. BOOM! You just let go of the chains that were holding you down!

Love and Hugs,
Sandy