AID 4 ARTISTS

opportunity

2011-06-27T05:09:00.001-04:00

opportunity, originally uploaded by keri.

2/15/11 Tiny Wisdom: On Trusting Yourself | Tiny Buddha

2011-02-15T12:26:00.000-05:00

2/15/11 Tiny Wisdom: On Trusting Yourself | Tiny Buddha

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” -Benjamin Spock

Recently I’ve been grappling with some major decisions about what to do professionally going forward. There are a number of roads that I can take, as there generally are for all of us. I’ve been looking for every possible reason to find an answer outside myself.

I’ve considered what people want from me. I’ve considered what’s the path of least resistance. I’ve considered what would be the most immediately lucrative. But what I didn’t ask myself until recently is what I really want.

This is the question we need to answer at any given time, and then we need to trust that what we’re feeling pulled to do is what’s actually right for us. We need to believe that we know the best course, even if we don’t yet know the way, and then give ourselves permission to take it.

If you also need to make a major decision, take a little time today to peel away the layers of what you think you should do. Let go of everything that’s suffocating what you know inside to be true. And then allow yourself to access it, without fears or judgments.

Simply sit with what you know. Then take that into the world and follow it. Miraculous things can happen when we decide to trust ourselves.

quote bites on imgfave

2011-02-11T08:54:00.000-05:00

quote bites on imgfave

I can be changed by what happens to me but I refuse to be reduced by it. ~Maya Angelou

workisnotajob. (work with it. http://workisnotajob.com/en/about)

2011-02-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

workisnotajob. (work with it. http://workisnotajob.com/en/about)

Things We Forget: #634

2011-01-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

Things We Forget: #634

LobotoME Brain Fog Blog: { on my mind menu }

2011-01-04T10:38:00.000-05:00

{ on my mind }

Modern Wisdom : Table Tonic

2011-01-02T13:52:00.000-05:00

Modern Wisdom : Table Tonic

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.

Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

They are small people, because deep down they are insecure, selfish and unhappy, and bringing you down makes them feel better about themselves.

The sole person who has the power to decide your outcome and your future is you! So don’t let others control your life.

The bottom line is this: Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and support you.

Negative people will only drag you down and stop you from reaching your dreams, and eventually you will become one of them.

Surround yourself with people who inspire you!

This Is My Year Poster (Green)

2011-01-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

This Is My Year Poster (Green)

This is my year.

Own it.

the desire to create

2010-12-22T13:11:00.000-05:00

the desire to create

2010-12-19T14:45:00.001-05:00

Get to work.

2010-12-15T09:55:00.001-05:00

Note to self

Secrets shared � Keri Smith

2010-12-04T21:48:00.000-05:00

Secrets shared � Keri Smith

Secrets of the Self Employed (or How to be an Amazing [insert profession here])

1. Don’t worry about marks while you are in school. No one will ever ask you what school you went to or what your marks were when you leave it. (this pertains to the field of illustration).

2. You are always working for yourself, even when you work for others. Sometimes it feels like you are just the hired hand (and some clients can be really challenging to work with). But there is always some way to turn an illustration job into something exciting for you. Some ideas: experiment with a new technique (or a new color palette), use it as an opportunity to learn about a new topic, rebel against the job in tiny ways (do some roughs just for yourself in which you insert subversive material).

3. There are no actual rules for how to become a successful [insert profession here]. Make your own path.

4. It will help you to create a social network of other self-employed people.

5. Move your body every day. There are many health reasons for this, but it also helps you to work on ideas subconsciously. Ideas and solutions will come in when you least expect them but (almost always after a minimum of one hour of walking). There are new studies that suggest increased oxygen to the brain is a greater source for creativity than “creative brain exercises”. I have found this to be true for myself.

6. Goof off on a regular basis.

7. If you want to work on your art, work on your life. All those personality traits that aren’t working for you will come back to haunt you in your career (i.e. assertiveness, fear of conflict, fear of confrontation.) It’s all connected.

8. What you think becomes your reality. I always had a belief that if I cleaned out my recycling bin in my studio I would get new work. And guess what, it always happened. If you think the industry is screwed and there is no work to be had, guess what you will find out there?

9. Focus on ideas instead of tools (technology). Anyone can learn to use the tools, but it is the thinkers who really impact the culture in important ways. In the end the tools don’t offer anything interesting.

10. Worrying about the competition does very little to help your career. I know it’s hard sometimes to ignore what other people are doing (we all think that others are doing better than us), but every one of us is on a different life path. We are all here to accomplish different things and even though it would seem like one person’s path is similar to yours, it is not.

11. Only work for free if you are passionate about the cause or receive something of value in return. (Be wary of people who offer your name in lights in lieu of money. Many people will tell you something is good promotion for you, often it is not and there are no guarantees when it comes to promotional value). If you are not getting something of a measurable value (i.e. printed pieces, or money) ask for something else, creative freedom. If they refuse then they may not be a good client to work for anyway.

12. Take some small risks on a regular basis. Some ideas: write some places/companies you would really like to work and let them know why you think they are great.

13. Don’t worry about whether or not you are good (good is subjective and most people are not great judges of their own work), just keep making work.

14. Ignore cool. Successful people do not try to be hip, they just do work that excites them.

15. Always come back to work that excites you. Even if you get off track for a while. Do personal work on a regular basis, show it to others. You can reinvent yourself at any time.

Mikey Burton / Graphic Design, Illustration and Letterpress

2010-11-27T20:42:00.000-05:00

Mikey Burton / Graphic Design, Illustration and Letterpress

Seeds

2010-11-16T13:28:00.001-05:00

Seeds, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

“Always be mindful of the kindness and not the faults of others.” -Buddha

It’s easy to focus on someone else’s faults and flaws–we’re all human and we all have them. But shining a light on someone’s weaknesses doesn’t help them improve; it merely reminds them you’re more attentive to what they lack than what they have.

We all want to be appreciated for who we are and the good we do, regardless of our shortcomings. We want to believe that what we do is enough–that we’re enough, even if we don’t do everything perfectly and still have room to grow.

We can’t control how other people treat us, but can we show them how in the way we treat them.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I will not die an unlived life.

I will not live in fear

of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days,

to allow my living to open me,

to make me less afraid,

more accessible;

to loosen my heart

until it becomes a wing,

a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance,

to live so that which came to me as seed

goes to the next as blossom,

and that which came to me as blossom,

goes on as fruit.

~Dawna Markova

2010-11-12T20:43:00.000-05:00

Suffer No Fools

Self Care

2010-11-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

7 Happy Rituals for the Shorter Days of Winter

Each year, when we turn the clocks back, I am torn.

On the one hand, I'm elated to get some extra sleep and "gain" an hour. On the other hand, it's a little sad to know that winter is coming, and the days are getting shorter.

A few years ago, I noticed that I was rolling with the change of season much more gracefully - and without the same dread I had often felt. It was around that time I learned to create rituals in my days. Seasons, after all, show us what our lives are meant to be: dark times, light times, expansion, contraction, and of course... change!

If you are experiencing anxiety or sadness as winter approaches and the days get shorter, I invite you to try one or two of these rituals. Maybe you'll start to look forward to the earlier evenings as you see the mystery and magic of this beautiful season...

1 - Create a Glow

The great thing about darker evenings is that they allow for the perfect candle lighting ritual. Create a sacred space in your home and light candles at dusk or when you get home from work.

Some of my favorite candles are antique medicine bottles I've picked up at various antique stores over the years. I fill them with candle oil and wicks. The glass reflects the flame for even more glow! I'm always on the look out for simple candles and holders.

2 - Start a Gratitude Journal

It's the season of Thanksgiving, so why not begin the habit of gratitude now, rather than waiting til the end of the month?

Get a beautiful journal and commit to completing your day with gratitude. Start with a list of five things. Write in as much detail as you can.

We live in such lavish abundance, yet it's so easy to speed through the days without noticing. A gratitude journal will change your life!

3 - Feed the Birds

Wake up to bird song!

One of my favorite rituals is to make sure that the bird feeders are chock full of the best seed possible. Our feeders always have visitors, so we keep a guide to birds near our back door so we can grab it any time we spot a new species. We have regular visits from nuthatches, chickadees, flickers, titmouse, all kinds of woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, bluejays - we've even seen rare birds, like the hooded warbler. Spend some blissful time witnessing the pure joy of our feathered friends! (A great resource for bird-feeders is Wild Birds Unlimited.)

4 - Catch Up on Movies

Winter is a great time to catch up on those movies you missed in the theaters. I keep a list in my iPhone, and any time someone recommends a movie, I take note. That way, when I get to the video store, I have a reference. You can also get great television show season re-runs on Netflix.

5 - Morning Work-Outs

When the clocks turn back, the mornings get lighter. Why not take advantage and wake up earlier to hit the gym? Start a fitness ritual. Exercise has been proven - over and over again! - to remedy everything from disease to depression. Hire a trainer for a month and learn some new exercises! The fitness habit will lift your mood like nothing else!

6 - Complete a Project

Remember that idea you had for a scrapbook or new mixed media project? Or that language learning series you've been meaning to plunge into? Well, now's the time!

Winter is a perfect time to learn a new technique or craft, create something meaningful, and get lost in the joy of a new project. Winter is also the time to go inward and lose yourself in creating. What have you been meaning to create?

7 - Get Out!

Any dog will tell you: Winter is a fabulous time to hike! It's cold. It's crisp. You bundle up in layers of polar fleece. And you get to experience the hidden treasures of a season that most people avoid.

Make it a point to find some trails or paths near your home. Then, commit to bundling up and spending time outdoors each weekend. There's rarely anyone else out - so you get to have acres and acres to yourself.

~Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success.

