Not every moment is beautiful, but you can do something beautiful in every moment. If, moment to moment, we all did what is most beautiful this year, the year wouldn’t turn out half as dark as everyone believes it will.
“Not every moment is beautiful, but you can do something beautiful in every moment.” This quote is, in and of itself, beautiful. It beckons us to create the life we want rather than reacting to escape the life we have.
I think you're right. It's empowering. It gives us back control over perhaps the most important thing - beauty - in the midst of every other out of control thing. Thanks for tugging on that part of it, Lindsey!
"If you have good news to sing, after all, the most important time to sing it is not when things are going well but when things are going south."
OOF. How easy it is to forget this! Not least because, when things are going south, we forget there's good news at all. Maybe one of the most beautiful things we can do is to remember...
That's such a good addition, Nancy. To stop and ask ourselves when it's all sliding south, "What good news is still true, even right now, even in this?" Thank you.
This post is a smile from inside out…inspiring us to come back to universal truths that are always present and bring us Home to our collective compassion for each other and ourselves. May we remember to Come Home to the Beauty in belonging…😌
I've read this 3 times today. At the end of a sometimes ugly holiday season, I purpose to remember to remember the beautiful. Remember to remember. There is so much beauty in your words that filled my heart..I can actually feel it. Marching forward! Thank you, Kelly.
Love the idea that a dozen people could be in a not-so-beautiful situation and come up with a dozen ways to make it beautiful. Or maybe eleven of them would, because one of them actually thinks it's a beautiful situation. 😊
Truly a beautiful essay, Kelly. And such a powerful reminder of the agency we each have in every moment. Gil Fronsdal, my primary teacher in Buddhist practice and ethics, counsels us to "live more beautifully." When things get hard or confusing, I turn to that as my compass.
This goes with my word of the year- harmony. I am going to choose harmonious over smart or expedient. I bet that these choices are going to lead me to beautiful things more often than ugly.
Beauty is supposed to be in the "eye" of the beholder. It's a nice way to say we all have different perspectives.
Maybe, and it's not final, but maybe my word for the year is perspective. I'm looking to gain more, use what I have, and to appreciate other's perspectives as best I can. It's just that another word or two get in the way. (Motive & Attitude) Those things can go negative fast. They are derivatives of perspective but can influence it.
Hmm. Maybe your word is awareness? Because awareness helps you see more perspectives, as well as the motives and attitudes that get in the way. Instead of calling it negative and trying to resist them, awareness would pay attention to them and learn from them.
Not bad. I don't mind that too much. It's kind of different than "mindfulness" in a way too. I have grown weary of that word in recent years. It sounds like work. Like purposeful effort that can be taxing and maybe even boring. Being aware sounds more like awake; being situationally aware has an air of vigor and strength in its context. Being aware of your surroundings is also something that sounds "external". Like not having to be "in" anything, getting to stay away from stuff if it is not what you want maybe. It sits well on my introverted mind at least.
I only just discovered your publication and read that on January 19th, there was a Zoom call for paid subscribers on the topic "How to traverse the chasm from a bread-winning job to doing what really interests you". I am very much interested in the topic and want to ask if I have missed it by being here late or if, as a newcomer-subscriber, I would be able to access it somehow, e.g. a recording? Thank you
Klara, your timing is perfect! That topic came in second place in our polling during our January call, so it will be the topic for our February call on the 16th at 1pm CT. An invitation to that call will go out this Wednesday, with a link for paid subscribers to register. The post will have "Human Hour" in the title, so keep an eye out for it!
Always the most rewarding choice for all! Have a blessed and beautiful 2024 Kelly.
Wonderful to hear from you, Patti! A blessed year to you as well!
“Not every moment is beautiful, but you can do something beautiful in every moment.” This quote is, in and of itself, beautiful. It beckons us to create the life we want rather than reacting to escape the life we have.
I think you're right. It's empowering. It gives us back control over perhaps the most important thing - beauty - in the midst of every other out of control thing. Thanks for tugging on that part of it, Lindsey!
