Beth I love that with your beginners mind you can take on new projects with great success and be nimble and creative and resilient! It teaches all of us to embrace a new project with positivity and an open heart. You are guiding us with a clarity call to action and art and self care! Thank you for becoming an essential inspiration in my day to day life. You are indispensable
Thank you so much for your kind words. It is really important to me, as you say, "to embrace a new project with positivity and an open heart." A recovering perfectionist, I am hopeful that I won't become a slave to perfectionism again. Taking that open approach will help me psychologically. After all, life is not perfect, so why should a work of art be?
By the way, you are such an inspiration to me, as well.
There is a faction of the health industry that adheres to the "diet and exercise" narrative as though anyone who was sick or injured brought it upon themselves. The first problem with that inference is that it's cruel. The second problem is that we humans carry thousands of years of DNA which dictates our body health, and lastly, we live in a polluted world that advances chemicals we don't know about and can wreck havoc on health -- so the "diet and exercise" mantra as a reason for disharmony in the body is not always accurate. I have eaten a good diet and regularly exercised, for decades, and guess what -- I got old anyway!
The health industry could use more of your art consciousness: beginner's mind, work-in-progress, no guarantees of outcome, and kindness above all else. Compassion for self-and others does a lot more good than the latest diet fad -- but mostly, I see, as do you, the greed of preying upon illness for the sake of profit.
Meanwhile, back at the canvas -- we've shared many times that art is salvation, and that holds true here as well. Journaling and creating stories has helped me through illness and injury, as well as the challenges of daily life. Making something, gives me a sense of connection to the something greater. Each week when I read your Substack, I'm reminded of the fact that there are no guarantees in life except to live each day fully with as much love as possible. I fall terribly short of this ideal, but continue to practice anyway, buoyed by the lens through which you see your art and the world.
Looking forward to experiencing how the sky reflects in the water of this new piece . . . You are in my heart dear Beth.
Your discussion of the "diet and exercise" narrative is spot-on. So many factors go into what causes us to get sick; there is no set formula. We humans should be good stewards of the environment, but yet as a species, we allow -- and cause -- pollutants to invade the Earth.
And we do get old despite making good life choices! There really should be no blame. I believe people wish they could control their own and others' circumstances. But, of course, control is not possible.
I always appreciate your feedback, and I'm so glad we are on the same page/canvas; we realize that creating something is powerful. I think we all fall short of our goals to live each day well. All we can do is try, and if a day doesn't go well, we hit the reset button for the next day.
I so enjoy reading your Substack essays, as well. The art of writing seems to be your salvation, as well, and I love how you consistently live the examined life. You are an incredible role model to me, and your Substack buoys me up because I know how you love the written word.
You are in my heart as well. Hoping I can get the sky to reflect the water, but instead of steeping myself in worry, I am looking forward to seeing what develops with this painting. ❤
Beth, thank you for writing this. It made me think about how powerful our narratives around illness can be. We seem to have a deep need to explain suffering, and too often that explanation becomes blame—whether directed at ourselves or someone else. I like how your essay gently challenges that instinct and invites us to choose curiosity and self-compassion instead.
You are so right about the power of our illness narratives. And I completely agree that people's explanations of why people get sick can become misconstrued as blame.
I think most people try to feel a sense of control, and perhaps we try to find a reason for why people fall ill. But, of course, the reality is that most of the time we cannot know why people get sick. It's this lack of control that we have, and I think we are best off accepting the fact that we have no supreme knowledge or control over people's illnesses and outcomes.
Of course, that's easier said than done. Thank you for the mention, as always, on Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer. I always am grateful for this and your readership.
I love seeing your process as it unfolds, Beth. This is the part most artists, including myself, hide. Why? For me it’s lack of confidence, since I don’t always know where my creating is going and where it will end up. Having the Chicago Botanic Garden to visit for inspiration is wonderful! Best of all is that you feel a sense of calm serenity there.
As for healthy lifestyles: I do what I can keeping in mind that much of the so called health advice is just marketing using fear. And I try not to buy into it. I think the biggest guide for health is to listen to your body as much as you can. And do what feels right to do for you.
I totally understand the lack of confidence; I often lack confidence, especially when beginning a new painting. Right now, I don't fully know where my painting is going and how it will progress. It is a tad scary to put oneself out there by posting drafts. No matter our process, the key is to keep feeding our creativity.
