Sunday's Quote and Reflection

                                                                 

                                                                You're off to great places.
                                                                    Today is your day.
                                                               Your mountain is waiting.
                                                                   So get on your way."                                    Dr. Seuss

 Every time I read this quote it makes me feel excited like something wonderful is about to happen.  I hope that it makes you feel the same.  It is almost 2013 and there are lots of things I want to do, lots of mountains I want to conquer.  Some are exciting things, like getting to meet and coach lots of wonderful people.  Others are a lot more mundane like conquering that mountain of laundry that keeps reappearing each week.  Life is made up of all types of mountains.  Some big, some small.  But they are our mountains to conquer and to enjoy as we do.  Remember as Dr. Seuss would say, "You're off to great places.  Today is your day.  Your mountain is waiting.  So get on your way."  I would love to know what mountain is waiting for you in 2013.

Friday's Special Moment of Gratitude

This morning at the end of our yoga class there was a short guided meditation.  We were asked to think of a short sentence that we could carry with us throughout the day and to share with others if it felt right.  The sentence that came immediately into my mind was , "Remember all that you have accomplished."   I thought this was such a powerful reminder for me especially at this time of year.  It is so easy to move on to the next thing that has to be taken care of that we forget about all that we have accomplished not just during this day or year but during our lifetime.  So I would like to share with you my mantra for today, "Remember all that you have accomplished."

I hope that you will enjoy, share, and celebrate your accomplishments not only today but every day.  I do believe that when we share our hopes, dreams, and accomplishments with the world magic happens.  One of the strategies that I was taught in my Kaizen-Muse classes was to keep a reminder journal just for this purpose.  Each day I write just one sentence on a page to remind myself of a thought, quote, or accomplishment that happened that day.  It's easy to forget but so important to remember.  Keeping a Reminder Journal is an easy way to remember all that is special!

I have linked this post with Paint Party Friday and Creative Every Day.  Both are wonderful places to visit

Friday's Special Moment of Gratitude

 

 

 

It is cold and windy and the rain is hitting the windows.  It's a perfect night to stay home and wrap presents or read a book. I love this time of year.  I like the colored lights, the Christmas trees, and the songs that play on the radio.  I like to drink a hot cup of tea with a cookie or two or maybe three. And I like to think about the year that is almost over and what I have accomplished. 

This year many of the blogs I read suggested ways to celebrate the year that is almost over before moving on. Many of them suggested questions that you can ask yourself such as," What is something that you would like to bring with you into 2013 that you did in 2012?" That one is easy for me.  I want to continue to create.  I want to play more with my pastels and learn about other mediums as well.  As we get closer and closer to the new year, I am so grateful for all of the things that I have experienced and learned throughout 2012.  Each year brings with it new opportunities and new challenges. Both have given me opportunities to stretch and grow.  For that I am very grateful.   What are you most grateful for this week?

I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season.  I hope that you take time to enjoy each and every very special moment!

Please take a minute to visit all of the wonderful artists at Paint Party Friday and Creative Every Day.  It is a wonderful way to start the weekend.

Wednesday's Walk

Monday I was listening to a psychologist on TV and was just about to turn the channel when I heard him say that one of the things we can do for our children is to encourage their creativity.  It teaches them, as it does for us, to build things up rather than tear them down. Think about how many ways each day creativity plays a part in our life.  So many people say, "Oh, I'm not creative."  But, we all are.  The way we comb our hair, choose our clothes, and solve our problems are all part of our creativity if we are present when we are doing them and not thinking of other things..  Creativity comes in all shapes and forms.  It is the journal we keep, the painting we paint, the songs we choose to listen to.  It is the action we take to help a friend, the thoughts we have to make the world a better place, the way we volunteer to help others.

So I think it is important that we all acknowledge our own creativity and what a difference celebrating it and allowing others to share in that celebration can make for the world.  It is very normal to be critical of our own work and to find that one tiny flaw that keeps us from sharing our writing, our painting, our cooking with friends and family.  But if we can model for our children how much fun it is to create something, how it is ok if it is not perfect, and how much joy we give others by sharing the things we create maybe they too will be able to share this part of themselves with others and the world will become a brighter and happier place for everyone.

Ask yourself today, "How can I share my creative self with others?"   You don't have to answer your question right away.  Be patient and see what answer appears.  But ask the question so the answer can come.

