Counting Blessings

I’m behind in my blog posts. I’ve been stressed out. We’ve had lots of ups and downs. Horse show season has begun, and lessons have increased as they do in the Fall. Meanwhile, I had an injury and the first hospital stay of my life. My mother had an injury requiring an ER visit. We’ve dealt with hurricane watches. We’ve had some horses needing extra care. On the brightside, everyone is healing. Business is good. The VA is starting to step up for Ed. The hurricanes missed us. I am grateful.

I try to focus on gratefulness. I truly do have a lot to be thankful for, even when it overwhelms me (and keeps me out of the studio!) I believe being grateful is a key to happiness. I’m very lucky to have found an amazing man to share my life with. I’m very lucky I get to play with horses and teach about something I love to people who care about learning it, even get to (sort of) make a living at it. I’m very lucky I get to pursue my art, which is starting to see some success. I could look at other people’s successes and compare (social media makes that WAY too easy) and find someone else is always a step ahead, always doing better.

Roosevelt said “comparison is the thief of joy” and it absolutely does when it leaves us feeling inadequate and dissatisfied. We have to look within ourselves for our happiness and not search for outside validation. I got to see some outside validation with my art by winning an award and having my first solo show and I’m very thankful for it. BUT I won’t compare my art with established wildlife artists and gripe about their greater success. I study them to see what they do, both with their art and their business, but I count myself as separate. I’m on my own journey. My path is my own. I have my own voice and things to say with a paint brush and pencil. Like the horses, I would do it no matter what, so I will continue to be thankful that I can and keep reaching to be better and grow.