58 Things to Be Grateful For – The Affirmation Spot for Tuesday November 9, 2010 � The Affirmation Spot

2010-11-09T03:59:00.000-05:00

58 Things to Be Grateful For – The Affirmation Spot for Tuesday November 9, 2010 � The Affirmation Spot

Growth Affirmation: My life is filled with one positive experience after another. I make use of every experience in my growth.

Here are 58 things to be thankful for.
Some may seem counter-intuitive. However, even the negative sometimes is worthy of our thankfulness.
I’ve probably left some off my list. Leave a comment today and let me know what you are thankful for.

Sun – without it’s warmth and light we could not exist.

Earth – the beautiful planet that sustains us.

Water – the sauce of life.

Life – each and every morning we wake up is a new chance to be the person we want to be.

Shelter – something to shield us from the elements.

Children – the happy nature and innocence of children remind us how we are meant to be.

Food – an absolute blessing for those who struggle for it and something to be more appreciative of for those of us who never worry about our next meal.

Faith – our faith in ourselves and in something greater than ourselves.

Minds – the power to think, to reason, to grow, and to adapt.

Lines – for making us slow down and enjoy where we are.

Compassion – for getting over ourselves to consider and understand someone else.

Hope – reminds us there is a potential upside to every situation.

Giving – when we give we remember that nothing truly belongs to us and it frees us from our attachments.

Receiving – the opportunity to have our needs met while allowing others to give.

Fear – for teaching us love, strength, and humility.

Work – whether a career, a hobby, or community work; the sense that we have something to do when we get up in the morning is something to be thankful for.

Sleep – for providing a way to rest the body.

Friendship – those people who choose to spend key parts of their lives with us.

Family – those people we wound up with by fate, but stay with out of love.

Anger – for teaching us the benefits of peace.

Peace – peace within and as much peace without as we can muster.

Sight – the ability to see the beautiful world we inhabit.

Love – the glue that holds us together.

Difficulty – for making us strong and giving us something to compare with the heights.

Stars – the wonder and glory of the night sky.

Hatred – for reminding us to love (may we need ever-less reminding)

Surprises – the wonderful things in life that we didn’t expect.

Visionaries – people who see the world not as it is, but as it could be.

Change – the ever-present possibility of improving ourselves and the world.

Purpose – the plan to achieve something in this life and the firm belief that you can.

Wind – a source of comfort, energy, and a metaphor for change.

Music – the soundtrack of our lives.

Possibility – the memory that something more and different is out there.

Today – an opportunity to make the most of what we have.

Tomorrow – the hoped for opportunity to continue our dreams.

Sorrow – for making joy possible.

Joy – the deep and intense happiness about being alive.

Freedom – the ability to think, act, and be who you are.

Acceptance – the ability be at peace with how things are for the moment.

Learning – the opportunity to enhance our potential.

Success – the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of our work.

Adversity – for reminding us how strong we can be.

Grass – for carpeting our planet and being a nice place to lie and look at the sky.

Soil – a medium to grow food and plants.

Moon – the most beautiful object in the night sky and the timepiece marking our lives through its phases.

Innovation – for improving our experience of life.

Dreams – the fuel that drives us through tough times and gives a reason to aim high.

Options – the ability to choose.

Sharing – the opportunity to pool our talents and resources.

Flowers – they add beautiful sights and smells to our world.

Clouds - for bringing the rain that cleanses and for helping me appreciate the sunshine.

Mountains – they provide beauty, challenge, and the ability to see a long way.

Oceans – beauty, unimaginable power, source of life and transportation.

Competition – the opportunity to test ourselves and to improve.

History – for teaching us the lessons we need to learn over and over until we get them.

Future – for giving us the opportunity to try again.

Death – for reminding us of life’s value.

Meaning – the search for which makes our lives the journey that they are.

Stay inspired!

Tiny Wisdom: On Everyday Impact

2010-11-04T13:56:00.000-04:00

Tiny Wisdom: On Everyday Impact

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” -William James

Sometimes our work can feel unimportant or our impact can seem insignificant, but that is only true if we choose to let it be. Everyday we affect other people whether we realize it or not.

We can choose to lament all the people in the world we aren’t reaching, or we can use our reach to make a difference in the world right in front of us. What will matter at the end of it all isn’t how many people remember the good we did but how secure we feel in the knowledge we did good as often as possible.

How can you make a positive difference in your sphere of influence today?

YouTube - Art Jury Tina Weitz

2010-10-20T16:36:00.000-04:00

YouTube - Art Jury Tina Weitz

People ask me questions about how to get started showing your work all the time, so I just came across this video that shares good advice and practical information about submitting your art to juried gallery shows.

2010-10-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

Why I Don't Care About Success

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.’

~Albert Einstein

~adapted from Leo Babauta's Zen Habits

A lot of people in my field write about how to be successful, but I try to avoid it. It’s just not something I believe is important. Now, that might seem weird: what kind of loser doesn’t want to be successful?

Me. I’m that loser.

Obviously, the first problem with success is how you define success … is it becoming famous, rich, creating a world-changing business, coming up with an idea that changes people’s lives, helping others, being happy? So many people with values similar to mine would reject the traditional definitions of success: being rich or famous or having a best-selling book or creating a huge business is not all there is to life.

And those people are right, in my book. If all you’re striving for is money, you’ll do horrible things to get it. If all you want is a successful business, you’ll screw people over to get it. If all you want is fame, you’ll give up your dignity to achieve it.

I could easily be shilling cheap prints of the same old images every day on Etsy and making a small fortune at it if I really tried, but it’s not something I care enough about, and I know I’d have to do things I wouldn’t be happy doing in order to get there. I’d have to make promises I couldn’t deliver on, sell something to people who are looking for the cheapest things they can find . I'm not interested in being that person.

I could make a lot more money than I make now, if I capitalized on all the readers I have and pressured them into buying more things. But I don’t think buying a lot of things is a good thing, so I’d feel crappy doing that. It’s not worth it. I prefer to make the things I feel good about, and if someone else wants to purchase my work because it speaks to them, so much the better. But I would feel fake and fraudulent churning out the same pictures over and over again to meet a market. That would not feel like success.

So those who teach you to be successful … they’ll share methods that are a bit shady sometimes. If not, often they sell you platitudes that sound good but are too vague to really mean anything.
I’ve read many, many things on how to be successful (I can’t avoid finding them — they’re everywhere), and rarely will any of them really show you how to get where you want to go. And when you don’t get there, you blame not the success system, but your own inadequacies.

The deeper problem

There are other problems, though. Whatever your definition of success, it’s something you’re looking for … something that exists in the future. It’s based on your desire to achieve something, your feelings that you’re not where you want to be. That’s why the snake oil salesmen are so “successful” … they capitalize on the feelings of inadequacies that other people have. I think that’s horrible.

But beyond that, the trap of striving for this future “success” … it’s never-ending. You strive for more, and then when you get it, you strive for more again. You’re never satisfied. People who have a billion dollars, for example … they’re successful, right? Why don’t they stop trying to make money, then? Why would they possibly need more than a billion dollars? How can you possibly spend that much? They strive to make more because there will never be enough. They’ll never be successful enough.

That’s true not just of the rich, but of anyone who strives for success. Striving is a condition that doesn’t have an end, unless you give it up.

The real success

I might have achieved a few good things in my career and in my life, but the real success is I was doing what I loved. Even when no one else would have called me a success , I absolutely loved creating, and that is where my happiness lies. Success isn’t about achieving something in the future, but about doing something right now that you love.

So forget about “success”, and just find joy, passion, love, awesome-ness right now, in this moment. Be who you are, doing what you love. *That* is a success you can achieve, without any self-help course, without any method. Just go out and live it.

Skin & Bone

2010-10-14T06:02:00.001-04:00

Skin & Bone, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

“He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.” ~Raymond Hull

It’s human nature to want approval from other people, but it can be exhausting to compromise yourself (and your art) to influence or manipulate other people’s perceptions. No matter how much you try, it simply isn’t possibly to control what other people think.

If you’re being true to yourself, at least a few people will judge, question, or dislike you. No one can please the whole world all at once while honoring their own needs and truths.

Today if you feel the need to people-please, ask yourself, what’s more important: knowing you’ve done your best to make everyone like you, or knowing you’re strong enough to stay true to who you are?

~via Tiny Buddha

2010-10-11T17:16:00.000-04:00

Remember When
c o t t a g e - a coastal store

When in Doubt

2010-10-10T07:07:00.001-04:00

, originally uploaded by G r e n.

Just
take
the
next
small
step.

Promise Yourself

2010-10-06T15:48:00.001-04:00

Promise Yourself - Kind Over Matter, originally uploaded by prettyfnmess.

Freebie Printable Download : Promise Yourself

Note to self:

2010-10-01T08:47:00.001-04:00

Note to self, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others"

— Martha Graham

Supermarket - We're on a roll! (SUS-01) from L2 Design Collective

2010-09-29T14:49:00.000-04:00

Supermarket - We're on a roll! (SUS-01) from L2 Design Collective

Keep the momentum going...

no wasted yesterdays

2010-09-27T07:11:00.001-04:00

no wasted yesterdays, originally uploaded by G r e n.

Do it now.
Today will be
yesterday
tomorrow.

remember

2010-09-21T09:30:00.001-04:00

use this sign, originally uploaded by keri.

Artists:

we are
a force
to be
reckoned
with.

Use your power. Use it for good.

Just go.

2010-09-20T13:49:00.001-04:00

Little memories of Maine, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

be on your way...

2010-09-15T20:08:00.001-04:00

be on your way..., originally uploaded by jamie heiden.

First step. Second step. Be on your way.

~Art of the AMAZING Jamie Heiden.

