Kim Dettmer Art
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Moments Matter

1/24/2016

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Recently I was listening to a fabulous interview with Gloria Steinem.  The interviewer, Debbie Phillips (founder of the AMAZING group Women on Fire) thanked Gloria for a time, years prior, when Gloria made a positive impact on Debbie's life. Gloria, who did not recall the situation, thanked her for telling the story and said "What that proves is that we all need to do the best we can in the moment because the moment may turn out to matter."  

Those powerful words struck me. How true! We never know when something we have said or done makes a difference in the lives of others.  So, wouldn't it be great if we always tried to do our best?!!?

Then, I began to think about moments in my life when someone did their best and made a positive difference for me.  I remembered many moments including when...

I was struggling through one of life's rough patches and a friend checked in on me and made sure that I wasn't spending too much time wallowing in my pain ...it was good to know that someone cared!

​A supervisor taught me to look beyond a negative first-impression of someone and consciously look for his/her strengths ...a skill that has served me well throughout my life.

I moved into my residence hall for my freshman year of college, my RA greeted me and made me feel welcome ...and amidst that transition a her friendliness made me less anxious and helped me to thrive.

A stranger at the grocery store complimented me on my parenting ...and since being a parent is so hard, it was so nice to be reminded that I don't completely suck as a mom!

A friend conspired with my husband and planned a wonderful surprise for my birthday ...it's nice to feel loved.


But, I bet many of these people don't know that those moments mattered to me. So, this week on Facebook, I have decided to thank people who did their best in a moment and positively impacted me.

(I am going to use #MomentsMatter and the image above - please feel free to join me use both on your social media pages!)

What are the moments that have mattered to you?
Is there anyone you want to thank?


Please share your moments in the comments below, or on Facebook!
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Dear Sons,

1/8/2016

2 Comments

 
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My sons Alex (10) and Owen (9) at Yellowstone this past summer.
One morning last month, as I woke, I found myself mentally composing a letter to my sons. Because of the powerful way the letter spilled from my dream into my waking reality, I knew these words could not be ignored.  So I grabbed a latte, sat down at my computer and this is what I wrote.

​​Dear Alex and Owen,
​
My hopes for you are that you…
 
LOVE – Love others for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Allow others to love you in the same way.
 
DREAM BIG – Have the audacity to believe that you can do anything, be anything, and accomplish the impossible. Dreaming Big is scary. You may think that you aren’t worthy of your big dreams. Or you may feel that your big dreams do not seem very “important”. None of that matters. Living your dreams is not for others to judge.  It is for you to believe in. It is for you to strive for. It is for you to own, embrace, and make come true.
 
BE KIND TO OTHERS – You will never know the journeys that the person next to you has taken. Believe in the good in humanity and treat people with kindness.
 
BE KIND TO YOURSELF – As humans our internal dialog can be awful, demeaning, mean, and a big waste of time. Be gentle in tough times, kindly challenge yourself when you need direction and guidance, and talk to yourself how you would talk to a cherished loved one.
 
LIVE IN YOUR TRUTH – Whether you are aware of it or not, intrinsically you know what is true. Your truth is uniquely yours. It is your personal north star. It is guiding and grounding. By following your truth and “knowing” your way through life, you will find happiness.
 
SHARE YOUR STORY – Share who you are and who you want to become. Talk about how you have faltered and what you have learned. Your experiences are important, special, unique and not to be compared. By sharing your story you connect with others and build meaningful relationships. Your story is a gift to share.
 
PRACTICE GRATITUDE – Take time to notice all the goodness all in your life and be humble and thankful.
 
FIND YOUR SOFT SPOTS TO LAND – Life can be hard. Life will be hard. We all need places to go to and people we can be with when we are feeling lost, vulnerable, raw, confused, angry or sad.  Find your places and people and use them without shame. I hope our family will serve as one – but I will respect your choice when it is not.
 
TEACH OTHERS HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED – It is your boundaries and the way in which you communicate them that lets people know how to treat you. Learn what behaviors you will accept and be a part of, and which one you don’t. Set healthy boundaries and then act and speak accordingly.
 
LET YOURSELF FEEL THE HURT – You will go through hard, miserable times in your life. It’s OK. Fall down. Feel the pain. Be sad. Be mad. Be afraid. Cry. Sulk. Scream. Cower. And then, when you are ready – and maybe even before you are ready – get back up. Begin to recover and mend. Pain is a part of life but it is certain that you will learn and grow from the experience.
 
LET YOURSELF FEEL THE JOY – You will have wonderful, marvelous times in your life.  Don’t be afraid to enjoy these times. Feel the Joy and Happiness. Hit “Pause” on the moment and breathe in the goodness. Acknowledge it, welcome it, embrace it, and celebrate. You deserve it!
 
KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED – Yes, you are loved. No matter what.

Love, 
Mom

After I finished the letter, I got the chills. I knew that what I had written was from my heart and it felt important. I also realized that these hopes, while inspired by my sons, are not just for them. They are what I hope for everyone I love and even for myself!

So, in effort to have a visual reminder of these sentiments, I plan make a piece of artwork for each hope listed in the letter. My goal is to finish all 12 pieces this year (hopefully well before December).

This week I drew some sketches and am really excited to start to add color and textures!
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I will give updates and share pics throughout the creation process.

Have a Happy Day!
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PS - What are your hopes for your loved ones?
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Find JOY in the Ordinary

1/4/2016

0 Comments

 
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This collage was fun to create because of two things...

COLOR  and HAND CUT LETTERS!

Color makes me happy and ​I simply love to cut out letters by hand.  The imperfections of handmade items are perfect!

Plus...who doesn't need the reminder to "find JOY in the ordinary"??!!


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