"It is not wrong to go back to that which you have forgotten."  West African Proverb

When I first started painting I would only use watercolors.  Then it was watercolor pencils and for the past several years it has been pastels.  I loved the way the pastels felt on my fingers as I moved them across the paper.  But suddenly my watercolors have been calling me again.  The funny thing is I feel as though I am beginning all over again. Things don't come as naturally as they once did.  But I am sure with practice and patience it will feel familiar before long. 

Practice and patience.  Those are two important words.  It is hard to get better at anything in life without practice and for most of us patience.  So as I begin to work with my watercolors once again I will remember those two words -  practice and patience.  I used them for years with my yoga and I did get better.  I relied on them when I wanted to become a better and better teacher and now creative living coach.  And now I'll repeat them again each time I begin to paint.  Practice and patience.  It will be interesting to see just how far those two simple words will take me.  I think that will be my new mantra - Practice and Patience!  It feels just right.

           Do you have a mantra or affirmation that you say to help you stay focused?  I would love to hear it.

          When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

                               The person you will spend the most time with in your life is yourself.  
                                 So you better try to make yourself as interesting as possible.  Pinterest
   
The above quote showed up in my inbox as a quote I might like from Pinterest this morning.  It was the perfect nudge I needed to get me moving again.  Traveling through this journey of grief and widowhood is not easy.  I don't write about it often but it is part of me every moment of every day.  But that is a blog post for another day.  

As I began to ponder the quote above I realized that it is time to reassess where I am.  The awareness piece of living a creative life is very important.  We are always changing. Sometimes it is a big change that we have no control over while other times it is a change that we have made ourselves but have not yet fully embraced.  So I asked myself a question which hopefully will lead to an interesting answer.  "What would make my day/life/me more interesting?"  I've begun to think about this. I'm giving myself time to answer my question.  I may journal about it and see what appears.  I may make a collage or paint a picture to help me discover more about where I want to go and what I want to do.  A class might help. Talking to others may give me fresh ideas. And even if I don't get my answer right away doing all of these things can't help but make my life more interesting. So what about you?

            We all spend a lot of time with ourselves.  What do you do to make yourself as interesting as possible?

               When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                              Ginny


As a creativity coach I help people use the Kaizen-Muse principles of creativity to overcome procrastination, perfectionism and overwhelm.  Whether you are creating the life you always wanted to live, starting a new business, writing a book, or beginning a new adventure the principles that I share  will help you not only get started but continue to move forward.  If you are interested in talking, please let me know at [email protected]  Remember the first 30 minute session is always free so that we can get to know each other.  

                                  A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment.  Proverb

One of my favorite places to be is the ocean.  Last week as I sat with my feet in the water alternating between reading a good book and talking to friends. I realized I felt really content.  That's not a feeling that comes easily and I began to wonder why.  I remember many years ago being told that you don't want to get too content because that's when opportunities pass you by.  I am sure it was just about the time when as a society we began to want more or bigger and the words "I am so busy" became the thing to say.  

This week I have begun to look for the times throughout the day when I feel really content.  I know sitting in my backyard in the early morning is one time of day when contentment pays a visit. I know there are more and I want to be sure not only to notice them but to give them the attention they are due. 

I hope that you will take a few minutes this weekend to think about what makes you content.  And then I hope you will not only appreciate those things but find a way to bring more of that peaceful and happy feeling into your life.

            When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                        Ginny

This year I am taking time each month to reflect upon the month or season that just passed.  My word of the year actually turned into the phrase Living Joyfully with Courage and Confidence.  It is easy to forget my phrase but I think its too important of a concept for me to not think about. So this week I asked myself these questions:  "Did I live joyfully?"  Did I act with courage and confidence?  And I added one more.  "Did I choose happiness?"

I have come to realize that it is important to choose happiness.  And I realize if I choose happiness it will mean that I am living joyfully.  I have lived long enough to know that we can't be happy every minute of everyday.  But when given a choice - and life is filled with choices - it is important to choose happiness.  Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes.  It comes when we least expect it or when we are planning and waiting for it patiently and it comes because we choose it.

It's easy to become frustrated or angry in the fast paced world we live in.  We are often surrounded by negative people and negative images.  But we can choose to ignore those images and replace them with things that make us happy.  We can choose our friends carefully and surround ourselves with people who care about the things that we care about.  

I think it is important to recognize the people and things that bring happiness into our lives. One of the things that makes me happy each day is my home.  It has served our family well providing warmth and a place to make memories.  It's windows allow me to see outside and appreciate the beautiful sky that is above me and the green that is all around me even when I am indoors.  It protects me from the cold and the rain and is a place to be quiet and still. It is something that I am grateful for each and every day.

What brings you happiness?  What makes you smile or feel giddy or calm or peaceful?  I hope that you will join me each day in celebrating whatever or whoever it is that makes you happy. It is easy to overlook those things or without realizing it choose something else.  I'm consciously choosing happiness.  I hope that you will join me.

               When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                                           Ginny

Friday I spent most of the day with my three grandsons.  They decided to practice hitting golf balls.  Time after time the two older boys hit the ball far across the yard into the woods into the trees behind their house.  The four year old patiently waited his turn and then watched the ball roll just a little farther each time.  He never said anything, just got back in line, and waited for his next turn.  After about an hour, he stepped up to the ball and this time when he swung , the club connected with the ball and it went really far.  He dropped the club ran up to me and with the biggest hug said, "Nana can you believe I just did that and I am only four?"  The truth is I could believe that he could.  He has an enormous amount of energy and an enormous amount of patience when he really wants to do something.  I am constantly learning from all of the boys.  But on Friday it was the four year old who reminded me to never give up and to really truly celebrate the moment when it happens.

