Weekly Art Journal – Promises

Today’s page was week six’s part 2 homework for the Soul Restoration class.

This one was all about promises I make to myself. I chose these sentences because each of them spoke to me individually:

• I will stop to think about what I really really love: This is important for me as I decide what to spent my time on. When I have fifteen minutes, what do I want to do with that? When I look at my list of what truly makes me happy, then I have a good idea of where those minutes should go. If I do more of what I really really love, I am pretty sure I will be happy more consistently and I will feel like I am spending my time in a worthwhile manner.
• I will choose the good news: This is something I need to work on more and more. With the daily gratitude, I am already paying attention to the good. But there’s more here. It’s more about looking at something and choosing the joy, choosing the good, choosing to be happy. Choosing to be optimistic. I need to work on this. It makes all the difference in the world.
• I will see myself the way I see others that I deeply love: Ah, if only. I will remember that you can only love others as much as you love yourself. And I will work on loving myself more. Appreciating myself. Knowing that I deserve this love from the people who love me.
• I will spend time taking care of myself and honor that time: This is something I am working on. I already spend time taking care of myself more than I did before but it comes with a lot of guilt and I need to work on this. Guilt can ruin the whole peace. Do or don’t do. But don’t feel guilty either way because each is a choice.
• I will be brave: again and again. i will be brave. I will do it even if it feels scary. I will set an example for my kids, for myself. I will be brave.
• I choose the truth: There’s no one truth. I will choose what brings me joy. I will choose joy. Again and again.
• I will accept the kindness, love, and acceptance of others: Yes. I love it when others accept my kindness and love. So it’s only fair that I do the same and don’t deny someone else the same joy. I need to work on this more and especially accepting it without guilt.
• I will stop to think about what I really really want: Similar to the love but slightly different. This is about if I really really want to do something. I will learn to say no because it’s better than agreeing and then feeling trapped. I will only do it if I really really want to do it and then I will enjoy it. I will do it not because they asked but because I want it.
• I choose what is: Because it is what it is. I will choose it. It will empower me.
• I will do what it takes to feel joy each day: This is similar to doing what I love. I will make sure to do at least five joy items each day. Hug my kids. Do art. Journal. Kiss my husband. Listen to music. Bring more joy into my life each and every day.
• I choose life: This life. My life. I love it. I choose it. I will relish in it.
• I will turn to good things when difficult things happen: Good things are there all the time. So many of them. Good things happen. Bad things happen. Neither lasts. Life is moving all the time. I will always choose to focus on the good. I will seek it and find it. I will.
• I will choose the people who bring out the very best in me: They are there. I will honor them. I will move away from people who bring out the worst in me. Even if it’s not their fault. I will choose wisely and stick to the people who empower me, encourage me, love me, support me, and help me be the best me.
• I will forgive myself, no matter what: Yes. I am human. I mess up. I deserve to be forgiven. I will forgive fully. Fully.
• I will live in each moment, not the past, not the future: I will let go. I will work on the worrying. I will remember that this moment is mine in all of its glory and I will make the very most of it. I will live it to the fullest. I will soak up all of it.

Weekly Art Journal is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.