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| Image from Love Is Speed |
Sometimes I do that terrible thing of comparing myself with others. How helpful do you think all these thoughts are? How content do they make us with our own life?
My new frame of mind is that I am very fortunate to have all I do, and I have earned it. I have natural talents and skills that have gotten me to this point. There is no use thinking of all that I haven’t got, and all that I didn’t do in life before now. All we have is now, and I am going to enjoy it. Joan Collins wrote a great piece in her book ‘Joan’s Way’.
‘You may think ‘oh I haven’t achieved much,’ but you have. You achieved growing up and having relationships with people, with your family and friends. Count your friends. I’ll bet you have a lot more than you think you have, but of course, it’s relative. The Queen may have many more friends than you but maybe the woman who lives down the street has less. You achieved learning – even if you didn’t pass ‘A’ levels you know how to read, write, talk, argue, discuss, evaluate, bargain, catch a bus, plan a holiday, cook a meal, change a light bulb. Tiny things, true, but each an achievement in its own way.’
Isn’t that a nice way to look at things? To appreciate yourself for every single little thing that you can do? I always find it helpful to look at myself through others eyes. I have had people comment on how clever I am with my sewing, knitting and handcrafts etc. I always brush it off, but when you think about it, it’s pretty magical to take a square piece of fabric or a ball of wool and make a useable and decorative item.
So at times when I feel a bit flat and unmotivated, like I haven’t done much with my life, I will think of Joan’s words.
And in that spirit, here are three things I’m good at, a la Joan.
I can cook a delicious and nutritious dinner from scratch.
I balance our business and personal budgets daily and am generally good with finances.
I can knit, sew, mend, crochet and patchwork.
We all have things we have learnt to do and that we are naturally good at (author Victoria Moran calls it your ‘free square’). I’d love to know, what are three things you are good at? Or what do others praise you for?