​                                  What moment would you like to celebrate this week? 

               When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

                                                            Create the life you want to live
                                                             [email protected]

Last week I wrote about the very busy week I had.  The week turned out to be ok but as I was experiencing it, I found it to be very stressful.  This week was just the opposite. For the most part the calendar was empty and my first thought was Oh no. What am I going to do?  And then I decided not to do anything.  Not to fill the days but to see where each day led me.  I decided to sleep in and to start the day with writing for just a few minutes.  I went to the lake and read in the car because it was too cold to sit out side.  I worked on my flower boxes and painted and read.  I practiced yoga and talked to friends.  I read a beautiful magazine called Bella Grace and enjoyed each and every picture and article.  I really enjoyed the quiet and the solitude. It was a week when I did less but enjoyed it more.  I hope that there will be many more weeks just like this one.  Weeks when I do less and enjoy it more.

           When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                                   Ginny

                                                                 Create the life you want to live.
                                                                  [email protected]

                                               

I've been thinking a lot about what inspires me.  Of course it is people that are excited about what they are doing and sharing it with others. It's women who as they grow older also grow bolder.  They do what they want, say what needs to be said and continue to grow and take on new challenges. I'm inspired by the fearlessness of the young. And I am inspired by both Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton.  They are of my generation and they are out there fighting to change the system. Whether you agree with them or not they haven't given up and both believe they can make a difference.  

I'm also inspired by nature.  It's colors, it's intensity.  I have flowers that come back year after year no matter what happens.  It can be the coldest winter or the hottest summer yet at the same time every year they begin to peek through the soil and are there for all to enjoy.  It is such a reminder that even though there are adversities in life they can be over come.  

Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes.  It comes when you are looking for it or it surprises you by being there just when you need it most. It is free for the taking and can make the biggest difference in how we see our world and spend our days. I'd love to know what inspires you to live a life filled with joy and wonder each day.

                   When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                                               Ginny

 I just finished one of those weeks.  One that you are so glad is over. Visits with the doctor, tests, test results, visits with the dentist, income taxes and much much more.  It's what happens in life. It is a time that can, if you let it, make you feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Trips to Facebook didn't help.  Everyone there seemed to be at the beach having a wonderful time. (It's spring break in the south) but what did help was visiting with new and inspiring artists. Reading about their techniques and sharing their excitement reminded me how much writing or painting or taking pictures can chase away those negative feelings that can visit from time to time.

 As a creativity coach, I know that the creative process goes through many cycles.  There are ups and downs. There are times when the ideas flow and times when we feel stuck or blocked.  I know that many of the strategies that I successfully use in the creative process work just as well as I go through life's journey. Knowing that when I meet, either in person or online, new and exciting artists and writers inspires me to create is another tool I will put in my toolbox. Because I also know that once I begin to paint and write everything else seems to fall in place which is a great feeling.

Is there a particular thing that you do to keep the creative process moving forward?  I'd love to know what works for you.

    When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                    Ginny 

​

This was a week of inspiration.  It began with the weather.  Warm breezes and sunshine  made every day seem special. It felt great to open the windows and let the fresh air in and to walk outside and feel the sun on my face.

I also found a volunteer position that I am excited about.  I have looked for awhile to find what seemed right at this particular time in life and I know that I I found it.  While searching the web for just the right thing I came across the Foundation for Hospital Art.  They paint murals and paintings and tiles for hospitals all over the world to brighten the atmosphere for everyone who comes through the door.

They also hold events where patients and their families as well as volunteers are involved in the painting.  When I walked into the workroom everyone was so friendly and I immediately felt at home.  I knew right away that this would be a wonderful way to give back.  The paintings are bright and cheerful just as are the people who help to create them.  

What began as one man's simple act of kindness has spread goodwill and cheer throughout the world.  Hospitals have murals and paintings created by patients and volunteers adorning the walls.And friends are made while creativity is expressed. Who could ask for more?

Is there something special in your community that you like to take part in?  I was pleasantly surprised to learn about this organization.  I am sure there are many more that I have never heard of and would love to know about them.

          When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                             Ginny

I have gotten away from the habit of reflecting upon the week that was and setting an intention for the week ahead.  I realized this morning it was a practice that I wanted to get back to and Sunday's Inspiration is about to begin again.

Yesterday I was at my middle grandson's basketball game.  There is nothing I like better than watching a team of boys have fun together while they grow as both teammates and people.  They are out there having fun and learning many of life's lessons that will take them far in the years to come.

Yesterday I was reminded of one of those lessons.  At halftime the parents are asked to participate in a fun easy competition of their own.  It's different each week but both the parents and the kids really seem to enjoy it no matter what the challenge.  I usually look on cheering and clapping but not participating in the actual activity.  Yesterday my son decided it was my time to get involved and did a little more than just encourage me to get up and take a shot.  So I did.  I tossed the ball into the basket and guess what - I made it.  I won a a lot more than a small bag of popcorn.  It was a reminder that in life there is a time to sit and dream and then there is a time to get up and take chance. 

If you have an opportunity to take a chance this week, this may be the time to take it.  You never know what you might win.

        When you share your talents and your dreams, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

                                                     Create the life you want to live.
                                                  [email protected]