Keep Kind Intentions

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” - Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Van Gogh didn’t find his direction in life until he was 27 years old. He had tried different jobs, from art dealer to schoolmaster and lay preacher. Perhaps all along the way he had been hearing a voice that said “you cannot paint”. Eventually though, he embraced his calling on the advice of his younger brother Theo.

When we think about kindness, it is usually focused on others. However, self-kindness is the starting point for any effective care of others. If you are not sustaining yourself, how can you sustain others?

Self care means listening to your own voice with discernment - and also with skepticism. Sometimes that small voice you hear is the voice you know you should follow. Other times, that small voice is you trying to avoid doing what you know you should be doing. We are our own best advocate, and also our own best liar.

As Van Gogh points out, the best way to put your plans and doubts to the test is to just take action. There are many old adages for conveying this concept - “The true test is in the doing”,
“Fish, or cut bait”,
“Talk is cheap, results are priceless”.

Kind intentions must be translated into action! If you have an inkling about some new skill or new direction, give it a tiny try and see what happens. You don’t have to tell anyone, least of all that little voice that’s telling you you can’t do it! You will probably be bad at anything new, but carefully watch your excitement and energy levels. Do you get satisfaction, even from a bad attempt? Do you keep thinking about it, even when you aren’t practicing? Those are signs that you might be heading in the right direction.

Have you seen Van Gogh’s prancing pony and old pair of shoes? Probably not, because they’re not his most exceptional works. But we can also see some elements of his style starting to bloom.

Thankfully, he kept listening to the voice that said to keep painting:

History and biography is written to present some type of logical flow to the path of life, but a closer look reveals that few if any people have a seamless straight path to success and happiness. Don’t be unkind to yourself if things aren’t going the way you’d imagined. You can paint yourself into a corner, but by all means - you can also paint your way out of a corner. Match kind intentions with kind actions, especially towards yourself!