Whilst honouring that some things are still a bit sh1t! ‘Finding the positives’ is something my friend Julie taught me... It’s not entirely dissimilar to a gratitude list but there is something about the slight re-frame that makes it feel less contrived.
Ahhh such beautiful photographs! You deserve to be included in this project that seems so important.
My small wins the past week have been: listening to my body when it told me to stop running, calming a panic attack with deep breaths and a cup of tea, and reading a poetry book that’s so enchanting.
Your photography is gorgeous. You’re clearly super talented! I love this too, the idea of searching for reasons to be cheerful. Often our brains are stacked up against us, but doing something a bit unnatural, like actively looking for the good, really does shift the mindset and can make a bad day into an OK one, or an OK day into a good one. Hope you’re well 😊
Thank you so much! I'm not sure about super talented but I pour my soul into it and I think that's why people connect with it. I think maybe the title was a little misleading, it's less about forcing a feeling that's not there, and more about recognising that even the worst days have something positive in there if you look for it. It could be anything from a smile from a stranger or cool piece of graffiti. If you're experiencing one of the really hard things life throws at us from time to time, like grief, they might not make you cheerful as such, but they are still a bit of light in the darkness. So it doesn't consume you.
As you rightly say, our brains are wired to remember the negatives, it's about shifting the balance, and having a written record makes it harder to ignore that there are always some good bits. 😊
Congratulations on the shortlist, Emma!! I wish you continued moments of joy and gentle grace with yourself. My wins today have been taking time to dance, washing my bed linens, and making food to nourish my body before it reached a state of hanger. I am grateful for your invitation to pause and reflect. Thank you!
They're great wins! Sadly grace and joy are somewhat lacking at the moment as I'm back to being burned out and feeling a lot of negativity around this. I'm taking small actions to try and get back in the right direction though so still got some positives in the mix.😊
This is beautiful, Emma. I totally agree with looking for little positives and tiny moments that are lovely rather than trying to overlook or block out the hard stuff in the name of gratitude. And massive congratulations on being included in the book - your work is so gorgeous, it's well-deserved. The you capture the light makes me swoon. My small win lately: wrote and shared my first Substack this week! Lovely to see you here❤️ xx
Thanks Charlene- it's nice to be able to connect with you again here! Finding the positives really is a nice way to improve the balance of what our brains have evolved to retain. Even on the hardest of days there are glimmers of the good stuff! I keep forgetting about the book, with all that's going on, but when I'm reminded (Thanks for that too!) it's very exciting- been invited to a book launch and everything!😃 Better start planning what to wear from now!🤣
Thanks so much for reading! It's exciting to have some writing out in the world again and the community here is so suppportive and encouraging, it's been a lovely place to do it. Definitely agree about looking for the little positives - I find I start to notice more of them once I start looking which is nice. Oooh, a book launch, that's great - definitely plan an outfit but if you're anything like me you'll change it last minute either way. Haha xx
Ahhh such beautiful photographs! You deserve to be included in this project that seems so important.
My small wins the past week have been: listening to my body when it told me to stop running, calming a panic attack with deep breaths and a cup of tea, and reading a poetry book that’s so enchanting.
Thank you so much! Great wins- what's the book?
You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson. Beautifully written with some heart wrenching poems but so worth the tears.
Your photography is gorgeous. You’re clearly super talented! I love this too, the idea of searching for reasons to be cheerful. Often our brains are stacked up against us, but doing something a bit unnatural, like actively looking for the good, really does shift the mindset and can make a bad day into an OK one, or an OK day into a good one. Hope you’re well 😊
Thank you so much! I'm not sure about super talented but I pour my soul into it and I think that's why people connect with it. I think maybe the title was a little misleading, it's less about forcing a feeling that's not there, and more about recognising that even the worst days have something positive in there if you look for it. It could be anything from a smile from a stranger or cool piece of graffiti. If you're experiencing one of the really hard things life throws at us from time to time, like grief, they might not make you cheerful as such, but they are still a bit of light in the darkness. So it doesn't consume you.
As you rightly say, our brains are wired to remember the negatives, it's about shifting the balance, and having a written record makes it harder to ignore that there are always some good bits. 😊
Congratulations on the shortlist, Emma!! I wish you continued moments of joy and gentle grace with yourself. My wins today have been taking time to dance, washing my bed linens, and making food to nourish my body before it reached a state of hanger. I am grateful for your invitation to pause and reflect. Thank you!
They're great wins! Sadly grace and joy are somewhat lacking at the moment as I'm back to being burned out and feeling a lot of negativity around this. I'm taking small actions to try and get back in the right direction though so still got some positives in the mix.😊
This is beautiful, Emma. I totally agree with looking for little positives and tiny moments that are lovely rather than trying to overlook or block out the hard stuff in the name of gratitude. And massive congratulations on being included in the book - your work is so gorgeous, it's well-deserved. The you capture the light makes me swoon. My small win lately: wrote and shared my first Substack this week! Lovely to see you here❤️ xx
Thanks Charlene- it's nice to be able to connect with you again here! Finding the positives really is a nice way to improve the balance of what our brains have evolved to retain. Even on the hardest of days there are glimmers of the good stuff! I keep forgetting about the book, with all that's going on, but when I'm reminded (Thanks for that too!) it's very exciting- been invited to a book launch and everything!😃 Better start planning what to wear from now!🤣
And Congratulations- I loved your first newsletter! Off to write the comment I got distracted from yesterday!
Thanks so much for reading! It's exciting to have some writing out in the world again and the community here is so suppportive and encouraging, it's been a lovely place to do it. Definitely agree about looking for the little positives - I find I start to notice more of them once I start looking which is nice. Oooh, a book launch, that's great - definitely plan an outfit but if you're anything like me you'll change it last minute either way. Haha xx
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