opinions

In my flu-addled brain, something from my reminders post kept swimming in and out of vision. Caught it, just now. Where I'm boldly stating that 'care not for the opinion of others...' so speaks to me. Because it does, but not exactly like that. Other people's opinions matter to me. Keri Smith might feel differently. At least she doesn't have a comment option on her blog. So maybe she really doesn't care. Quite possible.

But what I need to learn, to put it more accurately, is not to put too much emphasis on other people's opinions. And if I'm really, really being honest? I only mean that when it comes to unfavourable opinions. Opinions that make me question myself, my output and my choices.

One thing Shannon's (amazing!) e-course and Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way made abundantly clear to me? How much easier it is to criticise and rediculate (not a word, is it?) yourself than it is to praise and be positive about your own undertakings, whatever they are.
Affirmations really sound too inane for words. I know. I'm still an absolute beginner. But when you really think about it: why is it so much more uncomfortable to be a little-over-the-top nice to yourself than it is to - equally over the top! - undermine?!

So what I meant to say before, is that I'm trying to take special care to appreciate favourable opinions, while not putting too much stock into the ones that (unwittingly) harm. Which on first glance probably reads as crazy as any good affirmation does. But in the end, we sort of shape our own world by choosing what to believe. Apparently, it's easier to believe the bad and worse.
So I'm going to live on the edge. I consciously urge myself, from now on, to believe what I like :-)