Learning to be happy

One of my favorite books when I started learning how to
be happy was by Dr. Susan Jeffers.  Her story was incredibly
inspiring, and her vital message was that we are
all frightened and that we can't let fear hold us back.
Her book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway was transformative
for me.

October Pansies

Acrylic on canvas

8 x 8 inches

Barbara Muir © 2010

(Today a sweet note

came through the mail

with a postcard from

London that said a 

painting by Gaugin reminded

my friend of my flower

paintings.  I felt so incredibly

happy and sat down to paint

this "small painting.")

I am positive a great deal of the time, and people who don't
know me well think that I was born cheerful.  But it isn't
completely true.  I was a normal surly teenager, and it's
taken me my whole life to arrive at a state of dependable
optimism. I have been lucky to meet inspiring people
who taught me that you actually have to work at being happy.
Plus I read everything I can get my hands on that might move
my thinking over from grim to joyous.  Then too I am blessed
to have  just wonderful friends and mentors popping out of the
woodwork on a daily basis.

I just received a newsletter from Susan Jeffers all about
affirmations -- short positive statements that can transform
your mood.  My all time favorite is "All is well."  Maybe
you're allergic to these ideas.  But if not, affirmations
are like mental yoga, they stretch and calm the mind.
Painters (well it's certainly true for me), need to tap into
every possible way to stay focused and cheerful.  Their work
is physically and creatively demanding, and they work in
isolation.  Luckily now we have so many ways to access
positive ideas on the internet.  I constantly marvel at that
fact.

Have a staying-positive-and-feeling-strong-and-happy day.