Day 1725: Just Right

On the eighth day of my long blogging journey, I wrote a post titled “Too ____, too ____, or just right? (Thanks a lot, Goldilocks.)” Today, on the first anniversary of my open heart surgery AND the first day of the Jewish New Year, it’s just right to share this photo:

Yesterday, it was just right to discuss ‘Just Right” at a just-right therapy group.  It’s just right that I  share what I wrote about “Just Right” in that group.

It’s just right for me to show you my other photos from yesterday.

 

Are any of those photos just right for you?

My friend Dave, whom I met at just right Berklee School of Music in 1969 and whom I just recently reconnected with, has just right musical taste. He recommended I just listen to Jacob Collier, who is a just amazing singer, musician, arranger, etc.  I think this song is just right for today’s post.

It would be just right if you left a comment, below.

Just right thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and to you — of course! — for being just right, exactly how you are.

 

 

Day 1682: Imperfections

Yesterday,  in my office, two imperfect human beings discussed imperfections.  We talked about how people look in the mirror and focus  only on imperfections, ignoring the positives that others seem to observe. I suggested the practice of accepting and loving oneself, imperfections and all.

Do you see any imperfections in my photos from yesterday?

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, I said imperfectly, “Nobody puts Ann in a corner.” I think we’ve established that we can’t say the same about Carl.

Here are some perfect imperfections from YouTube:

Imperfectly perfect thanks to those who helped me create today’s post with all its imperfections.  All of me thanks all of you, here and now.

 

 

Day 1673: Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?  Are we there at a place where we can finally

• be accepting,
• feel safe enough,
• love ourselves,
• love others,
• be authentic, and
• relax?

I was there yesterday, for moments.

“Are We There Yet?” is a great tune by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.

We’re here yet so we better make the best of it, because who knows where we’ll be tomorrow.

Are we there, yet,  at the end of today’s blog? We are, so thanks to all who help me bring these posts here and — of course! — to you, for being there.

Day 1672: Unlimited Capacity

I seem to have an unlimited capacity to see potential blog topics all around me.

I also have an  unlimited capacity for

• irony,
• humor,
• taking things out of context,
• searching for meaning,
• appreciation,
• hope,
• reminiscing, and
• taking photos (even if my devices have limited capacity for storage).

What do you have an unlimited capacity for?

These days, I’m working on limiting my capacity for

• worry,
• guilt,
• shame,
• judgment,
• despair, and
• fear.

YouTube seems to have an unlimited capacity for storing videos about EVERYTHING ( including reminiscing).

I also have an unlimited capacity for gratitude, so thanks to all who helped me create this Unlimited Capacity post and — of course! — to YOU.

 

Day 1638: We accept

Do we accept that I saw this yesterday?

Do we accept that seeing that worn-down sign  got me thinking about what we accept?

Should we accept everything?  Do we accept injustice, cruelty, and other unacceptable things?

I believe that radical acceptance — recognizing and accepting completely the realities of the moment — is necessary before we can move toward change and improvements.

Do we accept that?

Do you accept my other photos from yesterday?

I make a wish that we have the  serenity to accept the things we cannot change,  the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Can we accept that I just quoted the serenity prayer?

Should we accept this Airbnb commercial called “We Accept” which aired during the 2017 USA Super Bowl Game?

 

As always, we accept comments at this blog.

Please accept my thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and to you — of course! — for your kind acceptance.

 

Day 1637: I’ll buy that

Writing yesterday’s blog post inspired me to buy that ticket to see James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt perform at Boston’s Fenway Park in August. Even though I’ve said, “I’ll buy that!” about lots of concert tickets and many Bonnie Raitt albums and James Taylor CDs, I’ve never seen either of them in person. 

I can’t wait to see them.  Do you buy that?

Do you buy that my boyfriend Michael said, “I’ll buy that!” about one of the items  shown in these pictures?

What do you think Michael bought? Buy the way, I took something away from the yard sale, too.   If you buy into guessing what Michael bought and what I chose,  I’ll provide the answers, by and buy.

Because we recently said, “I’ll buy that!” to a home by the ocean,  we’ll be moving those two things and other things we’ve bought, very soon.

Do you buy that my ex-husband said this to me yesterday?

You’re scary when you’re angry.

I found that difficult to buy, because I never see myself as scary, even when I’m angry. Maybe that’s because I’m a 5’3″ 64-year-old woman without weapons. Do you buy that I LIKED being seen as scary by my ex, who is very big and strong? Do you buy that we both shook hands soon after he said that?

