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Just do it
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ~Andy Warhol Artists are courageous people. When it comes to expressing creativity, fear is usually what stops other people in their tracks — not lack of talent. Fear of failure … Fear of being imperfect … Fear of appearing foolish … Fear of being misjudged. Are you toying with the idea of starting a new creative project or trying a new hobby? Once you ignore the inner critics that discourage you, you’ll start to paint, knit, sculpt,…
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Morning people
“The muses love the morning.” ~Benjamin Franklin Since I’m the granddaughter of Scottish farmers, I wonder if I’m genetically programmed to be a morning person. Whatever the reason, I enjoy watching the sun rise over the treetops while I sip my morning coffee, check my email, and write my morning essays. My mind is sharper early in the day, and there are no phone calls or conversations to disrupt my early morning peace. The only drawback to early rising is that I’m inclined to tire out earlier in the evening when my night-owl friends are just getting started. How about you? Are you a morning or night person? ~CL
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Glittering magical moments
“Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.” ~Anna Quindlen, A Short Guide to a Happy Life Today is my birthday, so I’ve been reflecting on events that unfolded since last August. What did I learn from them? How did they change me? There have been a few challenges: Coco was hit by a car,…
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Germinating
“During the times we think we’re being ‘unproductive,’ the seeds of new worlds are germinating within us, and they need peace to grow.” ~Martha Beck Somewhere along the line, I bought into the notion that I need to be working 24/7. I feel guilty if I’m not writing articles, teaching classes, organizing my home, working in my garden, or otherwise being productive. Now that I’m semi-retired, I don’t want to become useless or irrelevant. While most of us celebrate the idea of retiring from our jobs, we still live in a culture that rewards busyness. So it’s not surprising that many of us are conflicted (or secretly embarrassed) if we…
