shinyelfriend - Tumblr blog

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New Art - Kirstin Maldonado

[shinyelfriend]

In everything we do, there always seems to be a versus - this deeply ingrained way of approaching our self-care, relationships, challenges, and conflicts as a battle we must win at all costs.

Whether it’s our goals versus what we see as shortcomings, our opinions and ideals versus theirs, our needs versus theirs, our culture versus theirs, our grievance versus theirs...etc., our go-to language is invariably the metaphor of the fight, or what I’m calling versus language.

We even internalize versus language against aspects of ourselves we perceive as less worthy, like procrastination or physical weakness. There is a difference between challenging ourselves to be our best, most authentic selves, and setting ourselves up for internal conflict.

After all, we can’t fight ourselves and win. 

In a fight, in order to win, there must be a loser. If we seek to win at life, win/win is the highest and best possible outcome. Nevertheless, we habitually use versus language to encourage:

“You killed that” 

“I can beat this”

“Go out there and annihilate the competition”

Hyping ourselves to perform with versus language that warriors might use in a life or death battle seems like a dubious approach to a peaceful, fulfilled life where the optimal outcome is win/win. In this world of terror, war, conflict, hatred, and divisiveness, don’t we all ache for goodness, kindness, and love?

For that reason, I’ve recently been attempting to catch myself when the familiar versus phrases come to mind, and instead practice using positive, loving words to encourage myself and others, like:

“You were brilliant”

“I am proud of myself”

“It felt so great to see you at your best like that!”

We don’t necessarily have to be against anything in order to be for something, do we? Choices  that remove the conflict of versus language leave room in our experience for the optimal win/win.

Anyway, that is my latest train-wreck of thought

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[shinyelfriend]

This is a stunningly beautiful song, with gorgeous lyrics, and miraculous vocals, but that's Messer. Music & Lyrics: Messer (Mitch Grassi). Photos of Messer: Austin Macedo. Rights to al other media used in design purchased on iStock.

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[shinyelfriend]

Fan video, not affiliated with Mitch Grassi. Song and lyrics by Mitch Grassi. Photos of Messer by Austin Macedo. Rights to other media purchased by me on iStock Photo

[shinyelfriend]

I’m totally taking this as permission to not change a damned thing! Take up space, everyone!

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This one got a little weird, but I like it that way. Velvet song and lyrics, Messer. Messer image by Austin Macedo. Rights to art and photos used in the designs purchased by me from iStock Photo. I'm not affiliated with Mitch Grassi, this is a fan video - my first attempt to learn how to really do this after “accidentally” doing one for “Agony.”

Transcript

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#grinninglikeanidiot

i love this audio

[shinyelfriend]

Unofficial lyrics video of "Agony" by Mitch Grassi, photos of Messer by Austin Macedo. Rights to other photos used in designs purchased by me on iStock Photos.

This is fanart and not affiliated with Messer, Mitch Grassi, Austin Macedo, or Nick Weiss - just a love letter to a very special song by an artist/artists I admire, and a voice I will never get enough of.

Honestly I didn't intend to do all the lyrics or create a video, but I couldn't stop once I got started.

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*Dead* 😂🤣😂

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[shinyelfriend]

New Scott Drawing

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For Dreamhunter

[shinyelfriend]

Katherine, my beautiful Mom and best friend. I was 27 when she passed, and I’ll never not miss her. Among many other things, we shared a love for speculative fiction, and she had a gorgeous singing voice.

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[shinyelfriend]

And now I'd happily die if I didn't need to stay alive to re-read this a few thousand times.