Do you buy that searching YouTube for “I’ll buy that” gets you some “Ocean Front Property” by George Strait?

Do you buy this Fenway Park performance by James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt from two years ago?

I’m now ready for the thing called  comments.

Are you ready to buy my gratitude? Thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and to you — of course! — for buying it.

Day 1630: What you seek

As I seek for ways to begin today’s post, here’s something I found yesterday when I was seeking  photos for this blog.

Here and now, I am seeking

• Peace.
• Health.
• Love.
• Connection.
• Acceptance.
• Forgiveness.
• Kindness.
• Understanding.
• Nourishment.
• Meaning.
• Joy.

According to Rumi, all those things are seeking me.

What are you seeking? Is it possible those things are seeking you?

Here are more images from yesterday that were seeking me:

 

I am now seeking music for today’s post. Let’s see what’s seeking me on YouTube.

In my world today,  I’l be seeking new eyeglasses so I can see better in my seeking.

Finally, thanks and appreciation to all who helped me seek and find today’s post and to you — of course! — for all that you seek.

Day 1629: What helps and what doesn’t help

When I help people join my therapy groups, I tell them we will work on doing more of what helps and less of what doesn’t help. I help people understand that by saying, “What helps and what doesn’t help  might include thoughts, behaviors,  and other people.”  Because it helps to change old habits by writing things down, I helpfully suggest they keep track of what helps and what doesn’t help them.

Because it helps to know you’re not alone, I explain that I also keep track of what helps and what doesn’t help me.

What helps me?

• Acceptance.
• Love.
• Creativity.
• Flexibility.
• Peace.
• Connection.
• Nature.
• Forgiveness.
• Blogging.
• My work.
• Family.
• Friends.
• Groups.
• Mutual healing.
• Curiosity.
• Openness.
• Authenticity.
• Music.

 

What doesn’t help me?

• Worry.
• Shame.
• Guilt.
• Regret.
• Harsh criticism.
• Cognitive distortions.
• Perfectionism.
• Telling myself I should have known better.

Does it help to look at these photos?

What also helps me is gratitude, so thanks to all who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — to YOU.

Day 1605: Guess what? I’m nuts! Really nuts!

Guess what? I’m nuts about getting my morning-blogging inspiration from a nutty snapshot.

Guess what?  I’m nuts, really nuts because I

• am losing sleep over how to fit our old furniture into our new home by the sea,
• forget how lucky and blessed I am,
• worry about the very things I advise my clients not to worry about,
• mind-read, fortune-tell, catastrophize, label, over-generalize, jump to conclusions, personalize, compare, etc. and
• eat too many unsalted, in-the-shell sunflower seeds every day.

Guess what?  I’m nuts, really nuts about taking photos and putting them in my blog.

 

Is it nuts for me to repeat the wisdom in that last photo?

It’s the strangest thing,

how happiness comes out of nowhere

and inflates your soul.

Guess what?  I’m nuts, really nuts about nutty music.

I’m nuts, really nuts about

• getting comments from my readers and
• expressing thanks to all with words and nutty pictures.

 

Day 1586: Messes

I don’t want to make any messes here in the blogging world, but yesterday the topic of my therapy group was “Messes.”

That’s the mess I made last night, as we all got messes down on paper.  My mess was actually messier than it looks in that photo, because I actually spilled cracker crumbs all over it. Because I made a mess of taking that picture, you can’t read all that I wrote.  However, I will tell you that I messily shared at the end of the group session my inspiration to make a new t-shirt that says, “Say YES to the mess.”

Why is it important to say YES to the mess?  Because we are all messes, in ways, even though we may think we need to appear neat and organized to others.

Before the group last night, I was dealing with lots of messes related to

• miscommunication,
• mistakes,
• broken promises,
• fear,
• worry,
• shame,
• guilt,
• misunderstandings,
• distrust,
• anger,
• loss,
• regret,
• pain,
• insecurity,
• health,
• health care,
• health care bills,
• politics,
• lawyers,
• guns, and
• money.

Here‘s another fine mess:  “Lawyers, Guns, and Money” by the late Warren Zevon.

Here are all the other messes I photographed yesterday:

Please don’t be afraid to make messes in the comments section, below.

Messy thanks to all who helped me create this mess of a post and to you — of course! — for all the beautiful messes you bring.