The Simply Luxurious Life: Why Not . . . Improve Your Life? Part Deux

2010-09-15T10:22:00.000-04:00

The Simply Luxurious Life

"If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

-Henry David Thoreau

9/13/10 Tiny Wisdom: On Building | tinybuddha.com

2010-09-13T12:57:00.000-04:00

9/13/10 Tiny Wisdom: On Building | tinybuddha.com

“Almost everything comes from nothing.” -Henri F. Amiel

No matter where you are now in the pursuit of your dreams, know that people who’ve done what you’d like to do started right where you stand.

You have limitless power to create the future you visualize if you’re willing to dream, plan, and work.

Don’t worry about what you don’t know. You’ll learn. Don’t stress about how much you’ll have to do. You can only do it one thing at a time anyway.

Just start where you are, take the first step, and then watch your nothing evolve into something.

� …good word of the day… :instant vintage

2010-09-09T16:50:00.000-04:00

� …good word of the day… :instant vintage

One Life to Live.

Live.

Visual Bits - Balance

2010-09-02T11:10:00.000-04:00

Visual Bits

(Don't give up. Keep moving forward.)

2010-09-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

How to Get Discovered and Be a Big Huge Star

A friend of mine asked me this week how I got my start as a professional artist. A creative person herself, she has seen the visible end results of many of the projects I have undertaken stacking up one by one on my resume. She has wondered how I've done so well when it appears that things just come to me out of thin air. (And sometimes they actually do! Now...) I've had the label "Superstar" applied to me and my seemingly "overnight success" and just had to chuckle. If asked to offer career advice to other artists in ten words or less, I could, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, offer this morsel of wisdom- "Get discovered." Really.

You see I WAS discovered a few years ago by some fairly influential people in the art and design world and they offered me a boost up to the next level that I simply would not have been able to make on my own. HOWEVER... what anyone looking in from the outside cannot see in all of this are the years of study, hours of practice, the failed attempts, the investment of time, money and risk, the frustration and the drudgery, the days and weeks and months spent working at my craft, practicing daily, strengthening my skills, honing my sensibilities, forging a network of connections, and finally just believing in myself and my talent enough to PUT MYSELF OUT THERE to be "discovered" in the first place.

When you do the work, when you make the commitment, when you show up day after day and invest your heart into what you do, THEN and only then, does the universe sit up and take notice. Of course, you'll be DISCOVERED! Who could miss you standing out there in all your radiance? But, never forget you have to make the big, scary REACH for the stars in order to grab one, and then you just have to hang on for the wild ride.

So.

Are you one of the many people who are sitting around waiting, wishing and hoping to be discovered? Is that when you'll finally give yourself permission to shine?

We all know a few people who aren't all that great at what they do, hoping to be "discovered" or "rescued," instead of investing in themselves and working to improve. The issue is NOT that they aren't great at what they do. The issue is that they are waiting for someone to give them permission, or discover them, or rescue them. To paraphrase Yoda: THAT is why they fail.

The good news is this:

Getting discovered is an inside job. Stop Waiting to Be Discovered - and Discover Yourself Instead!

Here's how to do just that:

Be Yourself

Find your own voice. Be authentic. The world needs YOUR voice and YOUR wisdom. As Arnold Patent said: "If you genuinely have something to say, then there is someone who genuinely needs to hear it." That's true for songs, blogs, books, talks, paintings, photographs, everything. Strengthen your strengths. Don't try to fix your weaknesses. And don't try to copy the success of others. Find your own way.

Guard Your Thoughts

Your thoughts are things. They can be powerful tools, or devastating weapons.

You may be cleaning up years of negativity. But you are the only one who can do just that. If you're constantly berating yourself or doubting yourself, then set your intention to turn that around.

Remind yourself: "Energy flows where attention goes," and place your attention on gratitude, love, and joy. Be relentless! You can't afford the luxury of a negative thought! Move away from snarky people. Guard your thoughts. They're your power tools!

Work on your Craft

Write. Shoot. Coach. Perform. Speak. Sing. Paint. Work at this stuff. It will make you better. It will make you happier. Looking outside of you for approval makes you unhappy. Creating makes you happy. Deeply happy.

Stop Waiting

If you are waiting for permission or discovery, stop it. Give yourself permission. Rescue yourself. Discover yourself. 'Nuff said.

Take Risks

Take a few chances. Get a little scared. Everyone claims to want security. But security is a myth. And your life will be more exciting if you get a little insecure.

Uplevel Your Business

Take yourself seriously enough to learn the business of what you're doing. Study with coaches. Go to workshops, retreats, events. Learn about marketing. Study and build systems. Take time away to work ON your business. Hire people to help you. Create a structure that supports your stardom!

Adjust to Overwhelm

Overwhelm is a lot like stage fright. It's not that it goes away. It's just that you get better at channeling it!

One of my coaches used to have a mantra for those moments when I got overwhelmed: "At least you're not bored." When you're on the path of discovering yourself and being a star, you are always learning and expanding. Get used to it!

Expect Criticism

Criticism is not a risk. It's a guarantee. As it is wisely said, the only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, be nothing and try nothing. Stop worrying about criticism. Instead, create support systems.

So, stop waiting, wishing and hoping to get discovered and finally discover the big star within yourself right now.
(Then others will take notice. You'll see.)

---

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. http://christinekane.com.

Replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

2010-08-31T10:02:00.000-04:00

Accentuate
the
Positive.

How we think can have a big impact on the way we behave. It can affect the actions we take, and how we choose to handle different situations.

You should always remember that YOU are in control of your own thoughts and emotions, rather than letting outside forces control you and the way you (re)act. If you change your perspective, you can learn to be positive and attract more positive things into your life.

As a creative person, you have something to share with the world. Let the good in you live and breathe and speak and sing. The world needs more goodness, can't you see?

BE NICE

2010-08-28T11:02:00.001-04:00

I LOVE NICE PEOPLE, originally uploaded by Mr. Fancy Pants Bryant.

I love
NICE
people
who make
cool
things.

I do.

a brief guide to life | zen habits

2010-08-27T21:45:00.000-04:00

A few strong instincts and a few plain rules suffice us. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life can be ridiculously complicated, if you let it. Simplify.

Posted here are some distilled lessons in one handy spot as a reminder for myself. Maybe it could benefit other creative people and gentle souls as well.

The brief guide to life:

less TV, more reading
less shopping, more outdoors
less clutter, more space
less rush, more slowness
less consuming, more creating
less junk, more real food
less busywork, more impact
less driving, more walking
less noise, more solitude
less focus on the past and future, more on the present
less work, more play
less worry, more smiles
breathe

The In-a-funk, Mercury (5 planets all together!) retrograde blues

2010-08-24T14:42:00.000-04:00

The In-a-funk, Mercury (5 planets all together!) retrograde blues
via Tammy Vitale

Life will break you. Nobody can protect you from that, and living
alone won’t either, for solitude will also break you with its
yearning. You have to love. You have to feel. It is the
reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart, you
are here to be swallowed up. And when it happens that you are broken,
or betrayed, or left, or hurt, or death brushes near, let yourself sit by
an apple tree and listen to the apples falling all around you in heaps, wasting
their sweetness. Tell yourself that you tasted as many as you could.

~Louise Erdrich

Mecury in retrograde usually calls up the trickster aspects of life and “distortion of perspectives" but I also just learned that we have a full moon tonight and 5 other planets are in retrograde (Mercury’s retro phase tends to bring unforeseen changes and blockages, but the aggravation and frustration that many of us experience during these periods is often due to our own inability to roll with the punches.) Okay – I’m not a fanatical follower of astrology, but you know what? I DO know the full moon and how it swings me sometimes either wildy joyful or terribly depressed. Just knowing the full moon was coming opened up a wide, spacious: “Oh! that’s what’s going on.” And I found myself relaxing into all this and stopped fighting it.

The key: stop fighting it. Don’t give in to it, just sit with it. So I went and cleaned up my studio, spent a bit of time playing – not as much as I would have once, but enough and it felt really good. Then I started getting things really organized. And I felt good at the end of the day.

This is all by way of letting you know that we all have our day(s) or week(s) or even month(s) and year(s). And it’s okay. It’s okay not to be on your game every last second of every day. In fact, the dark side of all this “affirm it and it will come” is that if you aren’t affirming and doing and generally getting bigger and bigger every day you can feel guilty because if it isn’t working, Baby, it’s all your own fault. Notice the wording there “fault.” Not: it isn’t time, rest in your present joy; not: stuff happens and it’s okay to feel sad, mad or boxed up; not: breathe in and out and go stand outdoors and refresh yourself. None of that. Nope, it’s your “fault” and so you “deserve all that is happening” because “you are obviously [okay - I'm going to let you fill in the blank here because I know you can].
Tell me how this is any different than nose to the grindstone industrial time management thinking. And tell me how this is going to advance either you or society as a whole.

So if the planets or the Moon or Mercury or your kids or your husband or your job are making you crazy, stop. Breathe. Moderate those head voices. Find yourself the support you need (even if it is a chorus of “oh, me too's" on FaceBook so that you know you aren’t alone), and, just for this one minute, rest in all is at it should be (because it is, after all – and all we have is what is right at this moment). Finding one small thing to be grateful for doesn’t hurt either.

In fact, if I’m honest, all of my greatest and best life-changing growth has come from moments of discomfort (some bigger than others, some even life threatening). So if nothing else, you can be grateful because you know you’re in the midst of some life lesson and that means you are Alive!

Here’s a great post on the balancing act we all go through by my friend Ruth David: Funk or Fire

Become | Prints | Keep Calm Gallery

2010-08-23T19:42:00.000-04:00

Become | Prints | Keep Calm Gallery

Become

who you

ARE.