                " You don't need diamonds to help your light shine brighter and brighter.  It comes from knowing who  you are, what you love to do and sharing your dreams and yourself with the world.  Then it is easy to sparkle."
                                                             Ginny Lennox,  Certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach              

Friday's Special Moment of Gratitude

I feel like I should be creating something snowy and Christmas like but when I started to paint with my pastels this is what appeared.  I have not had a lot of time to paint this week, or maybe I should say I have not made the time to paint, but when I put the chalk into my hands today everything fell into place.  I am so grateful that I gave pastels another chance.  The first time I ever painted with pastels was in a class filled with people who had been using them for years.  The teacher was great and encouraged me every step of the way but I was too busy comparing my work with everyone else's to really enjoy myself.  The next time I took a class and we used pastels I had stopped comparing my work to others (well not completely stopped but I was better about it) and I found that I loved the feel and the look of the pastels.  Now even if I just have ten minutes, I can start to paint and the world disappears.  It is just me, the pastels, and whatever happens to appear.  So this week I am very grateful that I have stopped comparing my work to the work of others and that I gave pastels a second chance. Now rather than compare my work to someone else's I am inspired by what they have accomplished.  This shift in perspective has helped to open up a whole new creative world and for that I am very grateful. I would love to know what you are most grateful for this week.

I know that this is a very busy time of year but I would like to invite you to visit the artists at Paint Party Friday and Creative Everyday.  It is a gift that you will be so glad that you gave to yourself today.

Friday's Special Moment of Gratitude

As I sit here getting ready to write, I stop and take a deep breath.  It is so nice to see the two dogs calmly sleeping nearby and hear the voices of my husband and his friends downstairs playing cards.  The house is decorated for Christmas and the presents are waiting to be bought.  We have simplified our wish list, our decorations, and now we get to enjoy the season without the hustle and bustle.  I cannot think of anything better and for that I am very grateful.

But across town, at my son's house it is a different story. It is so much fun to visit and to watch our grandsons get ready for Christmas.  A house filled with young boys is a house filled with excitment.  They can't wait to get up each morning to see where Jack, the elf, has landed that night.  Everyone remembers that Jack has the magical ability to converse with Santa and let him know what each boy or girl is doing every day leading up to Christmas. So good behavior abounds.  I am sure their parents are very grateful for that.  And I am grateful that I get to experience the best of both worlds. 

Our art class was lots of fun this week.  We were each to create an abstract using the medium of our choice.  Abstracts are out of my comfort zone and of course my painting had a landscape in it but I did try to do something different. I used watercolors as my base and then added pastel.  The above picture was how I began but with a little encouragement and lots of help the painting ended up like this.  I think I like it best before adding the peephole but it was fun to try something new. 

As I do each Friday, I am linking my post to Paint Party Friday and Creative Every Day.  I hope you will stop by and visit all of the wonderful and supportive artists.  Both are great places to meet new friends.

“You don't need diamonds to make your light shine brighter and brighter. It comes from knowing who you are, what you love to do, and sharing your dreams and yourself with the world. Then it is easy to sparkle."
                                                                                          Ginny Lennox, Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach

 

 

As I am walking, one of my goals is to really pay attention to where I am going and what I am seeing.  I try to look at all of the beautiful colors around me or smell the freshly cut grass.  Most of the time my goal is to be fully present in my walk and to enjoy every moment.

There are other times when I am walking that I have a different goal.  There may be something on my mind that I want to be able to answer or solve.  For many people, writing in a journal is a perfect way to answer a question or discover what they are really feeling.  I have found that if  I ask myself a small question while I am walking the creative side of my brain often kicks into gear.  If I don't find the answer that I am looking for, I wait.  Eventually, an idea or maybe more than one will appear. It may not be the answer I want to follow but it is the beginning that can lead to the change that I am looking for. 

About a year ago Jamie Ridler (Jamie Ridler Studios) asked me this question, "Do you realize what a great life you are creating?"  I stopped and thought and thought some more. I  was really surprised at how differently this question made me look at the life I was living.  I had never thought about the fact that I was indeed creating the life I was living rather than just reacting to situations as they arose.  I was making conscious choices about how I wanted to spend my time.  I was learning more about myself so that when I did choose to do something it was because it was something I valued doing and would add to the quality of my life or someone else's life.  I was surrounding myself with supportive people and learning new things.  Now, because of this question I stop before starting something new.  I ask myself many small questions to determine if this new idea or activity or situation will add something to the life that I am creating. It is fun to think of my life as something I am not only living but creating just like a beautiful story or painting.   Today I would like to ask you a question. 
                       What is one small step that you can take to create the life you want to live?

Remember, by asking small questions and taking small steps you can not only create a wonderful life or produce a extraordinary product or experience but you can enjoy the entire journey along the way.  Why not start today?  Ask yourself a small question and then take a very small step towards creating the life you always wanted to live.