Putting One Foot . . .

You know the rest of the title “. . . in front of the other.” Sometimes that is what’s asked of us–to make a decision, be clear in our intentions then, get busy. Creativity can come into play in our attitude, and in our willingness to be open to new ideas. As a practicing fine artist and educator I am enchanted by what I call “happy accidents.”  In artwork its when the ink spills or the camera shakes and you realize that perfection has happened. One day, my friend P. was painting a stylized picture of a dancing couple, their feet perfectly poised on an ornate rug. In the pristine white borders of her picture a blob of gouache accidentally dropped . P. was aghast. I saw what happened and noticed that the shape looked like a pair of scissors. In that instant of unconscious creativity I blurted out, “You could title the painting, ‘Cutting Up the Rug.'”

Creativity and wellness message for today: Get to work, do what you need to do and delight in the unknown. Sometimes being aware of a happy accident is all that is necessary to lighten the moment and take the next step.

Revisit Stillness

Today I stopped midstream, seems like I’ve been doing that a lot recently. The pressing need for an immediate and total halt in order for me to rejuvenate. This morning I sat, I meditated, I centered. Almost immediately clarity came, my breathing deepened and the pressure in my chest went away. Unexpectedly, in the stillness, in the quiet, creative ideas floated into my consciousness about a new book proposal. When my mind and body paused, my spirit awoke.

Creativity and wellness message for today: Dip into the stillness, no matter what. A wellspring of reverence is there for you every day, every moment. Stop, immerse yourself in the quiet. You just may discover that sometimes non-action is the key to action.

Wellness Message From the Water

I’ll be making entries to inspire you to create the life you love. Entries will be geared toward sharing information about how to feel well, even in troubled times. My tried and true definitions of creativity and wellness follow:

* To be creative is to handle life’s challenges from an enlightened perspective. Creativity honors the unknown, it delights in and ignites spontaneous joy.

* Wellness is the experience of balanced, free-flowing energy on many levels–body, mind, emotions, spirit. To feel well is to accept the whole of who you are.

This morning, when I swam laps at a local pool, the lanes were already full when I arrived. The only available lane was the narrow-close-to-the-wall one that I hate. I wanted to swim, so I moved myself into that lane, even though I didn’t like it. Luckily after five minutes of being squeezed but sharing, the other swimmer finished. I enjoyed two lanes, in my all-to-myself-glory, with plenty of room for the next twenty minutes.

My creativity and wellness message for today is go on ahead and jump in, even if the water isn’t fine! Jump in, do what you can, and sometimes, the way opens up for you.

Thanks for reading, stay tuned.