Better Is Good

I sing the chorus to this song all the time when Nib needs a new diaper. Good old Sheryl Crow.

But, really....who doesn't like a good positive change now and then. I know we like to talk a lot about being change adverse, but I'm the queen of self improvement and isn't that what that whole topic is all about? Change. Also know as: growth, the new, surprise, advancement, learning, skill acquisition and improvement.

Today an encouraging list. Not how to improvement myself or things I'd like to learn or ways to more deeply experience life...today, successes.

Self improvement is good and growth is fabulous stuff, but sometimes in the striving to get better we spend a little too much energy on what there is to fix and forget to remember the road we've come down. Here's to celebrating strengths, remembering the power of purposeful shaping and enjoying growing up! Heavens its good stuff!

Do join in, I wanna see your own list in the comments!

Ten Ways I've Changed For The Better In The Last 5 Years


1. My hair is the longest its ever been....I made it my goal to grow it to my hips and I made it this past year! Hooray!


2. I have learned how to point out to A in arguments, I feel threatened by the way you just said that last thing, instead of always emotionally escaping and refusing to talk anymore. So much more progressive!


3. I have learned to appreciate my body. I used to have a little list of the things I didn't like about my physical form and I can honestly say that now I have learned to either like or cleverly deal with all the little things I used to pick at. Its good to feel visually acceptable. 


4. I am a much calmer mommy to Dee and Nib than I was when Ru first came along...good thing Ru's still here to benefit too! *wink* I love feeling more in control emtionally.


5. I know how to make a good beef roast. Boy was that hard! Took me years!


6. I am a painter! I've spent my entire adult life as an artist explaining to people that I sure would love to paint, but I have a fear of working in color and am not sure how to go beyond form and shadow. Yeah. And then a friend told me to come to her art fellowship and my life has not been the same since.

7. I am far more organized. My terror of schedules and systems has melted away and I have begun to imagine and orchestrate creative organization that nurtures flexibility and allows for fun. Life is far more sane and my husband likes me more.

8. I eat better than I ever have in my adult life. I have three square meals a day, most of it from scratch, I source locally, eat seasonally and have way more produce, whole grains, legumes and grass fed beef in my diet than I would ever have imagined. And eating is very, very fun! I'm not on a drudgery laden brown rice and tofu schedule at all. I own tons of cookbooks, we eat out, I make wonderful meals and I like food more than ever. Boy does it feel good.

9. I have a great community. I have friends, I have kind neighbors, I know people I can call for references, help hauling a sofa, childcare or a good cry. I am chums with my sisters, enjoying getting to know my brother, in frequent communication with my parents and have an involved connective church where I contribute regularly and am missed if I don't show up. Relationally, life is very rich for me these days.

10.  I am almost fearless about mistake or embarassment. There was a time, a few years ago when I would have died a little inside if my fly had been down or I'd fallen on my face in front of people I admired...now I have an easy laugh, understand that failure is part of the game and have no qualms about showing my hand in front of other people. We all need to feel like the other guy is human sometimes. And honestly, we all leave our fly down occasionally. Where's the shame in that?

What's on your list?