I had to laugh the other day when Sheri McConnell
posted this as her Twitter update:
Before you diagnose yourself w/depression or low self-esteem,
first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.
Clearly this post resonated with many others too,
because I saw it re-tweeted several times through the day.
And I think that we all laugh because we see
how we have done this to ourselves.
I know I have driven myself into therapy
because I wasn't careful enough about choosing
who I had around me.
I am a highly sensitive person,
as I think most artists are.
I am also very empathic,
and have a great desire to prove my own worth
by taking care of others.
This is not a healthy combination.
I have learned to recognize this pattern in myself.
After reading the Happiness Project,
one of my personal 12 Commandments became
"When you feel the urge to do more, STOP."
Because I know that I often over-extend myself.
I am trying to
"pick out what is good"
for me.
Some of the things I have learned in this process:
*if you want to have a good marriage,
spend time with couples who treat each
other with love and respect
*if you want to make more art,
surround yourself with artists
*if you want to have more fun,
surround yourself with people
who make you laugh
I could go on, but you get the idea.
What about you?
What do you want more of? Less of?
What can you pick out that is good for you?