Yes, the garden is so serene; I feel a sense of peace there. And, of course, art is peaceful.
I hear you about the health advice promoting fear. It's true. I guess fear motivates many people to try to take care of themselves -- although some actions are hardly healthy.
Oh gosh, I stopped playing the blame game a while ago. Just a dead end street and a distraction from our own responsibilities. Remember: when we point the finger, there are three more pointing back at us! Ha! Ha! An old AA joke.
I think your process is one of your biggest gifts. That's what we learn from, not always the finished product. If we win awards, that's great. If we don't, we wonder what we can learn from the experience. That's life...a well-examined one.
You are 100 percent right, when you say that the blame game is "Just a dead end street and a distraction from our own responsibilities." Well-said, my friend.
I know that joke about pointing the finger, with three fingers pointing back. A great joke, but also very true.
I completely agree with you about the process. It has helped me see things from a healthy perspective. Accolades are nice, but the main reward is the process itself.
I’m glad you got inspiration from your botanical garden visit. I always feel inspired after I visit them. I look forward to seeing what you do with this painting. People are easily duped when they are fearful. Watching the Senators rake Anthony Fauci over hot coals and glass shards was such a horrible example of recycled fearmongering taken to the extreme, and the hypocrisy was nauseating. The disrespect and disdain for science is going to kill a lot of people, it already does. And trying to blame him for…I don’t know what. I will stop before I go into a rant…
Yes, Alene, nature = nurture. I realized during my visit that I'd been too busy with my life to actually be finding enjoyment in my life, that immersing myself in the glory of nature is good for my own self-care.
Ah yes, the crap that Fauci is going through. Simply awful. What's scary is that we now live in an anti-science societal mindframe. People have died and will continue to die. RFK Jr. is a stupid ignoramus. I know a few MAGA folk, and their disdain for science is sickening.
I have no patience for this anymore. And I welcome your rant, my friend.
I hear you on the health advice, Beth. It's not only the so-called "Wellness/Self-Care/Supplement Industrial Complex" to blame here. My kids are the worst--
"You should start lifting weights for bone strength, Mom."
"Why do you keep so much chocolate in the house?" (They say as they open the pantry looking for more chocolate). "
You don't get enough protein in your diet!"
Of course, they're getting that message from the self-same wellness industry and trying it out in vivo.
They mean well, I know but, I take what I think will help and block out the rest. As you say, there are no panaceas. And nothing is guaranteed.
You say it so well: "I take what I think will help and block out the rest." Yes, your kids do mean well, but I can understand that you do need to block out some of all the things you are hearing.
Yes, the health advice can be burdensome, wherever the information comes from. I do think the healthcare system is such that people who get sick are often blamed for their illness. Conversely, those that remain healthy are praised as if they did something right. Our society still looks at things through a black-and-white lense.
I'm so sorry you are on the receiving end of that blame, Beth. Totally unfair. Unfortunately, this seems to be the vibe from the very top of the health-food chain at the moment, witness our so-called secretary of HHS.
I'm glad that you are able to apply a full-color lens to it all--your painting!
You've got a great start to your new oil painting and the Chicago Botanic Garden is a wonderful place to visit for inspiration. There are so many factors to be considered on why certain people get sick even when they take good care of themselves, and other people live a very unhealthy existence -- smoke, drink, etc., and sail through life living to a ripe old age.
You make an excellent point, Nancy, that we never know why some people fall ill, while others stay healthy, even with an unhealthy lifestyle. No one knows how long they will maintain their health or how long they will live. You hit the nail on the head: there are so many factors that affect one's health.
Thank you for your kind words about the new oil painting and your restack! I recently joined the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the serenity I felt in visiting was amazing. The great thing is that joining the botanic garden gives me entry to a host of public gardens/parks. Lots of artistic opportunities.
Beth I love that with your beginners mind you can take on new projects with great success and be nimble and creative and resilient! It teaches all of us to embrace a new project with positivity and an open heart. You are guiding us with a clarity call to action and art and self care! Thank you for becoming an essential inspiration in my day to day life. You are indispensable
Hi Gerry,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It is really important to me, as you say, "to embrace a new project with positivity and an open heart." A recovering perfectionist, I am hopeful that I won't become a slave to perfectionism again. Taking that open approach will help me psychologically. After all, life is not perfect, so why should a work of art be?
