Creativity

We are all creative in our own way. What would you like to learn? A language? New skills? Recipes? What do you want to learn? How to fix things around the house--like basic plumbing or car mechanics? Pick a skill you wish you knew. Do you already have a book on it? Is there a YouTube channel or blog on the topic? Set aside 15-30 minutes to find more information on the topic. Do you have all the necessary items/ingredients? Try it. What can go wrong? What can go right? Will you surprise yourself? Will you be less dependent on someone? Will you have more appreciation for those who have that skill? What will you learn today?

Writing during uncertainty

Do you have a journal? Are you writing on laptop? Start with gratitude list. Then list of things to do/ change. Pick one, and list steps to achieve goal. When you get stuck, ask yourself, "what should I do now?" Return to list. If you are stuck at home, look around you. What do you have? What do you need? What can you cull? What can you donate to others in need? Rediscover a sense of wonder. Go outside and breathe deeply. What do you see? Be mindful and in the moment. When you drink your coffee, tea, water, juice, whatever. Savor every flavor. The initial taste and sensation. The after taste. The temperature. Mindfulness is a simple and complicated skill. This skill requires slowing down and being deliberate with what you are doing and saying and not doing. Are you eating well? What are you craving? I was taught at a young age that if I craved something, so it because there's a purpose. If you're craving a food, eat a little to satiate the need. Then slow down and figure out why you have that craving. If you are craving to go out, why? What do you want to do really? What are you avoiding? A friend told me that when I listened to music and tv all the time, even when in the shower, that I was avoiding silence and my own thoughts. Is that what you're doing? Are you avoiding being alone with your thoughts? Are you avoiding your faults? Your dreams? Your lack? Did you make resolutions and not start any of them or give them up? Are you feeling guilty? Use this time to focus on one goal. Just one. Write a list of things you want to do. Pick one to start. Or roll the dice to see which one you should try today. Do one thing today for 30 minutes. I was told once by a student that he felt he could attend and focus one minute for every year old he is. That makes sense. A 7-year-old can attend for about 7 minutes. When I teach classes, I keep the lessons to 15-20 minutes and then redirect the assignment or change from lecture to group work to individual work to lecture. The changing focus every 15 minutes allows the monkey brain to redirect to a new activity--or a new piece of the puzzle. That's why my students were so successful in learning what I gave them. They could take a complex task, break it down to bits, and focus on one piece at at time. What do you want to accomplish during this time? Or are you wasting it? Are you avoiding? I'll give new topics to explore. Let's see what you accomplish?

Power of sound and words

There is power in words and sounds. Affirmations and spells require you need to be mindful of the words you choice and use. Use positive instead of negative words. Mantras and songs are similar in their power. (Shanti for peace is less physically explosive in sound.) January moon I handed out mantras to try and see how they impact your life. Feel free to find others. I have done prayers for years with meditation and while driving, walking, rocking babies, dealing with cancer, holding sick friends and kids. Some goddesses have mantras associated with them---especially Asian/Indian ones. Find one that suits you or what you want. Put it on a notecard and recite frequently. Put it on your mirror. Find a way to incorporate the some or mantra. I have many CDs because I love the chanting and songs. If you want to check any out, please let me know.

Clear goals

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, learn about them, or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. - Denis Waitley

Your goals may deal with self, community or others. They may deal with self improvement and/or spirit. They may deal with job and finances. They may deal with improving relationships, communication, attitude. Whatever your goals, write them down. Look at them. What are you willing to do or not do to achieve those goals?

Put it in writing and someplace where you are regularly reminded. Don't be so rigid that you can't modify the goals or steps to achieve those goals. What do you really want? Focus on that.

Affirmations

"When reciting affirmations, feel the words in your heart as you say them and know that what you feel you'll create." - Peggy McColl, Author of Relax Your Way to Wealth


Simple magic--must have energy, focus, and intention. You have to believe it before it becomes a reality. However, if it doesn't happen, then you need to reexamine what you requested (djinn's curse, check your wording) and look for obstacles that must be cleared before you can "see" your outcome/goal manifested.