"If you have good news to sing, after all, the most important time to sing it is not when things are going well but when things are going south."
OOF. How easy it is to forget this! Not least because, when things are going south, we forget there's good news at all. Maybe one of the most beautiful things we can do is to remember...
That's such a good addition, Nancy. To stop and ask ourselves when it's all sliding south, "What good news is still true, even right now, even in this?" Thank you.
This post is a smile from inside out…inspiring us to come back to universal truths that are always present and bring us Home to our collective compassion for each other and ourselves. May we remember to Come Home to the Beauty in belonging…😌
Beauty in belonging. Music to my hears. Speaking of which, Isaw you're signed up for the Human Hour. Looking forward to seeing you there on Friday!
Such beautiful words! Thank you for sharing them, Kelly!
Thank you, Jenny, and thank you for Restacking this!
I've read this 3 times today. At the end of a sometimes ugly holiday season, I purpose to remember to remember the beautiful. Remember to remember. There is so much beauty in your words that filled my heart..I can actually feel it. Marching forward! Thank you, Kelly.
Do something beautiful - no stress here, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Love the idea that a dozen people could be in a not-so-beautiful situation and come up with a dozen ways to make it beautiful. Or maybe eleven of them would, because one of them actually thinks it's a beautiful situation. 😊
Truly a beautiful essay, Kelly. And such a powerful reminder of the agency we each have in every moment. Gil Fronsdal, my primary teacher in Buddhist practice and ethics, counsels us to "live more beautifully." When things get hard or confusing, I turn to that as my compass.
That's so good. The margin for "error," if there is such a thing, is just so much wider when beauty is our guide.
This goes with my word of the year- harmony. I am going to choose harmonious over smart or expedient. I bet that these choices are going to lead me to beautiful things more often than ugly.
Love this. Indeed, harmonious is a beautiful word in and of itself!
Love your questions! I plan to sit with them to see what they bring forth. Thank you!
Thank you, Victoria. Don't hesitate to check back in and let us know what they produce for you!
Beauty is supposed to be in the "eye" of the beholder. It's a nice way to say we all have different perspectives.
Maybe, and it's not final, but maybe my word for the year is perspective. I'm looking to gain more, use what I have, and to appreciate other's perspectives as best I can. It's just that another word or two get in the way. (Motive & Attitude) Those things can go negative fast. They are derivatives of perspective but can influence it.
Hmm. Maybe your word is awareness? Because awareness helps you see more perspectives, as well as the motives and attitudes that get in the way. Instead of calling it negative and trying to resist them, awareness would pay attention to them and learn from them.
Not bad. I don't mind that too much. It's kind of different than "mindfulness" in a way too. I have grown weary of that word in recent years. It sounds like work. Like purposeful effort that can be taxing and maybe even boring. Being aware sounds more like awake; being situationally aware has an air of vigor and strength in its context. Being aware of your surroundings is also something that sounds "external". Like not having to be "in" anything, getting to stay away from stuff if it is not what you want maybe. It sits well on my introverted mind at least.
We have a winner! 😉
„Not every moment is beautiful, but you can do something beautiful in every moment.“
Amen 🙏
I love 'do what is most beautiful' as a checkpoint for times of doubt/overwhelm/indecision!
Great way to describe it! A clarifying tool during time of stressful uncertainty.
I only just discovered your publication and read that on January 19th, there was a Zoom call for paid subscribers on the topic "How to traverse the chasm from a bread-winning job to doing what really interests you". I am very much interested in the topic and want to ask if I have missed it by being here late or if, as a newcomer-subscriber, I would be able to access it somehow, e.g. a recording? Thank you
Klara, your timing is perfect! That topic came in second place in our polling during our January call, so it will be the topic for our February call on the 16th at 1pm CT. An invitation to that call will go out this Wednesday, with a link for paid subscribers to register. The post will have "Human Hour" in the title, so keep an eye out for it!
Oh wow, lucky me! You have me in, looking forward to being there! Thank you
Looking forward to meeting you!
I love this. Beauty, wonder, awe are transcendent and draw us out of ourselves and into community. Thank you.
Love this.