I am worthy of … ? You are worthy of …?

Several years ago, I was excitedly explaining how to make a smoothie to someone close to me.

“It’s just a few handfuls of spinach, some frozen strawberries, and banana.”

“Hmph!! That sounds like an awfully expensive drink!”

Shame flooded my body as that simple comment struck at a most vulnerable place. Was it really that expensive? Should

I not make smoothies at all? Was I not worth that investment? Was I not worth the expense? Did I not even deserve

spinach? And if I don’t even deserve spinach, of what else am I not worthy?

It is your sacred duty to give yourself everything you need … not just to survive, but to thrive.

Thankfully, I didn’t wallow in that person’s projected worthlessness for long. And that comment was what inspired me

to start writing about food and how much it costs to eat healthy, which has become one of the most fulfilling projects

I’ve ever done. I was also in an online art and support group at the time, one of the few pre-Life Book, and my journal

entry was a drawing of me in my kitchen surrounded by mounds and mounds of spinach. I titled it, “I am worthy of

spinach.” And I believed it. And once I believed I was worthy of spinach, I thought about what else I might be worthy of.

It turned out to be a very long list.

We all get messages from other people about what we should and should not claim for ourselves. It becomes easier and

easier to do and provide for others and take care of those around us while denying ourselves those very same things and

neglecting our own self-care. But we don’t do ourselves any favors by playing small and by denying ourselves what we

need … and what we want, and what makes us happy.

Of what sacred self-care are YOU worthy? What do you need to really thrive? Is it healthy food? Enough sleep? Love and

friendship? Exercise? Art and creativity?

In this lesson, we’re going to make a storyboard/comic strip style journal page exploring the things that heal us, make us

healthy and whole, and that make us happiest.

Voila … now, the final step … feel worthy of all the things you listed and claim them for yourself (as well as giving them

to others when you can).

Music has always been an important part of making art for me, even though I don’t make music of my own.

I was so happy to obtain permission to use some fabulous music in this video. The Understorey and Audra Kubat are

fellow Michiganders who make beautiful sounds locally and elsewhere. I was lucky enough to see them at music festivals

and other events this year. Billie Myers is located in the UK and was famous for her “Kiss the Rain,” song in the 1990s.

Her independently produced song, Wonderful, seemed so fitting … Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and the artists and their

work can be found on their websites listed below.

http://www.theunderstory.com http://www.billiemyers.com http://www.audrakubat.com

Thank you so very much for working on this project with me. I hope you enjoy it. I know I did. For those of you who

don’t know me, I’m a proud to be 52 yo vegan artist, author, photographer, mom, grandma, gardener, food lover, yoga

doer, dancer, life & nature lover, and navel gazer living in southern mid Michigan. I have an art blog here:

http://www.lisaviger.com, a raw food blog here: http://www.rawon10.com, and a cooked food vegan blog here:

http://www.veganologie.com … I love all the beings with whom I share this beautiful planet and live in a twisty house

on a windy hill between a wild creek and a lazy berry patch.