Are You Disposable Or Treasured?
This Week's Simple Tip
Once in awhile we come across something that completely changes our perspective. I look at these things as wonderful AHA moments in life! I recently experienced one that I think you'll find very interesting ...
There is a Japanese art form that instead of looking at things as "broken," highlights and enhances the cracks, making it more beautiful and treasured. Pieces of broken pottery are put back together with a liquid gold to enhance the breaks. The technique is called "kintsugi" (金継ぎ), literally golden (“kin”) and repair (“tsugi”).
Every repaired piece ends up being unique because of how ceramics shatter and form irregular patterns at the breaks. The short clip below does a really nice job of explaining this. I was curious to learn more about this concept so I attended to a kintsugi workshop. Before the hands-on breaking ceramics portion, we discussed how looking at our experiences in life, good and bad, make us who we are today. Each attendee was then asked to break a piece of pottery. I was surprised how difficult it was for me to break a perfectly good bowl with a hammer. Then we started the repair process with the liquid gold. Keep in mind this first attempt at this was not going to be anywhere near as beautiful as the work done by the masters in Japan! Still, once I saw the new version of my bowl with its added beauty from the gold, I was in awe.
Whether it is an object or a person, we can be repaired and become more beautiful. What a refreshing perspective on resilience! We grow from our hardships if we allow ourselves to, and become a unique and beautiful new version.
This Week's Focus
This week, think about your 'breaks.' Start looking at them as embellishments that make you unique. Instead of hiding, display the unique you with pride!
Click on the serenity sticky to print, cut and post on your bathroom mirror to remind you of this week's focus. Good luck!
A Little Helpful Hint
Nobody has a perfect life. The ups and downs are what make it an interesting journey. Just like the cracked bowl painted with gold, it is up to us to accept and learn what's useful from the more trying times. Make our challenging times gold embellishment opportunities!