Individuals do this in many ways. However, the reason many folks don't get that for which they wish is they didn't have a clear picture (focus) or enough energy built up for it. A passing fancy is less likely to manifest than a passion.

Also, what's your intention? Did you word it in the positive? I stopped using "no worries" because, although it's a positive message, the phrase is comprised of two "negative" words." "It's all good," although in passive verb form, the message and words are positive. Instead of saying "don't forget," say "always remember." the intention, energy, and focus are different.

If you are making New Year's resolutions, check your wording and fully feel and see what you want manifesting. You can write out the steps to accomplish that goal (break it into bite size pieces) and focus on the steps while envisioning the manifested end.

Try it. Talk to others. You don't have to do this alone. You have a support system here to help you solidify those goals or help you brainstorm ways to accomplish those goals.

Sparking thoughts

I post quotes and musings here to see if anything sparks for others and to get feedback to see if I'm seeing things clearly/completely.

Words, unfortunately, frequently fall short of expressing what we think, feel, believe. We can be misunderstood by the words we choose because the reader may have a different infliction/ slant/ meaning to the word we choose, so we must be willing to clarify and define for better communication.

The quotes I put here are because they strike a chord of truth for me. If they help others, then fabulous. I keep a Word doc full of them. When I'm feeling at a loss, like I'm swimming in the abyss, I scroll through them or flip through various books to find something to latch on to. The words are usually something I have a strong feeling about (love or hate), and so I explore why I am having such a strong reaction to them. This is how I do tarot readings for folks as well. They choose cards toward which they have strong reactions, and we explore those.

I feel we should do the same with the words and actions of the people around us. If we have a reaction to something a friend says to us or about us, we may have to explore that to see if we find truth there and what that may be.

Creativity

Are you tired of reading dry, dull, dusty writing? It may be a flyer, email, memo, advertisement, or other piece of writing that crosses your path. Certain things catch our eye--colors, movement, sounds. Words paint pictures that sell an image, an impression. In the business world, this is frequently called "branding." It's simply creating an image.

If you want to catch someone's attention, think about your intention. What do you want to be the lasting impression? What words will create that effect?

If it helps, work up a journal of comparable words and images so you'll have a resource for later.

For instance, look around you. How many shades of blue do you see? Can you describe them al distinctly so another person will know which one you're referencing. Is it clear sky blue? Close to the shore sea blue? Brand new denim blue? Worn in faded blue jeans blue?

The words you use paint a picture in the reader's mind. Even if you're writing a memo or technical manual, be mindful of the words you choose and the image they convey because the words will influence your reader.

Next time you have to write something, take a moment. Take a deep breath. Picture what you want as the outcome. Write this down so you have a clearly defined goal in mind. Then brainstorm on words that will help convey that image.

Unexpected and familiar images will pop in the reader's mind--what image do you want to convey? What words will paint the impression. Do you want broad, sweeping strokes or precise lines? Play with the words until you create the impression you want. Try writing up the piece using different images. After you've written up a coupld different forms, read them out loud. How does the piece make you feel? Is this the impression you want to convey to the reader? Why?

Be creative. Don't be afraid to put words on paper. It's not wrong or right so long as you write. Let your imagination play. Creative, fun, thought-provoking images stick in our minds. We carry them around and review them from time to time. If you want the reader to think about you or your product, make sure the image sticks, so be creative with the images and words.

Take time to play with the words and build up your journal reference of images and words. Then the next time you have soemthing to write and you want the writing to catch the reader's attention, you'll have had some practice and some words as back up.

Keep your variations. You never know when a writing or impression will work. What you write may not work for the current target audience, but that audience may change. Keep your various drafts for later reference.

Start now keeping this journal reference. The more you practice, the easier this process will be for you . . . and this process will take less time with each successive attempt.

Regardless of what you're writing, why, or for whom, the better the picture you draw, the more likely the reader will listen to your point of view. Now you've got their attention.