Some days I miss being back in school. Don’t get me wrong. I definitely don’t miss those all night lab sessions or studying for exams. It is great to have a set schedule though. The school year starts in September and ends in May or June, and we move on to the next level at the end of that term. The transitions are clearly defined and it’s easy to track your progress. Real life, however, is not set up that way. Life flows in seasons instead of semesters.
LifeLessons
Thoughts from a recovering perfectionist… (Guest post at Abbey of Arts)
Recently, I wrote an article about my journey into the contemplative tradition. I’m grateful that this article is now a guest post on Abbey of the Arts – a website that integrates contemplative practices and creative expressions.
Here’s a snippet from my article…
“Helpful Tips from the Recovering Perfectionist*
When I started practicing contemplative spirituality, I faced quite a culture shock. Being from the Silicon Valley, I was task oriented, perfectionistic, and goal driven… everything the contemplative ways are not. Where were the deadlines and checklists I’m so familiar with? It took quite a while for me to understand and adapt to this new and curious lifestyle.
The contemplative traditions are more “organic”. You can follow a plan and do the exercises, but the results are not so concrete. It’s more like watching plants grow. From day to day, the growth are so minuscule that they are barely noticeable. Similarly, when I started meditating and going on walks, I couldn’t really see where all these changes would take me. What would really come of just ten minutes of being quiet? Then, little by little, the peace and quiet from the few minutes spilled into the rest of my day. The changes didn’t come overnight, but they did come.
…Continue reading on Abbey of the Arts.
* Thanks to my friend Liwen Ho for introducing me to the phrase “recovering perfectionist.” 🙂
God’s Classroom Rules
When I was young, our church hosted a summer camp every year. There’s usually a great speaker and we head home feeling really excited about our faith and God. However, after a few weeks, that excitement waned and our attentions were soon diverted back to the daily grind in life and ministry. Eventually, after a few years of this cycle, we began to wonder if our summer camp was really effective. It’s great to feel the conviction and initial excitement. If only we can keep the momentum going.
Continue reading
Jesus loves me this I know??
For a long time, I found it difficult to admit to my Christian friends that I didn’t really feel that God loves me. Continue reading
Growing up
So I was watching this “makeover” show on TV tonite. And they’re trying to change an Asian-American college student from a “sportsy tom boy” into a more outgoing, assertive, sexy gal. They did everything from cleaning up her bedroom, giving her a brand new wardrobe, and making her jump out of air planes, just to get her out of her comfort zone.
They gave her a new hair style, make up and a new wardrobe. At the end of the show, she looked stunning. But, behind all that glamour still stands a shy little girl. They, and even her self tried with all of their effort to become an Adult. But I think what she really needed to do was to be more confident about herself. To achieve that, changing your look will only go so far. She will need to truly grow up on the inside. To become the fullness of who she is without trying to please others or be apologetic about it. To enjoy her strengths while working through her weakness. To know that the value of who she is does not depend on the opinion of society or family or a man. To become a woman uniquely her own – now that’s Beautiful.
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