2010-08-23T14:00:00.002-04:00

please be still print from jen, originally uploaded by papernstitch.

Make
something
GOOD
today

_________

In addition to creating new work in the studio this morning, today is my son's first day of 1st grade, so I have decided to create something good to celebrate this milestone. I think some homemade ice cream sandwhiches for his afternoon snack will be something special to honor this big transition in his life.

8/23/10 Tiny Wisdom: On Appreciation | tinybuddha.com

2010-08-23T12:25:00.000-04:00

8/23/10 Tiny Wisdom: On Appreciation | tinybuddha.com

“Appreciation is an excellent thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us, as well.” -Voltaire

There’s work to do. And things to accomplish. And places to get to. And people to please.

There’s futures to create. And pasts to forget. And an endless string of days full of hours to be filled. We often spend then running, fantasizing or waiting, hoping it eventually turns into something good enough. Something worth valuing, something worth appreciating, something worth enjoying.

If we’re not deliberate, we can easily live life hopping from distraction to distraction, biding our time for something better. The truth is there is nothing better. This is life, in all it’s beauty and possibility–in the present moment. Life never happens in any other time.

Today, choose to marvel, bask, and celebrate the beautiful things and people around you. There will always be something in your life you’d rather avoid or escape. The place you’re trying to get to, though, lives and breathes right here, right now.

2010-08-22T17:09:00.000-04:00

Wise man, that Emerson.

That is why I named my daughter after him.

Things We Forget: #535

2010-08-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

Things We Forget: #535

In your work, as in your life

say it like it is.

The Secret To Developing Indestructible Creative Motivation : A Big Creative Yes

2010-08-15T10:49:00.000-04:00

The Secret To Developing Indestructible Creative Motivation : A Big Creative Yes

Without the motivation to create, nothing will get created.

That sounds very simple, but what makes it so much trickier is that we don’t recognise what motivation is, or the barriers that come up against us and sabotage it.

What would your own definition of motivation be, especially when it comes to creating?

I come across many people who aren’t being as creative as they’d like to be, and they usually think they know what the problem is. You know, that one destructive element that once they get the secret to overcoming, will free them to be abundantly creative like never before in their lives.

But more often than not, what they think is the main issue, actually isn’t the issue at all.

A classic example is: “I don’t have enough time to create”.

Most of us who feel this, feel it genuinely. We don’t believe we’re making excuses or think we’re wasting time in other areas. We honestly think that if some radical international law was passed wherein every day had two extra hours in it, we would be able to then use those hours to be creative. Just imagine how extra amazingly creative we could all be in those two extra hours.

But the reality is, it’s highly unlikely we would be any more creative at all. Even if every day had 24 extra hours!

Your ever present, ever demanding to-do list would simply push even harder on you, declaring that now you had this extra time, you could fill it with all those highly important things you just have to get done. Why now you could check your email 32 times a day instead a mere 16! You could sleep all that extra time! You could relax in front of the tv so much more! You’d have time to reorganise all your creative supplies many more times each week!

And so that extra time would disappear almost as soon as it was given. And we would still think we didn’t have enough time to create!

This is a perfect example of motivation, or lack of it.

The fact is, we are free to make more time to create whenever we choose. We don’t need international laws to be passed, or the Earth’s rotations to slow down. We simply need to say “Today, and every day from now on, I’m going to devote 15 minutes a day to creative pursuits I enjoy.”

Fifteen minutes is approximately 1% of your 24 hours each day. That’s not so selfish now is it? It’s like having a huge cake, cutting it into 100 pieces, giving away 99 of them and keeping one meagre little slice for your creativity. Hardly spoiling yourself or being self indulgent.

But if 15 minutes creating each day is so little, and so easy, why don’t more of us devote the time to it?

Again, it’s that motivation. Or lack thereof.

We don’t set time aside to create because the motivation to is not strong enough.

Our motivation to check email, sleep, watch TV and a hundred other things is higher than our motivation to create.

And the simple reason behind THAT is nothing to do with how creative you are, how talented you are, how many ideas, or how many commitments you have on your time.

It’s simply that you’ve forgotten how important creativity is in your life.

It’s been so long since you created freely and happily that those feelings you get when you’re on fire and in the end zone have lost their impact. When you’re lost in creating, you feel invincible, powerful, unstoppable, connecting to some higher source or channel, lose track of time, and generally have some of the greatest experiences you have had, or will ever have in your lifetime.

You were born to create. Just like you were born to breathe, and eat and sleep. It’s THAT important to your health and happiness. You just forgot.

The good news is it’s pretty easy to remember again. And once you DO get back in touch with those wonderful creative feelings, it suddenly shoots right up your to-do list as a priority.

So how do you get that motivation back? How do you develop indestructible creative motivation?

Just by taking a few quiet moments to remember. Sit down somewhere you’ll be undisturbed, take a pencil and some paper, and write this statement in the centre:

When I’m at my most creative, I feel…

Then complete the sentence in all the ways you can think of. Very soon, the memories will come flooding back, and you’ll start feeling that old glistening magic return. Let it, and turn it up a little louder. No, make that a LOT louder.

This is the key to your creative motivation. Remembering, and staying connected with, all those amazing feelings creating gives you that nothing else in the world ever has or ever can.

Then, from today, set aside that 15 minutes a day. MAKE the time, there are no excuses.

Within a week or two, maybe even sooner, you won’t need to keep remembering how great you used to feel when you were creating, because you’ll be doing it every day again!

Stay connected to the feelings, create every day, and build up the time you spend gradually.

Follow this method and you’ll have all the creative motivation you could ever need.

Citron

2010-08-12T11:51:00.001-04:00

Citron, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

When life hands you lemons, make...ART.

How can you turn your troubles both trifling and tumultuous into more personal, meaningful work? Keep creating through it all. Make art and self-expression your consistent daily practice, when the roller coaster is at the high points in your life and yes, even when it slips into the valleys. I've had some tragic events occur in the past few years, but I kept creating through it all. I credit my creativity with helping me through some dark and bitter days, because I was honest and frank about what was happening and used my art to express both light and shade.

Working through your feelings, working with what comes your way, instead of resisting, be it sweet lemon sorbet or bitter lemons is the most authentic expression of you. Allow it all to exist. The darkness in you makes the light even brighter.

Remember next time when things start to sour, don't give up. Make something. Maybe even some lemonade...

Cloudy Lemonade For A Summer Day

by Nigella Lawson

I am thinking that carrying a pitcher of lemonade out into the yard or garden counts as portable food, and since I am always, always in a hurry I am no doubt on the run. You could, of course, pour this gloriously simple, old-fashioned lemonade into a thermos flask and take it on your way.

If the mood takes you, you could consider adding a handful of raspberries to the blended jar to create pink lemonade.

Ingredients:

4 cups chilled club soda or other carbonated water

2 whole unwaxed lemons, cut into eighths

1/4 cup superfine sugar, or to taste

Ice cubes

Instructions:

-Put the water, lemons, and sugar into a blender in two batches, and blitz until the lemon it pureed.

-Sieve the lemonade into a pitcher, pressing down into the sieve, and then pour into tumblers filled with ice.

Serves 4-6.

Excerpted from Nigella Fresh by Nigella Lawson. Copyright 2010 by Nigella Lawson. Published in the U.S. by Hyperion.

2010-08-06T07:28:00.001-04:00

Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010 - Smashing Magazine

Desktop wallpapers can serve as an excellent source of inspiration. However, if you use some specific wallpaper for a long period of time, it becomes harder to draw inspiration out of it. That’s why we have decided to supply you with smashing wallpapers over 12 months. And to make them a little bit more distinctive from the usual crowd, we’ve decided to embed calendars for the upcoming month. So if you need to look up some date, isn’t it better to show off a nice wallpaper with a nice calendar instead of launching some default time application?

This post features 50 free desktop wallpapers, created by designers across the globe. Both versions with a calendar and without a calendar can be downloaded for free.

Things We Forget: #534

2010-08-06T06:22:00.000-04:00

To Do:

2010-08-06T06:03:00.002-04:00

9 Powerful Life Lessons from Confucius

Confucius was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher.

Confucius’ philosophy focused on issues of morality, both from a personal as well as a governmental perspective. Confucius taught concerning the correctness of social relationships, justice and equality. His teachings became very prominent in China.

Below are 9 Powerful Life Lessons based on the philosophy of Confucius that you can apply to your life as an artist.

Confucius Say:

1. Just Keep Going

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

If you keep going down the right path, you will eventually get to your intended destination. The hard work is being consistent; anybody can do right for a day. The person who succeeds is the person who stays committed despite the circumstances.

2. Your Friends Matter

“Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.”

Your friends are a prophecy of your future; where they are is where you’re headed. It would serve you well to find friends who are going where you want to go.

3. Good Things Come With a Price

“It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.”

This explains a lot! It’s easy to hate, it’s easy to be negative, it’s easy to make excuses. It is love, forgiveness, and greatness that require a great heart, a great mind, and a great effort.

4. Sharpen Your Tools First

“The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.”

Confucius said, “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” Whatever you are called to do, if you are to succeed, you must first be prepared.

5. To be Wronged is Nothing

“To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.”

Don’t sweat the small stuff; to be wronged is no great offense. Don’t let the wrongdoing of others ruin your day. Don’t let their negativity occupy your thoughts. To be wronged is nothing!

6. Consider the Consequences

“When anger rises, think of the consequences.”

Solomon said, “He who is slow to anger is greater than the mighty.” Always remember to keep your temper in check and to consider the consequences.

7. Make Adjustments

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

If it's looking like you’re not going to make your goals this year, now would be a good time to adjust your plan. Don’t accept failure as an option, adjust your sails, and you will sail safely to your goal.

8. You Can Learn From Everyone

“If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.”

