I Heart Pinterest
If I hear one more person say they hate Pinerest, I might cry.
And it's not because I love over-the-top birthday parties or think the world would fall apart if it didn't know of "23 Ways to Reinvent the T-shirt." It goes much deeper than that.
It's popular to hate Pinterest because it's a sign of the mentality of the times. If someone or something makes me feel inadequate, or unworthy, or un-trendy, or unimaginative or "un" anything, then clearly that person or thing is BAD.
Because, if something or someone makes me feel negatively about myself then fault lies with that thing or person. Obviously. What else could it be?
The truth is, I believe, that there are some of us who fall quite easily into the pit of comparison. But, unlike what the world says, I'd submit that the fault lies with us. Those strong feelings are red flags that we're wounded and need healing in a big way.
As far back as we know, those who possess a creative mind sought out inspiration. They intentionally gathered together with others who pursued their same passions. People to guide, inspire, discuss, plan, critique, and commiserate. The salons of the french painters, the literary societies, etc.
How tragic if one of the great artists had looked at their predecessors and contemporaries and told themselves that they could never achieve that greatness so why even try and by-the-way-who-do-those-people-think-they-are-anyway? And then locked themselves in their room to cry themselves to sleep or, you know, became an accountant or something? What a loss.
Instead, they allowed themselves to meld inspiration with their own creativity, passion, talent, and insight, and proceeded to churn out something the world had never seen before.
Pinterest, to me, is just that. It's inspiration. Nothing more or less. Except, it's pretty awesome because it's free and it's available at our fingertips (while we sit in our pajamas, on the couch, with a cat keeping our feet warm.)
Now, the baby showers or birthday parties I plan will never be the stuff of myths or legends. The meals I make will never inspire poetry. The diy art projects will never grace a museum. But that's okay.
Creativity is woven into the fabric of every being and shows through in a myriad of ways. We celebrate.We nourish. We bring peace, beauty, and calm into our homes. These are creative endeavors that bring meaning into, if not the world, then into our world.
How sad to think that some people intentionally close themselves off to a vast network of creativity and inspiration because they feel bad about themselves. Safe and secure people who know who they are and what they're called to do don't get shaken by what everyone else is doing or not doing. They aren't constantly looking over their shoulder or comparing or critiquing. They're not mired in jealousy and discontent.
Instead, they celebrate with those around them. They admire what others are doing or not doing. They reach out if they want to learn from someone else. They take that inspiration and make it personal.
So, instead of hating a platform, I think we should see our frustration as a starting place and examine why we feel that way. We can use those emotions as a way to better understand ourselves and can choose to unearth what's really behind them, fix our thinking, and then see growth and maturity as an outcome.
And it's not because I love over-the-top birthday parties or think the world would fall apart if it didn't know of "23 Ways to Reinvent the T-shirt." It goes much deeper than that.
It's popular to hate Pinterest because it's a sign of the mentality of the times. If someone or something makes me feel inadequate, or unworthy, or un-trendy, or unimaginative or "un" anything, then clearly that person or thing is BAD.
Because, if something or someone makes me feel negatively about myself then fault lies with that thing or person. Obviously. What else could it be?
The truth is, I believe, that there are some of us who fall quite easily into the pit of comparison. But, unlike what the world says, I'd submit that the fault lies with us. Those strong feelings are red flags that we're wounded and need healing in a big way.
As far back as we know, those who possess a creative mind sought out inspiration. They intentionally gathered together with others who pursued their same passions. People to guide, inspire, discuss, plan, critique, and commiserate. The salons of the french painters, the literary societies, etc.
How tragic if one of the great artists had looked at their predecessors and contemporaries and told themselves that they could never achieve that greatness so why even try and by-the-way-who-do-those-people-think-they-are-anyway? And then locked themselves in their room to cry themselves to sleep or, you know, became an accountant or something? What a loss.
Instead, they allowed themselves to meld inspiration with their own creativity, passion, talent, and insight, and proceeded to churn out something the world had never seen before.
Pinterest, to me, is just that. It's inspiration. Nothing more or less. Except, it's pretty awesome because it's free and it's available at our fingertips (while we sit in our pajamas, on the couch, with a cat keeping our feet warm.)
Now, the baby showers or birthday parties I plan will never be the stuff of myths or legends. The meals I make will never inspire poetry. The diy art projects will never grace a museum. But that's okay.
Creativity is woven into the fabric of every being and shows through in a myriad of ways. We celebrate.We nourish. We bring peace, beauty, and calm into our homes. These are creative endeavors that bring meaning into, if not the world, then into our world.
How sad to think that some people intentionally close themselves off to a vast network of creativity and inspiration because they feel bad about themselves. Safe and secure people who know who they are and what they're called to do don't get shaken by what everyone else is doing or not doing. They aren't constantly looking over their shoulder or comparing or critiquing. They're not mired in jealousy and discontent.
Instead, they celebrate with those around them. They admire what others are doing or not doing. They reach out if they want to learn from someone else. They take that inspiration and make it personal.
So, instead of hating a platform, I think we should see our frustration as a starting place and examine why we feel that way. We can use those emotions as a way to better understand ourselves and can choose to unearth what's really behind them, fix our thinking, and then see growth and maturity as an outcome.
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