Have a go

Just in case yesterday's post was a bit offputting (and not just because of the length!), one of my gurus*, Brene Brown  reprinted something Theodore Roosevelt said in his Citizenship in a Republic speech:"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly . . .”In a recent post, Brene Brown, shares that she uses the phrase Daring Greatly as the title of her soon to be released book.  I really loved an earlier book of hers, The Gifts of Imperfection and will be keen to read this one.  She talks a lot about vulnerability and the courage to show up and let ourselves be seen.  She says:Our willingness to own and engage with our vulnerability determines the depth of our courage and the clarity of our purpose.For me, this blog is part of that.  My work in Nepal and making my art and teaching is part of that. What she writes helps.  There's a big difference between standing back and listening and standing back and negatively criticising.  I work hard not to fall in THAT trap.  If Theodore was an Aussie, he might have said Have a go ya mug.* My gurus include people who don't know me from a bar of soap but whose writings I find helpful.  Their names appear in the blog from time to time.  You'll know who they are.  Brene Brown is one of them.