You can and should learn from everyone, be it a crook or a saint. Every life is a story filled with lessons ripe for the picking.

9. All or None

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

Whatever you do, do it with everything, or don’t do it at all. To succeed in life requires your very best, give your very best, and you will live without regrets.

Mantra Print Don't Forget to Have A Good by LaurieCoyleDesigns

2010-07-31T15:49:00.000-04:00

Mantra Print Don't Forget to Have A Good by LaurieCoyleDesigns

Don't forget

have

good time.

An artist's world

2010-07-30T10:07:00.000-04:00

An artist's world

Dear Artist,

(via Robert Genn)

On a boat there can be a cargo of wisdom. I've brought along some marvelous books.

Samuel Adoquei's How Successful Artists Study is an up-to-date, practical guide for the transition from art school to the professional world of art.

In it he talks about the "Five worlds of artists":

1. The inner, personal world.
2. The real and practical world.
3. The outside, commercial world.
4. The future, aspiring world
5. The fantasy world of dreams.

Adoquei suggests budding artists need to get their worlds separated from one another. Mixing fantasy with practicality is a leaky proposition. Funnily, the condition is as common as art school graduates who make their living doing anything but art.

There is also a past world, a present world, and a future world. A highly literate artist with glowing optimism for the future is dead in the water if she's not seeing her present world with clarity. She may have to buckle down and improve her work. She may have to make sacrifices. She may have to rethink her vision. She may have to reinvent her education. Her predicament may be further confused by the seemingly charmed life she likes to project. She may need to learn that the really charmed life is earned, and, according to Adoquei, it may not always be charming.

The charmed life is earned by attitude. Thriving artists remain curious, experimental, joyful, self-critical and driven by a state of perpetual studenthood. Work takes pride of place and is well above talk. Art is self-anointing, mainly self-taught and independent. Our profession calls for the ego force that keeps our sense of uniqueness in ship-shape condition. Perhaps there is no other way. Successful artists live in their own worlds.

A small ship brings out an independent creative spirit. Provisioned and fueled, we have reserves for a lengthy tour and ongoing self-sufficiency. A ship, like an artist, is her own world. Each day brings new horizons and navigational challenges. The human spirit needs to sail on its own terms.

PS: "Combine all your healthy wishes, dreams and hopes into investing in your talent and in the acquisition of knowledge and wisdom. If your art contributes to society, or to the art enthusiasts around you, then you are rewarded honestly, and more so if you make yourself useful to the world around you." (Samuel Adoquei)

Esoterica: When you start to see your art as a service to others, and you begin to believe in the societal aspects of it, you begin to thrive. It is a benefit for others to invest in the character you have nurtured and developed. Your world can be larger than the worlds of others, because you exact standards from yourself that others may not reach for or care to grasp. Our world is a privilege, an opportunity and an obligation.

2010-07-29T12:28:00.000-04:00

How to Make Every Day a Vacation

I made a comment on my Facebook page about having a hard time coming back to reality after my vacation. My friend Kelly sent me a link to the following tips, which I think are actually pretty helpful in maintaining that Vacation state of mind...

You don't need a plane ticket and a poolside lounge chair to make every day a vacation. Sure, that stuff helps, but you can put little snippets of total relaxation, enjoyment and bliss into your daily schedule, so that stuff is not necessary.

Step 1

Take at least 1 solid hour of each day and hog it all to yourself. Don't answer the phone, the doorbell or even someone when they are talking to you if you don't want to. This is your hour to create, explore or simply lie on the couch like a lump. Whatever makes you happy.

Step 2

Keep a happy journal. In it you will record happy thoughts, poems that make you smile and anecdotes that make you laugh. Add to it and read excerpts from it daily.

Step 3

Carry a small photo album packed with photos of past vacations or sunsets or your pets in funny poses. Refer to it often when the daily grind gets you down. It's a good tool for traffic jams and being on hold with an obnoxious insurance company.

Step 4

Dress for fun. Even a corporate suit can be spruced up with something as simple as a jazzy scarf. Think of your clothing as a statement or a costume, not a drab cloak.

Step 5

Meditate daily.

Step 6

Surround yourself with positive thoughts and love. This can be done by writing down all negative crap, stuffing it in a jar and later burning it at the park. You can also try meditating every morning, asking for only positive things to flow your way. Or maybe you just need something simple, like frequent bubble baths, laughing out loud or sharing a smile with a perfect stranger.

July 20, 2010

2010-07-20T15:16:00.000-04:00

July 20, 2010

“Time you enjoyed wasting was not wasted.” -John Lennon

You don’t need to justify the way you spend your hours. You don’t have to explain it, analyze it or defend it.
You don’t need to compare it with anyone else’s choice. You just need to honor yourself in deciding how to spend your time,
and then let yourself be and enjoy it.

Moments come and go too quickly to waste one worrying about another that’s past.
So enjoy your moments today, whatever that means to you, and know in doing that you’ve had a successful day.

it's mary ruffle

2010-07-13T18:12:00.000-04:00

Live

in the

sunshine.

Swim

in the

sea.

Drink

the wild air.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

... off to do just that. Happy holiday! See you when I return!

Everything Fabulous: Fabulous Quote

2010-07-12T21:33:00.000-04:00

My Quiet time begins this week...

2010-07-12T09:26:00.000-04:00

everything

2010-07-09T14:35:00.001-04:00

everything, originally uploaded by keri.

Today I
am
Excited
About Everything.

-everything! Leaving for a fantastical, whirlwind, working vacation next week in which i will get to shoot a new part of the world I have never yet visited. This fills me with joy in anticipation!

speak your mind.

2010-07-08T14:57:00.001-04:00

speak your mind., originally uploaded by cp.writer.

Be unafraid
to be
unpopular.

To thine ownself
be true.

8 Ways to Be More Confident: Live the Life of Your Dreams | tinybuddha.com

2010-07-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

8 Ways to Be More Confident: Live the Life of Your Dreams | tinybuddha.com:

With realization of one’s own potential & self confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.

~Dalai Lama

Maybe you’ve never been as unsure of yourself as I used to be, but you can likely relate to that feeling of wanting to do something but feeling terrified to start. This not only limits your potential in life; it also minimizes your ability to make a positive impact on the world around you.
There’s a lot that goes into overcoming those fears. You may need to challenge limiting beliefs formed years ago, or take yourself out of a situation where other people undermine your abilities. One thing that will definitely help is working on your confidence.

Not sure if confidence can be learned? Here are some ways to begin:

1. Tap into the confidence you were born with.
I feel it’s something that is always there, something you’re born with that gets lost along the way, or stolen by others. Sometimes you have to dig deep to find it again.” ~Amy Lee Tempest
You didn’t come out of the womb unsure of your cry or insecure about your large umbilical cord. You came out blissfully unaware of external judgment, concerned only with your own experience and needs. That’s not to say you should be oblivious to other people. It’s just that it may help to remember confidence was your original nature before time started chiseling away at it.
Once you developed a sense of self awareness, you started forming doubts and insecurities about how other people saw you. You learned to crave praise and avoid criticism—and maybe you started getting down on yourself if you got more of the latter than the former.
When you start feeling unsure of yourself remember: we were all born with confidence, and we can all get it back if we learn to silence the thoughts that threaten it.
2. Know your strengths and weaknesses.
As you learn who you are, you gain confidence in your strengths and also learn your weaknesses. ~Angela Birt
Learning who you are doesn’t happen overnight. For one thing, it can be hard to know which parts of you are you, and which parts are who you think you should be.
A good start is to identify your strengths and weaknesses and then weigh those against what you enjoy. (If you’re not great in sales, but you actually can’t stand sales jobs, then it doesn’t really matter if you have confidence there. Unless it’s all about ego—but does that really make you happy?)
It might help to list five things you do well that you enjoy, and five things you’d like to do well. Make an effort to utilize some of the first list and work on some of the second every day. As you use your strengths and improve where there’s room to grow, you’ll develop both confidence and fulfillment simultaneously.
3. Expect success.
Confidence comes from success…But confidence also combines another quality because you can be successful, yet lack confidence. It requires a mental attitude shift to an expectation of success. And this alone, can bring about more success, reinforcing the confidence. It spirals from there. ~Jason Hihn
It might seem strange to say expect success since you can’t predict the future, but don’t we do the alternative all the time? Have you ever gone into a stressful situation assuming the worst—that something would go wrong?
Conventional wisdom suggests it’s smart to expect the worst because you won’t be disappointed if you fail and you’ll be pleasantly surprised if you succeed. But research suggests this isn’t universally true. Pessimism can undermine your performance creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Find the successes in every day and you’ll notice over time that they increase.
4. Trust your capabilities.
Confidence comes not from knowing you know everything, but from knowing you can handle what comes up. ~Donn King
No one in the world knows everything. Everyone is good at some things and not so good at others. Don’t weight your security against what you know or can do; weigh it against your willingness and capacity to learn.
If someone criticizes you, take it is an opportunity to improve. If someone does better than you, see it as an opportunity to learn from them. If you fall short at something, realize you can get closer next time. Don’t be merely confident in what you can do—be confident in what you can do when you try.
5. Embrace the unknown.
Confidence comes from a space of humility. It is spawned when we dare to see the world through an alternate lens. It grows when we have the courage to embrace the experience of the unknown and the unknowable. ~Hana Lee
People often think confidence means knowing you can create the outcome you desire. To some extent it does, but this idea isn’t universally true for anyone. No matter how talented, smart, or capable you are, you cannot predict or control everything that happens in your life.
Even confident people lose jobs, relationships, and even their health.
Confidence comes from knowing your competence but acknowledging it’s not solely responsible for creating your world. When you take that weight off your shoulders and realize that sometimes the twists and turns have nothing to do with what you did or should have done, it’s easier to feel confident in what you bring to the table.
6. Take risks.
Confidence is a funny thing. You go out and do the thing you’re most terrified of, and the confidence comes afterwards. ~Christopher Kaminski
If you always do things as you’ve always done them of course you won’t feel confident.
When I first moved to San Francisco, I was highly insecure with relationships. I’d moved a lot, and spent years hopping around the country partly to avoid getting close to anyone. Then I realized the only way out was through. I’d never be good at relationships if I didn’t jump in, get messy, and learn what to and not to do.
I had to crawl, walk, fall, and repeat to get comfortable with vulnerability and conflict. I made tons of mistakes, and a lot of it hurt. But I live a peopled life now, and it’s worth all the discomfort it took to get here.
7. Learn to receive praise.
Confidence is earned through positive recognition and reinforcement. ~Don La Franchi
It’s amazing how easy it is to believe all the negative things people say and yet discredit the positive. Taking a compliment is an art. Sometimes, it’s instinctive to assume they’re just being nice or that maybe you aren’t really skilled—you just got lucky.
Occasionally this may be true, but for the most part you earn the praise you receive. Don’t talk yourself out of believing it. Instead, recycle it into confidence. You did a fantastic job on your project at work—that means you can do it again. You had an amazing performance—that means you can trust you’re talented.
Other people want you to succeed; now you just have to believe them when they show you you’re worthy.
8. Practice confidence.
It can be practiced—and with that practice you will get better. ~Jacqueline Wolven
Like anything else in life, your confidence will improve with practice. A great opportunity to do this is when you meet new people. Just like if you were the new kid in school, they have no idea who you are—meaning you have an opportunity to show them.
As you shake their hand, introduce yourself, and listen to them speak, watch your internal monologue. If you start doubting yourself in your head, replace your thoughts with more confident ones. Ask yourself what a confident person would do, and then try to emulate that.
Watch your posture and your tone. Hunching and mumbling will make you feel and look less confident, so stand up and speak slowly and clearly.
Sometimes fake it ‘til you make it is solid advice because it takes time and consistency to build a habit.
–
Depending on your experiences in life, developing confidence might take a lot of time and effort, which means you need to have patience with the process. I’ve been working on my confidence for 30 years (possibly less; I didn’t start directly after birth!) yet there are still times when I feel insecure.
Start by realizing you are capable and worthy—just as much as anyone else, regardless of what you’ve achieved. Regardless of what mistakes you’ve made. Knowing that intellectually is the first step to believing it in your heart, and believing it is the key to living it.

