Project Acceptance

I came across this article today after several of my friends shared it on Facebook. It has some really great advice in here and I wanted to take a minute to share it with you guys. 7 Things to Remember When You Think You’re Not Good Enough "While my self-love journey is on-going, here are a few things I try to remember when I’m tempted to be mean to myself: 1. THE PEOPLE YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO COMPARE THEMSELVES TO OTHER PEOPLE TOO. We all compare ourselves to other people, and I can assure you that the people who seem to have it all do not. When you look at other people through a lens of compassion and understanding rather than judgment and jealousy, you are better able to see them for what they are—human beings. They are beautifully imperfect human beings going through the same universal challenges that we all go through. 2. YOUR MIND CAN BE A VERY CONVINCING LIAR. I saw a quote once that said, “Don’t believe everything you think.” That quote completely altered the way I react when a cruel or discouraging thought goes through my mind. Thoughts are just thoughts, and it’s unhealthy and exhausting to give so much power to the negative ones. 3. THERE IS MORE RIGHT WITH YOU THAN WRONG WITH YOU. This powerful reminder is inspired by one of my favorite quotes from Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Until you stop breathing, there’s more right with you than wrong with you.” As someone who sometimes tends to zoom in on all my perceived flaws, it helps to remember that there are lots of things I like about myself too—like the fact that I’m alive and breathing and able to pave new paths whenever I choose. 4. YOU NEED LOVE THE MOST WHEN YOU FEEL YOU DESERVE IT THE LEAST. This was a recent epiphany of mine, although I’m sure it’s been said many times before. I find that it is most difficult to accept love and understanding from others when I’m in a state of anger, shame, anxiety, or depression. But adopting the above truth really shifted my perspective and made me realize that love is actually the greatest gift I can receive during such times. 5. YOU HAVE TO FULLY ACCEPT AND MAKE PEACE WITH THE “NOW” BEFORE YOU CAN REACH AND FEEL SATISFIED WITH THE “LATER.” One thing I’ve learned about making changes and reaching for the next rung on the ladder is that you cannot fully feel satisfied with where you’re going until you can accept, acknowledge, and appreciate where you are. Embrace and make peace with where you are, and your journey toward something new will feel much more peaceful, rewarding, and satisfying. 6. FOCUS ON PROGRESS RATHER THAN PERFECTION AND ON HOW FAR YOU’VE COME RATHER THAN ON HOW FAR YOU HAVE LEFT TO GO. One of the biggest causes of self-loathing is the hell-bent need to “get it right.” We strive for perfection and success, and when we fall short, we feel less than and worthless. What we don’t seem to realize is that striving for success and being willing to put ourselves out there is an accomplishment within itself, regardless of how many times we fail. Instead of berating yourself for messing up and stumbling backward, give yourself a pat on the back for trying, making progress, and coming as far as you have. 7. YOU CAN’T HATE YOUR WAY INTO LOVING YOURSELF. Telling yourself what a failure you are won’t make you any more successful. Telling yourself you’re not living up to your full potential won’t help you reach a higher potential. Telling yourself you’re worthless and unlovable won’t make you feel any more worthy or lovable. I know it sounds almost annoyingly simple, but the only way to achieve self-love is to love yourself—regardless of who you are and where you stand and even if you know you want to change. You are enough just as you are. And self-love will be a little bit easier every time you remind yourself of that."

Calling on all Project Acceptance fans!

Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but I just wanted to take a minute to explain my absence from this project. I think I may have briefly mentioned it after it happened, but I was in an accident last summer and have been put on a photography "bedrest" so to speak. I'm under doctor's orders not to shoot until my shoulder is healed or I could lose total function in my arm. :( 

One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.

I’ve been told that if you change your mind, you change the world – or at least the way you experience it. Let’s take a moment to examine that. The presumption is, if you thought the world was a hostile, ugly place filled with awful people doing awful things, that is what you’d see. Your mind would naturally seek out confirmation for its preconceived ideas (e.g., if you’re intent on buying a red car, as you go about your day you’ll see lots of red cars). If, however, you were able to sincerely change your mind and see that we are all God in drag, that we are the conscious aspects of a perfect universe which had to create us so we could bear witness and stand in awe before its loving magnificence, then that is the soul-shaking reality you’d be greeted with each and every moment of each and every day. In other words, it is entirely our choice as to what kind of world we live in. With a simple decision, we can suffer in the darkness or play in the light. We can be angry, frightened and enslaved, or loving, joyous and free. I know. It’s a toughie.

If what you see by the eye doesn't please you, then close your eyes and see from the heart. Because the heart can see beauty and love more than the eyes can ever wonder.

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

Spread a Smile!

A couple of months ago, I had a conversation with some people about this project. They were asking me all sorts of questions. At one point, one of them asked me if the insecurities that I put on my own shirts are really the things that bother me the most or if they were "safe words."