By the way, you are such an inspiration to me, as well.
There is a faction of the health industry that adheres to the "diet and exercise" narrative as though anyone who was sick or injured brought it upon themselves. The first problem with that inference is that it's cruel. The second problem is that we humans carry thousands of years of DNA which dictates our body health, and lastly, we live in a polluted world that advances chemicals we don't know about and can wreck havoc on health -- so the "diet and exercise" mantra as a reason for disharmony in the body is not always accurate. I have eaten a good diet and regularly exercised, for decades, and guess what -- I got old anyway!
The health industry could use more of your art consciousness: beginner's mind, work-in-progress, no guarantees of outcome, and kindness above all else. Compassion for self-and others does a lot more good than the latest diet fad -- but mostly, I see, as do you, the greed of preying upon illness for the sake of profit.
Meanwhile, back at the canvas -- we've shared many times that art is salvation, and that holds true here as well. Journaling and creating stories has helped me through illness and injury, as well as the challenges of daily life. Making something, gives me a sense of connection to the something greater. Each week when I read your Substack, I'm reminded of the fact that there are no guarantees in life except to live each day fully with as much love as possible. I fall terribly short of this ideal, but continue to practice anyway, buoyed by the lens through which you see your art and the world.
Looking forward to experiencing how the sky reflects in the water of this new piece . . . You are in my heart dear Beth.
Hi Stephanie,
Your discussion of the "diet and exercise" narrative is spot-on. So many factors go into what causes us to get sick; there is no set formula. We humans should be good stewards of the environment, but yet as a species, we allow -- and cause -- pollutants to invade the Earth.
And we do get old despite making good life choices! There really should be no blame. I believe people wish they could control their own and others' circumstances. But, of course, control is not possible.
I always appreciate your feedback, and I'm so glad we are on the same page/canvas; we realize that creating something is powerful. I think we all fall short of our goals to live each day well. All we can do is try, and if a day doesn't go well, we hit the reset button for the next day.
I so enjoy reading your Substack essays, as well. The art of writing seems to be your salvation, as well, and I love how you consistently live the examined life. You are an incredible role model to me, and your Substack buoys me up because I know how you love the written word.
You are in my heart as well. Hoping I can get the sky to reflect the water, but instead of steeping myself in worry, I am looking forward to seeing what develops with this painting. ❤
Beth, thank you for writing this. It made me think about how powerful our narratives around illness can be. We seem to have a deep need to explain suffering, and too often that explanation becomes blame—whether directed at ourselves or someone else. I like how your essay gently challenges that instinct and invites us to choose curiosity and self-compassion instead.
Hi Marie,
You are so right about the power of our illness narratives. And I completely agree that people's explanations of why people get sick can become misconstrued as blame.
I think most people try to feel a sense of control, and perhaps we try to find a reason for why people fall ill. But, of course, the reality is that most of the time we cannot know why people get sick. It's this lack of control that we have, and I think we are best off accepting the fact that we have no supreme knowledge or control over people's illnesses and outcomes.
Of course, that's easier said than done. Thank you for the mention, as always, on Journeying Beyond Breast Cancer. I always am grateful for this and your readership.
Beth I love that with your beginners mind you can take on new projects with great success and be nimble and creative and
Thanak you, Gerry! Being nimble is essential, I think, when taking on new projects. I appreciate your insights, dear friend.
I love seeing your process as it unfolds, Beth. This is the part most artists, including myself, hide. Why? For me it’s lack of confidence, since I don’t always know where my creating is going and where it will end up. Having the Chicago Botanic Garden to visit for inspiration is wonderful! Best of all is that you feel a sense of calm serenity there.
As for healthy lifestyles: I do what I can keeping in mind that much of the so called health advice is just marketing using fear. And I try not to buy into it. I think the biggest guide for health is to listen to your body as much as you can. And do what feels right to do for you.
Hi Susan,
I totally understand the lack of confidence; I often lack confidence, especially when beginning a new painting. Right now, I don't fully know where my painting is going and how it will progress. It is a tad scary to put oneself out there by posting drafts. No matter our process, the key is to keep feeding our creativity.
