Some thoughts...

Yesterday, something fairly insignificant happened that got me thinking. I was wearing a pair of shoes and suddenly one of the heels was falling apart. At first I couldn't believe it, but given that I bought these shoes probably 20 years ago, they were due to fall apart. 

As I threw them out, I said to Daniel: "Good riddance! They were always uncomfortable." 

That made me think. How often do we do that? Stay with something that is slightly (or even very) uncomfortable, just because it is familiar. I have certainly done that. In fact I still do sometimes. It also reminded me of a passage in Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach I was reading the other day:

"Our dragons are our fears: our day stalkers, our night sweats. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failing. Fear of starting something new and not finishing it. Again. Or the real fear, the one the sends shivers up our spines: the fear of succeeding, of becoming our authentic selves and facing the changes that will inevitably bring. We might not be happy with the way we are living now, but at least it's safely familiar."

I am totally happy with the life I am living now, and I realize that that is the result of many small and big changes. I have known plenty of anxiety attacks (and still do on rare occasions), but somehow my inner voice was always just a tiny bit louder. I didn't always listen, but the good thing is it never gives up!

The reason this is especially on my mind these days is that I have a number of friends who are in that unsettled place right now where change is inevitable and looks so very scary!

It could be the best thing ever, but when we are in that frightening place, we cannot imagine that things could ever be good again. We certainly cannot imagine that this change that is happening to us could bring something even better! I'm sure we've all been there. I know I have.

And another thing I know for sure - without those scary moments, without listening to my inner voice even though I was going into uncharted territory, without surrendering to the changes that were happening in my life, I would never have started making art, living my creative life, never have started blogging and would never have met you all.

First print of a new etching in progress - love it so far!!
I thought the Lara painting would make a good print!

And when I see where that has taken me, how my life hasn't only been changed but completely transformed,  I know that wonderful things are in store for my friends, too, and all really who are facing unsettling changes and are courageous enough to take the first small step.

Which brings me back to my uncomfortable shoes that were falling apart ... good riddance, indeed!