“I didn’t know I could do this.”
– Judy Chester
My friend Judy has discovered that she loves painting, particularly urban landscapes. As I marveled over the art she has created, I asked if she had always been artistic. She said she liked to draw when she was a child, but, as her face lit up, didn’t know she “could do this.” Discovering something new within ourselves is one of life’s greatest joys.
The secret? In my book, it’s time and attention—and giving ourselves permission. So many of us tell ourselves stories that squelch our desire to really try something. For me, it’s cooking. For years I’ve told myself (and others) that cooking is not “my thing,” and my family of picky eaters didn’t exactly inspire me to devote more time to expanding my repertoire. However, my decision to follow a Paleo eating plan—no grains, dairy or added sugar—prompted me to buy new cookbooks and follow recipe blogs. I’ve found I can make delicious, artful soups, main courses, sides and desserts. To my greater surprise, I found I enjoy doing so. In Judy’s words, “I didn’t know I could do this.”
The secret? In my book, it’s time and attention—and giving ourselves permission. So many of us tell ourselves stories that squelch our desire to really try something. For me, it’s cooking. For years I’ve told myself (and others) that cooking is not “my thing,” and my family of picky eaters didn’t exactly inspire me to devote more time to expanding my repertoire. However, my decision to follow a Paleo eating plan—no grains, dairy or added sugar—prompted me to buy new cookbooks and follow recipe blogs. I’ve found I can make delicious, artful soups, main courses, sides and desserts. To my greater surprise, I found I enjoy doing so. In Judy’s words, “I didn’t know I could do this.”
What about you is waiting to be discovered? How can you devote time and attention to unearth something new within yourself?
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