Quote
“When you look at your neighbour’s work, you see it for what it is.
When you look at your own work, you see it for what it isn’t.”
Author: Peter Thornton
A full-time professional calligrapher and artist for over forty years, Peter Thornton is a Fellow of the Calligraphy and Lettering Arts Society (C.L.A.S.) with an international reputation as a gifted teacher and calligrapher. His lighthearted wit and playful approach to teaching brings students eager to learn from him in workshops he has offered throughout the world. He has authored several books and is known for his exploration of the visually and acoustically exciting world of ‘musicalligraphy’ – a combination of sound and letters.
Soul-Questions
1. Have you ever looked at your own work, art, project, business, life and seen “what it isn’t”?
* In your journal, reflect on some moments in your life when you’ve compared your work, art, projects, efforts in sports activities, hobbies etc. with another; seen perfection in their work, but saw nothing like it when you’ve considered your own.
2. Do you put pressure on yourself in other areas of your life, relationships?* If so, consider an example and write about it in your journal.
3. Do others see you as a perfectionist?
* Are they accurate?
4. If they are accurate, does your perfectionism interfere with any of your relationships?
* If so, how?
5. Are you comfortable with this aspect of your personality?
* If you are not comfortable being a perfectionist, what might you do to ease up on yourself so that you can spend less time being self-critical?
6. When someone expresses appreciation of your work, art, efforts, are you able to reply with sincerity and say “thank you”? Or is your response apologetic, self-deprecation?
* In your journal, reflect on your response.
7. If you find it difficult to reply with just a simple “thank you,” for whatever reasons,in your journal, reflect on what steps you might take to otherwise reply the next time someone appreciates your art, your friendship, the gift you made them … or expresses appreciation of you.
© June Maffin www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts
www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
Callligraphic Art © Peter Thornton
Photograph behind the Calligraphic Art taken at Yellow Point Lodge, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Calligraphy: Peter Thornton
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How to use “Soulistry Soul-Questions”
You may want to begin a Journal so your responses are all in one place.
From time to time, a quotation will appear along with accompanying Soul-Questions. Write the quotation. Add the first question and write your response.
Take your time in writing your replies. This is your time – these are your answers.
Then at your leisure, add the second Soul-Question and respond and continue on. Btw, it helps to put the date after each Soul-Question response.
The “Soul-Questions” group on Facebook can be found www.facebook.com/groups/soulquestions
The “Soul-Questions” website and individual quotes/soul-questions can be found www.soulistry.com/soul-questions-blog-posts