unexpected

Those life experiences that stain us 

may simultaneously leave marks of unexpected beauty.

on the horizon

The patterns of thought I want to believe in – sometimes they’re hard to embrace because they're so countercultural, so uncertain.

But, those bits I give a chance and place my trust in? They’re proving to be true… not just half-assed true, but true without a shred of doubt or any room for argument.

...Looks like there’s more trusting beyond the norm on my horizon.

stationery

 

[personalized stationery project]

enough

Not accomplished enough…

It’s my biggest “not enough” demon – that nagging voice that there’s always more to be done. The shadow-side of achievement, it ushers forth a flood of thoughts at the close of each day. Not productive enough. Not efficient enough. No matter what I’ve done, it’s simply not enough.

That mindset is a beast to fight. It stains me with a seal of insufficiency. And, that label becomes an excuse. I can’t pursue my dreams until… I’m accomplished enough, skilled enough, experienced enough, confident enough, old enough. Only then will my work be perfect enough for the rest of the world to see.

Enough, it would seem by that framework, is a quantifiable measure of action. Enough is dictated by achievement and productivity. There’s always more to be done, more to produce, more to achieve. Thus, enough does not and cannot look anything like me.

That is, until I redefine enough.

Enough, I’ve learned, is less about what I’m lacking and more about who I’ve become. It looks like living by my values and believing in more than I can see. It’s giving myself a taste of grace, believing I’m defined by something far greater than my hands’ productivity.

Enough, is welcoming the moment my head hits the pillow at night, knowing that no matter what I’ve done or where I’ve been – by simply being authentically me, I am enough.

[Dig Deeper: This mini-essay was inspired by Brene Brown's book Daring Greatly. Her story and research have truly rocked my world. Gain a brief glimpse via her incredible TED talks.]

sights: bakeshop

A few from the backlog...

[blueberry scones from breakfast, lunch, tea]

[lemon poppyseed biscotti adapted from tartine]

lose control

There's life to be found in losing control.

[banana bread adaptation from smitten kitchen]

venture

New territory yields new discoveries.

achiever

The achiever is a hard one to quiet.

The actions you take? They’re never enough.

And, until you redefine achievement, they never will be.

Achievement may be checking some number of items off a list or measuring up to someone else’s standard. That breed of achievement is quite fleeting.

Choose to shift perspective, however, and achievement can become a far more valuable thing. Being authentically you, independent of any action, is precisely what achievement may mean.

imperfection

Life is beautiful despite its imperfection...
or perhaps, precisely because of it.

[muffin adaptation from 101 cookbooks]

less

Chances are, you need more less.

Less words. Less commitments. Less analysis. Less obligations.

With less, you could do far more.

sights: in the kitchen

Savory explorations...

[Parsnip chips via So Good and Tasty]

"productivity"

Have you ever tried to be more “productive” with your life by killing off the things that energize you?

Baking scones, playing guitar, reading a book - unessential luxuries… right?

Stripped of inspiration, though, you make minimal progress in the so-called “productive” pursuits anyhow. You wonder: Perhaps those alternate options weren’t so frivolous after all...

Whatever you do, don’t let an obsessive quest for “productivity” drown out the very things that fill you with life.