Moments of Opportunity

Life is made up of moments not long, extended periods of happiness and bliss. Life is made up of choices. Life gives us a great deal of opportunity, but are we willing to accept it?

What do you see as opportunity?  Is it that moment that you perceive as bringing great joy, happiness and reward or is it that moment that you perceive as bringing great pain, sorrow and difficulty? Are you willing to use the abilities you have to make your life brighter and happier?  Or do you back away from using them because you might face the unknown or the unexpected?

Attaching expectations of certain outcomes to opportunities in life can lead to disappointments, and disappointments can lead you to stop pursuing opportunities. If you want many special moments, then you must make special moments.  If you want unforgettable times, then you have to take advantage of your opportunities and make the times unforgettable.  You must remember to not shy away from the opportunities that appear difficult for some of the most incredibly special and unforgettable moments can be made in those difficult opportunities.  You must remember to focus on the positive in all situations (yes there are positives in all situations you might have to dig deep but they are there) and choose to go forward into the opportunities with an open heart and mind and an attitude that says I will make this unforgettable and special.  Then you can seize the moment of opportunity and change your life as well as the life of others.

Remember it is a moment at a time this journey we call life, seize each moment and determine that you will make it the best moment that moment can be!!!

Peace

De

Are you happy mommy?

When my kids were little we took many long road trips, which allowed them to experience a lot of the country that others don’t get to see.  It was during one of these long road trips that my son, when he was about 2 1/2 years old asked a wonderful question.  He looked at me with those big beautiful blue eyes with a brilliant smile on his sweet dimpled face and asked “Are you happy mommy?”  I remember smiling and saying “Yes Bo I am happy.  Are you happy, Caleb?”  He beamed and with his whole body and his words replied “Yes I am happy, mommy!”  Pure happiness exuded from him at that moment and it became an often asked wonderful question through out his younger years.   Every time he asked it I was reminded of the things that made me truly completely happy at those moments which were always first and foremost my three beautiful, wonderful, healthy loving children.

As the years passed the wonderful question fell by the wayside swallowed up by sports, school, and growing up but it is a valid question that we should ask ourselves each day and contemplate the answer.  So the question is are you happy and if you are why and if you aren’t why not?

First I believe happiness is a choice we make, there are many people, circumstances and events in our lives that we have opportunity to respond and react to in a way which would bring us happiness if we choose the appropriate response/reaction.  So happiness is within all our grasp but that doesn’t mean that grabbing it is easy by any means.  So what keeps us from choosing the response/reaction that will put happiness  firmly in our grasp?  Your perception of truth-which is actually your beliefs, for it is what shapes every second of your life, remove limiting beliefs and replace them with positive beliefs that are consistent with your desires and dreams and happiness should be within your grasp.  Now that is the simple quick and dirty explanation there is much deeper work that requires work on all of your being: spiritual, emotional, mental and physical but there is one very identifiable thing that you can concentrate on that will bring quick results.  I call it our “superpower”  what is it good ole’ attitude.  The right attitude makes all things possible while a negative attitude will leave even the simplest of tasks virtually impossible. But to  achieve the right attitude you must take responsibility for your own actions.

So artist what does being happy, knowing what makes you happy or not, perception of truth, beliefs and attitude have to do with your creativity?  Everything, they all shape your creativity and your work.  They are the lens through which you see the world and the sifter which you use to accept or reject what to communicate through your medium.  Compare the work you’ve done when you were happy and when you weren’t, when you had a positive attitude and when you had a negative attitude and you can visible see the difference.

So my challenge for you today is this ask yourself are you happy and figure out if you are pleased with your answer.  If you aren’t take a look at your attitude and your beliefs, if you are take a look at your attitude and your beliefs, then start looking at how you can work on your attitude and beliefs to change or deepen your happiness.

Peace to all

De

Which dog do you feed the most?

A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner:  “Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.”  When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, “The one I feed the most.”unattributed

Sorry for my inactivity of late for me there is a uncreative/lazy dog and a creative/energetic dog and I have been feeding the lazy one of late.  It is my intention to once again write on a regular basis at least weekly.  I will be expanding the vision of the blog a bit to encompass more life inspiration to hopefully draw in others and motivate and encourage them.

So lets talk about these two dogs obviously we all have a  dog that leads us to good and pleasant paths and a dog that is determined to take us down a path that is nonconstructive and dangerous and we see them in all aspects of our being spiritual, mental, and emotional.  Feeding the “bad” dog in one area of your being will result in a lack of interest in feeding the “good” dog in other areas of your being.

So what should we be feeding the “good” dog in order for it to grow stronger than the “bad” dog.  In order for the “good” dog to be the strongest,  I have to fill my mind with positive thoughts and ideas, uplifting stories and poems, beautiful images and songs.   I also must   encourage people, forgive, allow, compliment, help.  This helps maintain my physical health, my emotional health, and my spiritual health.

Artists what does any of this have to do with feeding your creativity?  There are those who would say that in order for an artist to be known they have to feed the “bad” dog and draw from the “edgier” side of life, but I don’t believe that.  While I have produced some decent work when I have been down or in to things that weren’t the best I believe my best work has come in the times when I am focusing on the positive side of life. Feeding the “good” dog brings life and light to your creativity and your work.

So my challenge to you for today is to first find your “good” dog and then begin nourishing it with compassion, positivity, laughter and forgiveness and see how your life and your art improves.

Peace to All

De