My version of Steal like an Artist: Point 8

Be Nice: The World Is A Small Town. 

"Quit picking fights and go make something." I am a person that wants to fix everyone. I drop whatever I can to help and sometimes I need to stop. I need to pick my battles and the battles I don't pick I need to use the inspiration I had from them and focus it on something I can do. If a friend is in an abuse relationship, I can't fix that. I can help to the best of my abilities but what I can do? What I can really do is write a pick-me-up, write a story where she isn't alone, write a lesson that maybe the next person will learn from so they don't end up in the same shoes. If a friend is depressed I can't fix that. I can write about butterflies and rainbows, I can be silly, I can hope that I make a smile turn the edges of his lips that day. But I can't fix it. So why try? Why not use the energy I have been dealt and create something beautiful with it. 

Also in this point was to keep a praise file. I do this with teaching, I should do this with writing. "Write a book" " I get the first copy" the words I enjoy hearing, when people love my writing, I should have for the days that I can't think of a nice thing to say about it myself. The same is true for teaching. Have a praise folder. Of your favorite works of art from students and work that reminds you of where they were and what they learned and more importantly how they view you. These things can be praiseless acts but its important to hold onto the praise you do get.