Yes, the garden is so serene; I feel a sense of peace there. And, of course, art is peaceful.
I hear you about the health advice promoting fear. It's true. I guess fear motivates many people to try to take care of themselves -- although some actions are hardly healthy.
Thank you for your insightful comment.
Oh gosh, I stopped playing the blame game a while ago. Just a dead end street and a distraction from our own responsibilities. Remember: when we point the finger, there are three more pointing back at us! Ha! Ha! An old AA joke.
I think your process is one of your biggest gifts. That's what we learn from, not always the finished product. If we win awards, that's great. If we don't, we wonder what we can learn from the experience. That's life...a well-examined one.
Hi Marilea,
You are 100 percent right, when you say that the blame game is "Just a dead end street and a distraction from our own responsibilities." Well-said, my friend.
I know that joke about pointing the finger, with three fingers pointing back. A great joke, but also very true.
I completely agree with you about the process. It has helped me see things from a healthy perspective. Accolades are nice, but the main reward is the process itself.
Thank you for your comment. ❤
I’m glad you got inspiration from your botanical garden visit. I always feel inspired after I visit them. I look forward to seeing what you do with this painting. People are easily duped when they are fearful. Watching the Senators rake Anthony Fauci over hot coals and glass shards was such a horrible example of recycled fearmongering taken to the extreme, and the hypocrisy was nauseating. The disrespect and disdain for science is going to kill a lot of people, it already does. And trying to blame him for…I don’t know what. I will stop before I go into a rant…
Yes, Alene, nature = nurture. I realized during my visit that I'd been too busy with my life to actually be finding enjoyment in my life, that immersing myself in the glory of nature is good for my own self-care.
Ah yes, the crap that Fauci is going through. Simply awful. What's scary is that we now live in an anti-science societal mindframe. People have died and will continue to die. RFK Jr. is a stupid ignoramus. I know a few MAGA folk, and their disdain for science is sickening.
I have no patience for this anymore. And I welcome your rant, my friend.
I hear you on the health advice, Beth. It's not only the so-called "Wellness/Self-Care/Supplement Industrial Complex" to blame here. My kids are the worst--
"You should start lifting weights for bone strength, Mom."
"Why do you keep so much chocolate in the house?" (They say as they open the pantry looking for more chocolate). "
You don't get enough protein in your diet!"
Of course, they're getting that message from the self-same wellness industry and trying it out in vivo.
They mean well, I know but, I take what I think will help and block out the rest. As you say, there are no panaceas. And nothing is guaranteed.
Hi Robin,
You say it so well: "I take what I think will help and block out the rest." Yes, your kids do mean well, but I can understand that you do need to block out some of all the things you are hearing.
Yes, the health advice can be burdensome, wherever the information comes from. I do think the healthcare system is such that people who get sick are often blamed for their illness. Conversely, those that remain healthy are praised as if they did something right. Our society still looks at things through a black-and-white lense.
I'm so sorry you are on the receiving end of that blame, Beth. Totally unfair. Unfortunately, this seems to be the vibe from the very top of the health-food chain at the moment, witness our so-called secretary of HHS.
I'm glad that you are able to apply a full-color lens to it all--your painting!
Thank you so much, Robin. Yes, RFK Jr. is a mess!
I am glad to put color into that black-and-white lens.
Great start on this painting, Beth! I can't wait to see your updates on it.
Thank you, so much, Pam! I'm hoping it goes relatively well. ❤
You've got a great start to your new oil painting and the Chicago Botanic Garden is a wonderful place to visit for inspiration. There are so many factors to be considered on why certain people get sick even when they take good care of themselves, and other people live a very unhealthy existence -- smoke, drink, etc., and sail through life living to a ripe old age.
You make an excellent point, Nancy, that we never know why some people fall ill, while others stay healthy, even with an unhealthy lifestyle. No one knows how long they will maintain their health or how long they will live. You hit the nail on the head: there are so many factors that affect one's health.
Thank you for your kind words about the new oil painting and your restack! I recently joined the Chicago Botanic Garden, and the serenity I felt in visiting was amazing. The great thing is that joining the botanic garden gives me entry to a host of public gardens/parks. Lots of artistic opportunities.