Gioia–We Are Loved Beyond Our Ability to Comprehend
The other day, while Rebecca was sharing with Gioia doubts about buying a new home, Gioia was reminded of a time when she was about 23 years old, struggling with making the decision to go to graduate school. At the time, her friend Jake, who had been supportively listening to her labor over this dilemma, grabbed a pen and piece of note paper.
On it he wrote, “Everything works out better than I planned it,” and handed Gioia the paper. As she read it, she took a deep breath and felt a sense of relief and deep comfort. She tucked the piece of paper with its simple slogan into her pocket, lighter and more hopeful.
Gioia still has that scrap of paper years later, now yellowed and tattered, and it is still one of her favorite sayings. And it’s true! Everything did work out better than she could have ever possibly planned it! How did he know?! Gioia shared the quote with Rebecca and she experienced the same relief and ease of mind, knowing that whatever she did, it would all be OK.
Slogans or mottos are also big in 12-Step programs. Who hasn’t heard of the saying “One Day at a Time” ? Other favorites of mine from the 12 Step world are “Let go and Let God,” “Progress, not Perfection” and “Everyday is a gift, that is why we call it the Present.”
In art therapy, we have slogans such as “Trust the process” and “It’s the Process, not the Product” and, from Pablo Picasso: “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” We train students to “Meet your clients where they are” and that “It’s all grist for the mill.”
In positive psychology, we like to “Broaden and Build” through positive emotions and “Focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong.” We remember Chris Peterson, the Teddy Bear of Positive Psychology, for the simple but universal “Other people matter.” And in DC, local folks sometimes say that they’re, “too Blessed to be stressed.”
It seems like catchy slogans capture some essential truths in a way that makes it more likely that we will remember them, especially at a time when they might be most helpful.
We are toying with slogans which would reflect our work at Creative Wellbeing Workshops–“Creating Productive Wellbeing”, “Art Saves Lives”–but we haven’t quite found the one that fits.
What is your favorite slogan or motto? Post it on our Facebook page and tell us what moved you about it.
We send you all warm thoughts for a safe and happy December–wishing you and the rest of the world peace, forgiveness, and beauty.