~via Lori Deschene

design is mine : isn't it lovely?: thought of the day : presence.

2010-07-07T09:54:00.000-04:00

design is mine : isn't it lovely?: thought of the day : presence.

Savvy?

2010-07-01T13:39:00.001-04:00

Savvy?, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

Life is in the actions you take and the choices you make–and staying still is a choice. What can you do today to maintain forward momentum?

~via tinybuddha

Something to say: Rainbow

2010-06-28T17:28:00.000-04:00

Something to say: Rainbow

"Things turn out best

for the people

who

make the best

out of

the way things

turn out."

*Available in Tonya's print shop at many different, and very affordable, sizes.

2010-06-25T10:34:00.002-04:00

Seaside Quartet, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

7 Tried-and-True Ways to Block Your Creativity

"I'm totally blocked."

"I'm not creative."

"I can't even begin to work on all these ideas I get."

These statements have one thing in common.

They're totally false.

Like it or not. You ARE creative. You have no choice but to be creative. It's your nature!

Yea yea yea. I know. It's WAY uncool of me to point that out.

After all, if you're really truly creative, then [gasp!] you might actually have to do something about it! (The horror!)

Some people spend years perfecting the art of stuffing down their creative impulses, convincing themselves of their lack of talent and ideas.

How do they do it?

Well, let me show you the way! I've been there a time or two.

Here are 7 of my Tried-and-True Ways to Block Your Creativity...

----

1 - Check your email first thing in the morning.

Every morning when you wake up, you have a choice. Do you want to be a Creator? Or do you want to hit the ground running as a Reactor?

If you chose the latter, then Bravo! Perfect for blocking your creative impulses!

Here's why.

When you wake up and run to the computer first thing, you shut off your deep creative voices as they come to the surface. You tell them, "No no no! We'll have none of that! This is more important."

And by THIS, you mean "Everyone Else's Agenda."

When you do that, you're simply saying to the Universe, "I'd rather just spend the day reacting, thank you."

And the Universe says, "You got it."

2 - Worry about results before you begin.

Now, THIS is a good one.

Spend lots of time obsessing about whether your final product - be it painting, book, song, or business idea - is any good. If you're careful, you can burn up as much as 8 hours each day with this thought - all the while getting NOTHING done!

3 - Try to be perfect right from the start.

"Books are not written, they are re-written," said Michael Crichton.

Aw, what did he know anyway?

If you want to keep that creativity at a stand still, then believe this instead:

Books, songs, paintings, entrepreneurial ventures...

Their creators all get it right on the first try!

Ask any Creative type. They'll all tell you: Their art always comes out perfectly and fully formed the first time!

And if you can't figure out how to get it perfect on the first try...

Then there's no hope.

Go grab some Cheetos and watch Sponge Bob.

4 - Worry about what people will think.

I've gotten loads of mileage out of this one.

In fact, allow me to tell you about an old music review.

I got ripped apart. BAD.

The critic was out for blood, telling her readers that I had become the "Critic's Darling" - but she was here to set the story straight. (It was like my own private showing of "Mean Girls.")

That was years ago.

But even now, if I ever want to stay stuck for hours, I invite that reviewer to hang out. "C'mon!" I say. "Tell me what you think of this verse! In fact, tell me what you think of ME while you're at it!"

Let ANYONE have a say about your wild creative side -- critics, friends, parents, siblings, mentors, bosses, co-workers -- and you've got yourself a life-long, sorority-sister, BFF relationship with being blocked.

5 - Require a Guarantee.

Do this:

Sit down at your desk. (Or at your piano. Or in your studio.)

Roll up your sleeves.

Rub your hands together and say the following out loud:

"This had better be really good. In fact, this had better win a big huge award of some sort and make me really famous."

Then begin.

6 - Struggle.

(Like you need me to explain this one.)

7 - Wait til you're INSPIRED.

Everyone knows how it works if you're really truly creative:

You wait.

And you wait some more.

You stare at clouds.

You eat some bon-bons.

Out of nowhere, the "muse" comes to you. She takes your hand and leads you seductively to your desk. (She looks a lot like Liv Tyler in Lord of the Rings.)

Dreamily, you ask the muse what, oh what, should you write, paint, photograph...

And she tells you. It's like taking dictation. And you know for sure that you are, indeed, one of the chosen few. The ones who are... CREATIVE!

That will surely happen if you wait...

and wait...

and wait...

and wait...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Christine Kane is a mentor- Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. You can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Be Kind

2010-06-24T21:34:00.000-04:00

Be Kind

June 23, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

2010-06-24T11:33:00.000-04:00

June 23, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

“Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.”
-John De Paola

Sometimes life can seem like a giant race in which we’re all chasing happiness through goals and to-do lists. No sooner than you complete one task, three spring up in it’s place. There’s hardly any time to appreciate the present–not when there’s always more to achieve, create or gain.

While most of us find happiness through commitment to a purpose, there is a middle road between discontentment and complacence. It is possible to maintain forward momentum and still notice, appreciate and enjoy what you have with a sense of peace and stillness.

Much of what you’re chasing is already available in the moment, exactly as it is.

You don’t have to spend your hours, like currency that will get you something you want. At any time, you can simply enjoy where you are. Make that time today, whether it’s a minute, an hour, or an afternoon. Take a break from striving and make time to want what you have.

your time is coming. soon.

2010-06-23T16:09:00.001-04:00

your time is coming. soon., originally uploaded by cp.writer.

Bide your time.

(trust me on this.)

2010-06-23T10:50:00.004-04:00

June 21, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

“Be gentle first with yourself if you wish to be gentle with others.”

-Lama Yeshe

All too often we’re unforgiving and cruel to ourselves in a way we’d never treat our friends.
You’d never look your friend in the eye and tell she’s not good enough. You’d never beat your friend up over one mistake she made years ago. You’d never expect your friend to move mountains when she’s exhausted and clearly needs a rest.

Why do those things to yourself?

Today, give yourself the consideration and kindness you’d extend to the people you love. If you’re dissatisfied with your progress, remind yourself of all you’ve accomplished. If you made a mistake, cut yourself from slack. If you’re tired, take it easy.

All the goodness you put out into the world starts with how you treat yourself.

VISUAL ARMORY

2010-06-23T10:25:00.000-04:00

VISUAL ARMORY

Tomorrow

2010-06-22T10:39:00.001-04:00

Tomorrow, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

Courage does not always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

2010-06-21T11:56:00.001-04:00

The Army of the Kind

"What this world needs is a new kind of army- the army of the kind."

~ Cleveland Amory

Download these new affirmation cards in a free PDF printable.

These gorgeous patterns are by WebTreatsETC!!

Peace to you! ♥

2010-06-21T10:45:00.001-04:00

We Are All Failures...

We Are All Failures..., originally uploaded by vintagecat.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. ~Thomas Edison

And I am here to report that my artwork will NOT be gracing Eric Clapton's new CD, though I thank you for your enthusiasm on my behalf. This was no failure of mine, yet of course I am disappointed, I mean... c'mon it's ERIC CLAPTON! Clapton's management just decided to go with a different direction entirely from the one proposed by the art director at Warner Brothers using my work. I am rather pleasantly surprised NOT to find myself upset by this decision, as I knew it was a possibility all along. My wise friend Jolene, herself an art director gave me some good counsel a few weeks ago- "remember, anything a record company does is like a platypus... a duck designed by a committee, so don't take it personally if they go in another direction."

