A Heart A Day #16

Today I did some scribbling and doodling and I spoke about self-comapssion with friends. It’s interesting to see that so many people struggle with self-compassion! Why, people? Why is this so? However, I guess it’s good to know I’m not the only one coming a long way.

When I say I’m working hard to get more compassionate towards myself, I don’t mean I sit and meditate all day. Simple things help me focus on self-compassion and self-love during the day. For example focussing on what I would love to add to this world. I would love to create “tools” that help people develope a positive picture of themselves, that help developing self-compassion; and no kidding, I’m working on a book on this specific matter! Other “tools” I’m creating are gestures that you can give to other people to show you care – my cards for example. Doing this makes my heart skip and puts a smile on my face the moment I think about it. I can be my authentic self and that feels good! I love that feeling and slowly my self-love grows. Baby steps, but day by day it gets stronger.

Whilst scribling and doodling today I created a heart with one of my favourite quotes. Be the change you want to see in the world. From Gandhi. Speaking of meditation, writing a quote about 20 times is meditative! I added a picture of planet earth, for the extra drama ;-)

What change do you want to see in the world? And what steps are you taking towards it?

With love,
Tess

PS: Have you created or spotted a heart this week? Share it with me! Use #aheartaday and social media may overflow with hearts…

16

[I love love and I love hearts! But oh, this world needs more visible love. So let’s change that, step by step. Away with pessimism. Away with hate. Let’s fill this world with love. And hearts! To show compassion towards each other, towards the planet, towards ourselves. It proves to be difficult for so many of us. But instead of judging it’s more meaningful to show love, to respond with love, to act out of love. Say it with hearts.
So I’m sharing A Heart A Day. Every day I will draw, stitch, paint or otherwise create a heart and post it on this blog. Will you help me make love and hearts spread like a contagious but healthy disease?]

 

A Heart A Day #9

Heart #9 – Money heart, all in red.
I’m thankful for all the money coming my way. It might not be much, but I’m thankful for every tenner I can fold a heart from ;-) “Money can’t buy love” they say. However, to me money means the ability of taking care of me, the ability of treating and surprising others. I think that’s love, don’t you?

What is your heart made of today? Share your picture using #aheartaday and let’s fill this worldwideweb with love, compassion and self-made (or self-found) hearts!

9

[I love love and I love hearts! But oh, there’s too little of it, this world needs more love. So let’s change that, step by step. Away with pessimism. Away with hate. Let’s fill this world with love. And hearts. To show compassion towards each other, towards the planet, towards ourselves. It proves to be difficult for so many of us. But instead of judging it’s more meaningful to show love, to respond with love, to act out of love. Say it with hearts.

I’m sharing A Heart A Day. Homemade. Every day I will create a heart and post it on this blog. Will you help me make love and hearts spread like a contagious but healthy disease?]

This ain’t tree-hugging

While I sat down to write you a new post, I realised yesterday marked 6 months of Tessie’s Projects. Hurrah! And before I’ll continue putting down today’s figments, I want to say a very big THANK YOU. To all of you, where ever you are, taking the time to sit down and read the weird stuff escaping my brain. I honestly appreciate it.

One of the reasons for me to write this blog is so I can share happy moments and contentment. I like to tell about such experiences, hoping they put smiles on other faces too. And by writing about it – I’ve noticed – I learn to appreciate it even more.
Every day I hope for tiny moments and gestures that brighten up my day. Well, it’s not really hoping – the more I’m open for it, the more they seem to happen. These moments, I’ve come to realise, give me an extra boost when caused by connecting to total strangers. No matter how short the moment or how small the gesture.

I wondered about it for a while, about the why, but I think I know now.

In this massive and individual world we live in, there’s hardly any room left for acts of kindness and simple but true contact with our fellow humans. Apart from friends and family. But greeting someone in the streets, making eye-contact, a smile when passing by. They are the tiniest things, yes. But they make my day, always. The other day, strolling around the park, me and an old man almost bumped into each other. You know the awkward moment, when you both move in the same direction and then again… Often, myself included, this causes frowns and some sighing. This time our eyes met and we both laughed out loud. I took a big step to the right, to let him pass. We greeted each other. And that was it. A small thing, yet a moment to put in the 2015 Jar. Something we tend to take for granted. A situation we often allow to cause irritation. But there’s no need for irritation, is there? These moments may take 3 seconds off our time. Grab it with both hands and you’ll gain a big smile from it. Live these 3 seconds to the fullest and you’ll actually see this other person: how rare is that, huh? A person who, just like you, lives on this planet, breathes – or at least, you hope they do –, has a heart just like you and the ability to smile. Just like you.

Try it and soon you’ll realise it’s pure bliss. These little moments of contact, sharing a smile – for free! No judgement, because that ain’t necessary. Just two fellow humans. Passing by. Being aware and sharing a little piece of their heart. That’s all. And it’s no tree-hugging stuff.

After the nearly-bumped-into moment, I made a heart out of paper. And turned it into confetti. Confetti is always a good idea. My opinion. A confetti heart is a heart filled with feast and joy. A confetti heart is one big heart divided into many pieces you can share with others.

Scatter your confetti heart

Our hearts are our own, but sharing pieces of it with others will only make it stronger.
Make your heart a confettied one and scatter freely – it’s good and you know it!

 

[ the confetti heart I made, now has a double meaning. it is a huge thanks, right from my heart, to all of you ]