When you hear a voice inside of you that tells you that you can't do something then do it and the voice will disappear.

If there is one life lesson that I have learned it is this one. A version of this quote is from the old painter, Vincent van Gogh. You know.....the one who cut off his ear and went insane. His work is brilliant and these wise words resonated with me.

Last summer I painted nearly every room in my house. Big deal you might say, I've done every room in my house too. But for years I had convinced myself that I couldn't paint. I had a bad experience painting a hallway once and had convinced myself for years that I couldn't paint. The burgundy paint was everywhere. On my clothes, on my nose, on the floor, on the ceiling, in the room next to it. Man if I can't paint this little space, there is no hope for me.

Well I got tired of that story and listening to that little voice inside of my head while looking at these rooms in my house that desperately needed a freshen up. so I decided to start with my daughters bedroom. " I CAN do this. I'll start here, take my time and if I make mistakes, she won't care " when it was done, I got such a huge sense of accomplishment and it wasn't because of the nice fresh green paint that went beautifully with her sheets. It was because that voice disappeared and I no longer had to listen to it. I could do it. Of course it snowballed into a full out obsession and I began my painting frenzy which last nearly 2 months. But that's just me. what a ball.

Reminds me of a quote... You must do the thing you think you cannot do until you get a record of successful experiences behind you...Eleanor Roosevelt.

Since then every little thing I do out of the 'ordinary' is because of the step I took. The step out of my story that I couldn't paint...The step out of my comfort zone that said "some people can paint and some people can't" The step out of the thought that was holding me back while looking at these unpainted rooms.

"Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task." -William James

I have felt so empowered by that one little step I took that everything I do now, I'm reminded of this quote. I chuckled when I remembered the correct version of the Vincent van Gogh quote.

"When you hear a little voice inside your head that tells you you can't paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced."

Blessings and love to you,

Carrie