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am always looking for a silver lining, and the one to this tale is easy to find- the art director at Warner Brothers is already pitching my work to several other artists for THEIR new CDs, so it's not any kind of loss, but instead a big ol' gain for me. And my ability to come through this experience with nary a tiny scratch to my ego gives me so much confidence and resolve to keep creating and sharing my unique vision with the world. Like Edison, I will keep working, keep trying, keep inventing. Thanks for waiting for the light bulb to switch on!

Don't Hold Back

2010-06-20T13:51:00.001-04:00

Don't Hold Back, originally uploaded by nan lawson.

Don't
Hold
Back

2010-06-20T10:03:00.001-04:00

Creative Juice

Many of us bemoan the fact that our lives are too busy to carve out time for creativity. And when we do have some free time, we are often stalled by the belief that being creative involves having both a process and a product in mind before we can "be creative."

The fact is, being creative is not simply producing something new; it's a way of experiencing and interpreting the world around us. We all have creative juices that flow within us; the challenge is to tap into them and allow them to flow more freely.

The following is a very random list of ideas to help you take a fresh look at your world. Try some of them! Be curious and have fun!

take a walk in a new place
listen to a different musical genre than you usually listen to
look up
look down... what do you see?
collect a special shape wherever you find it - a heart, a star...
look for faces in nature and other nonhuman places
make up a story about a someone living in a house you always pass
take a different route to somewhere you regularly go
play with clay
choose one color to notice all day long wherever you go
have a conversation with an animal
write a found poem
make an exquisite corpse drawing with some friends
set the timer for ten minutes and make something!
talk to a stranger
go through your recycling and find paper and objects to make a mixed media piece
keep an inspiration board
make a magic wand
find beauty in decay
go to a museum
keep a journal under a pseudonym
go to a hardware store and choose 5 things you can use for an art project
paint with a child
buy some toys to play with
visit an empty church
make a muse to inspire you
have a picnic lunch in an old graveyard
spend a hour in silence
collage your dreams
swing on a swing
be a tourist in a nearby city
make an altar in your home
look for fallen feathers
watch the sky
make paper beads from old magazines
unplug and let the world go on without you for a day
walk in a labyrinth
try a new food
make colorful decorated cupcakes and have friends over for tea
spend an afternoon shopping around furniture and home furnishing stores as if you're a designer shopping for a client
explore a color you don't like
people watch and imagine their lives
invent a musical instrument from something in your house
let go of results!
Play!

Prove you exist.

2010-06-17T16:50:00.001-04:00

Prove you exist., originally uploaded by jamie heiden.

Contemplation

2010-06-17T13:10:00.001-04:00

Contemplation, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

“Desire, ask, believe, receive.” -Stella Terrill Mann

Today, find the strength to pursue your heart’s desire; the courage to let other people in so they can help you; the faith to stay positive and let that fuel you; and the heart to accept all the joy that’s available to you.

~ via Tinybuddha

2010-06-17T12:06:00.003-04:00

, originally uploaded by chelseanico.
-Hazrat Inayat Khan

2010-06-17T11:43:00.004-04:00

Falkenblog: Arthur Brooks on Happiness

Whatever You Are, Be a Good One - Crimson, originally uploaded by 3LambsStudio.

Arthur Brooks has a new book out, The Battle, and in it he makes an interesting claim.

He states that the key factor in one's happiness--not experiential happiness, but 'remembered happiness' that is more correlated with 'life satisfaction' is 'perceived earned success'. This is the willingness and ability to create value in your life or the life of others. He states that if you ask someone if they feel like they are creating such value, they are happy, regardless of how much they make. Giving people money, via welfare or inheritance, does not make people happy, because this if anything discourages the effort needed to find and develop such a niche.

Invariably, one finds one is good at what they like, because you can only get good at something via a lot of effort, and if the task is perceived as onerous or boring you won't put in enough effort; if you are good at it, you'll find you like the appreciation you receive from others that is greater than in any other activity. Thus, finding your alpha role is like Brook's 'perceived earned success'. If you find what you would do for nothing and get so good people pay you for it, you will probably be happy.

As Muhammad Ali once said,

"You can be the best garbage man or you can be the best model--it doesnt matter as long as you're the best."

'The best' is mathematically improbable, 'really good' generates the same result.

In the end Marcus Aurelius notes that popularity counts for nothing, "we're all forgotten. The abyss of endless time that swallows it all. The emptiness of those applauding hands."

So, live for creating value in the lives of those around you, value that is appreciated and will be missed because it is real. If you create real value, things that with the passage of time retain their admiration, as Brooks suggests, that will probably make you happy, which isn't nothing, it is a very real something.

June 16, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

2010-06-16T12:27:00.000-04:00

June 16, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

“We must overcome the notion that we must be regular. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.”
-Uta Hagen

There is no such thing as “normal.” There is no way you should be. There is nothing you’re supposed to do. There is no set-in-stone idea of what it means to be successful, admirable or great.

There is only the potential to be wonderful and extraordinary as a byproduct of following your bliss. You decide what makes life meaningful, joyful, and rich.

What can you do today to walk the path that’s right for you?

i can read

2010-06-16T09:38:00.000-04:00

i can read

Don't compare

your life to others

you have no idea

what their journey

is all about.

impermanence

2010-06-15T18:27:00.001-04:00

impermanence_postcard, originally uploaded by keri.

Carpe diem (what's left of it)

Letting Go

2010-06-15T13:57:00.001-04:00

Letting Go, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.”

-Buddha

One of the greatest misconceptions in life is that we are somehow powerless to let go of what’s behind us. That we have to carry regret, shame, or disappointment, and that is has to dictate how today will unfold, at least on some level.

It doesn’t. At any moment, you can let go of who you’ve been and decide to be someone new–to do something differently. It won’t always be easy, but it is always a choice you can make.

You can either dwell and stay stuck, or let go and feel free. Give yourself space to fill with good feelings about the beautiful day in front of you–and the beautiful tomorrow you’re now creating.

My Journal - Monday's Quotable

2010-06-15T11:12:00.000-04:00

My Journal - Monday's Quotable

Do not attempt to please everybody.

(just yourself)

How To Create Beautiful, Life Changing Artwork, One Project At A Time : A Big Creative Yes

2010-06-15T10:32:00.000-04:00

How To Create Beautiful, Life Changing Artwork, One Project At A Time : A Big Creative Yes

You have the most incredible creative projects within you, just burning to get out into the world.

But, as yet, you haven’t quite been able to give them the energy, attention, space and time they need and deserve to fully flourish.

So you’ve ended up frustrated and unfulfilled, wondering if you’ll ever be able to get anywhere near creating the kind of life changing art (your life and other people’s) that’s in you. The work that will stir, motivate, inspire, fulfill, and make you feel proud and alive.

Here are the two crucial things you need to do to turn this around.

1. Focus on one project.

Like many creative people, I like having many projects on the go at any one time, in different media, of different sizes and at different stages. It provides me with variety and different types of stimulation, and keeps me motivated and interested.

Having multiple projects is as natural as eating a varied diet of food. You might absolutely adore chocolate, but you wouldn’t want to live on just endless bars of one type of chocolate for the rest of your life. Your body wouldn’t appreciate it much either!

And this is where we can sometimes get put off, or misled when it comes to getting focused on just one thing.

If we talk about focusing all your creative time and energy on only one creative project then most of us start to get very nervous and twitchy and think how can you possibly work on JUST one piece of art? You worry you’ll lose motivation, focus, interest, and it’s the variety I mentioned before that keeps you so into creating.

This is the vital point. When you get highly focused on just one thing, it doesn’t mean forever. It doesn’t even have to mean the rest of the year, or month, or week.

We just mean giving everything you have to a single project, without being distracted by ANYTHING else, for a set period of time.

I’ve had whole days of 8 hours or more where I’ve cleared the calendar and begun with great intentions and expectations to get so much done. But I’ve dabbled in so many different projects during that time, flitted from one to another, barely touching down, before heading off to another, that by the end of the day I’ve done a whole lot of very little and I’m scratching my head wondering where those 8 hours have gone and why I feel so exhausted.

Does this ever happen to you? Thought so!

Other times, I’ve simply sat down to write for a fixed period of 90 or 120 minutes, set a timer, unplugged and removed ALL distractions and just written.

Forget the myth of multitasking, this is all about pure, singular focus.

And the amount I’ve written, and equally crucially, the QUALITY of what I’ve written in this short time has been far greater than what I’ve done during one of those busy-bee-ending-up-doing-nothing 8 hour days.

You will amaze yourself at what you can do in a short, focused, isolated period of time. Then if you want, you can spend another similarly focused chunk of time and energy on the same project, or on something else. But stick to one at a time, eliminate all distractions. Singular focus.

You’ll be in awe of what you can create.

2. Choose what you’re most passionate about.

Now this sounds obvious – why would you create anything you weren’t really excited and passionate about?

Well, it happens. Fear of not being able to do the project justice, not being able to make it “perfect”. Fear of realising that the big idea you had, and attached such high expectations to, doesn’t quite work out as good as you hoped it would.

Fear that if you DO create something incredible, if you do produce the greatest artwork of your life, then you raise the bar, and set yourself higher expectations for next time, thus increasing the pressure on yourself to create something even more brilliant.

But, be honest with yourself. Do you really want to look back over your life and see a string of “quite good” creative projects?

Do you want to feel that although you chose some pretty great projects, you somehow always shied away from those truly wonderful projects that changed your life, and the lives of others?

Or put another way, on your final death bed, do you want to know that you put your heart and soul into your artwork, and indeed your life, and created the greatest masterpieces you had within you?

Or instead, just know that you “tried quite hard” and “didn’t do badly”?

I think the answer for any of us who create is obvious. It’s our duty to create the best we can create and get it out into the world.

Use these two techniques in combination – choosing the projects you’re most passionate about, then given them highly focused periods of time and energy – and you’ll be creating beautiful, life changing artwork, one project at a time.

And the perfect time to begin this is now.

NaClH2O

2010-06-14T12:46:00.001-04:00

NaClH2O, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

The cure for anything
is salt water-
sweat, tears, or the sea

~ Isak Dinesen

2010-06-14T11:18:00.001-04:00

lovely & true - Three happiness killers

“ There are three happiness killers - doing work you do not love and are not passionate about, surrounding yourself with people who you do not really like, and living somewhere that does not let you be you. Just stop it. Life is far too short."

— Richard Florida, The Happiness Project: “Cycling, Writing, Walking — and Living in the Right City.”

Choose Happiness fine art photograph 8x10 by sweetblue on Etsy

2010-06-13T15:37:00.000-04:00

Choose Happiness fine art photograph 8x10 by sweetblue on Etsy

Every day, every moment, it's your choice.

2010-06-11T13:53:00.002-04:00

The Aviatrix, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

“Joy comes from using your potential.”

–Will Schultz

Persian poet and philosopher Rumi wrote:

You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust.
You were born with ideals and dreams.
You were born with greatness.
You were born with wings.
You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.
You have wings.
Learn to use them and fly.

Remember that you have all that potential and greatness in you right in this moment. You have the capacity to feel passionate, motivated, challenged, inspired and impressed with your abilities. You have the power to feel alive.

It’s easy to forget how powerful you are when you get caught up in your struggles and mistakes. When you start stressing about what’s been or what might be coming and let your thoughts become shackles.

Make the conscious choice not to anchor yourself. Let go of whatever is holding you back and make the choice to fly. The only difference between you and someone who lives out loud is choice.

Where will you soar today?

via Tinybuddha

I am what you perceive me to be

2010-06-10T17:12:00.000-04:00

I am what you perceive me to be

2010-06-10T16:48:00.002-04:00

The people with whom you choose to surround yourself will determine how you feel about yourself.

Birds of a feather, flock together.

BEAUTIFUL DAY by dazeychic on Etsy

2010-06-09T22:25:00.000-04:00

BEAUTIFUL DAY by dazeychic on Etsy

Live it up, hey?

design is mine : isn't it lovely?: thought of the day : like.

2010-06-09T22:24:00.000-04:00

design is mine : isn't it lovely?: thought of the day : like.:

"In Like," by Kristina Derrick. Read the story about it here.

feldman

2010-06-09T15:00:00.001-04:00

feldman, originally uploaded by keri.

Pshew. I had enough personal anxiety today to last a lifetime.
Now, it's my task to channel that into my art.

How will you turn straw into gold?

2010-06-08T20:10:00.001-04:00

June 8, 2010 | tinybuddha.com

When you make a moral judgment on someone else, you assume you know their intentions, known as

theory of mind. It’s identified as a theory because you can’t possibly know what’s going on in another person’s head.

Even if you feel certain someone intends to be cruel, thoughtless, insensitive, or selfish, you can’t know for sure–which means you’re essentially making a choice to believe what you want to believe. You’re deciding to assume the worst, maybe to protect yourself. Maybe because it’s easier than the alternative.

The alternative–believing the best–is what we all want for ourselves.

When you say something insensitive, you want people to know you didn’t mean it. When you make a mistake, you want people to know you meant well.

Give that love to the people around you. Hear what they mean. See their potential. Understand their challenges. The world is a far more beautiful place when we stop assuming the worst and instead help each other be our best.

9GAG - Proposed Workflow

2010-06-08T16:30:00.000-04:00

9GAG - Proposed Workflow

9GAG - True Story

2010-06-08T12:06:00.000-04:00

9GAG - True Story

When I get sad,

I stop being sad and be

AWESOME instead.

True Story.

: )

2010-06-08T08:52:00.001-04:00

Your Unique Contribution – The Affirmation Spot for Tuesday June 8, 2010 « The Affirmation Spot

Today’s Affirmation:
I am 100 percent genuine. I am 100 percent original. I am 100 percent authentic.

Everything that happens, regardless of the immediate suffering or joy it creates, perfectly prepares you to fulfill your purpose and achieve your goals. Focus, therefore, always on your experience and the lessons it has to teach you.

For just as the sun knows when to rise and the rose knows when to bloom, so too will you know when it is your moment to step forward and shine. It will be obvious that circumstances call for the special gifts and personal abilities that are uniquely yours.

Remember no matter where life has led you or how much pain you have endured, you still have something wonderful within that you, and only you, can contribute to the universe. Never let anyone tell you that your contribution is umimportant.

I’d dare say that your contribution is so important that the natural unfolding of the universe is undermined when you or anyone else fails to make their contribution. Live as if you dwell in a blessed state of grace because you do. Act as if you are endowed with enormous power to make a difference because you are.

Each day is one small deposit in your larger contribution to all of existence. Do yourself and the rest of us a huge favor and don’t forget to make it.

Stay positive, stay inspired!

And the band played on

2010-06-07T08:48:00.001-04:00

And the band played on, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.

~Friedrich Nietzsche

9GAG - Stop wishing, start working

2010-06-06T10:56:00.000-04:00

9GAG - Stop wishing, start working

Stop wishing.

Start working.

35 Simple Ways to Be Beautiful | tinybuddha.com

2010-06-04T12:34:00.000-04:00

35 Simple Ways to Be Beautiful | tinybuddha.com

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

-- William Butler Yeats

It seems like such a cliche to say pretty is as pretty does, but the truth is physical beauty is subjective. And no matter how closely someone matches your ideal of physical perfection, that will eventually fade. What endures are the qualities, passions, and habits we nurture.

That’s what makes us beautiful–and believe me when I say there is something beautiful in everyone.

If you’ve done any of the following lately, you are absolutely beautiful:

1. Smile. As the quote goes, “I’ve never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.”

2. Be there for someone who needs you even if there’s nothing in it for you–give without expectations.

3. Make a sacrifice for someone you love.

4. Admit a mistake, even if it’s hard to say you’re wrong, and work to make amends.

5. Share your struggles, putting your ego aside, to make someone else feel less alone.

6. Create something that helps people. A song, a blog, a support group, a non-profit–anything that inspires.

7. Help a child feel good about him or herself.

8. Tell someone what you appreciate about them, even if you feel vulnerable.

9. Forgive someone without needing to hear the words, “I’m sorry.”

10. Give someone an uncomfortably long hug when they need it.

10. Create positive energy around you by thinking positive thoughts and acting with positive intentions.

11. Sit with reality without judging anyone or anything.

12. Accept someone for who they are instead of trying to change them to who you want them to be.

13. Treat people like you want to be treated.

14. Notice something simple but beautiful in the world around you.

15. Acknowledge the beauty in others, instead of feeling threatened or competing with other people.

16. Be the change you want to see in the world, as per Gandhi’s suggestion.

17. Tap into your personal power and do something that makes a difference in the world.

18. Find strength in a challenging moment. It’s not easy to do, and you deserve credit for it.

19. Talk kindly about the world around you instead of gossiping or complaining.

20. Forget yourself for a minute and do nothing but listen to someone who needs it.

21. Measure a person by their best moments, not their worst.

22. Give yourself the same courtesy–focus on the good you’ve done, not the mistakes you’ve made.

23. Take the high road when someone hurts you instead if being cruel or catty.

24. Make someone laugh. A smile can literally melt stress and pain away. How beautiful of you to do that for someone else!

25. Make someone cry–tears of joy that is. People want to feel moved, inspired, motivated. Never underestimate the power of touching someone’s heart.

26. Keep an open mind instead of sticking with a judgment or assumption.

27. Love what you’re tempted to fear.

28. Be the voice of optimism when the people around you need it badly.

29. Show humility when your accomplishments would make it easy to stand above people.

30. Handle rejection or failure with grace. It’s far more easily said than done–and it sounds so cheesy and cliche–but accepting loss gracefully makes you a true winner.

31. Show unbridled enthusiasm for something that excites you. All children are beautiful, and I think their unadulterated joy has a lot to do with it.

32. Hear what someone means, not just what they say. Anyone can nitpick. Not everyone actively works to be understanding.

33. Imagine a world where people know peace, and do one small thing to create it.

34. Honor the values that matter to you. Showing integrity is the first step to feeling good about yourself.

35. Accept and love yourself–or as Ben Folds sings, “Learn to live with what you are.”

And now a disclaimer: some days you may not do anything written above–in fact, you might do the exact opposite. On those days you are still beautiful.

There are times when, like Alexander, I’m having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Times when it seems like I might get swept into the tornado of chaos around me. Times when the voice in my head is unkind, and I interpret everything that happens through a negative filter. When I think the worst of people and complain about it; when I expect the worst of my day and lament it.

This admission might seem like the biggest possible acknowledgment of hypocrisy, but I have nothing to give if not my honesty. And the reality is I am imperfect. We all are.

We all have moments of weakness–but they’ll only define us if they far surpass moments of kindness, compassion, love, and strength.

Being beautiful doesn’t mean adhering to some picture-perfect fantasy, or living every moment that way. It means realizing this moment is a new opportunity to be who you want to be, and making the effort to seize it.

How will you be beautiful today?

Vanish

2010-06-04T09:24:00.001-04:00

Vanish, originally uploaded by Linda's Many Muses.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

~ Henry David Thoreau

AID 4 ARTISTS

opportunity

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Vanish