clouds come and go
the blue sky is always there
“overcast” can provide respite
without variety, life would be boring
* A great song no matter the weather, “I can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
Sunshiny Day*
drawing
13 Habits* (#7 = Strenuous Exercise)
Make Time for Strenuous Exercise
“Scientists consider it the single thing closest to a magic bullet….and Richard Branson gives it as his #1 piece of advice for entrepreneurs” – do strenuous exercise!
Ryan Holiday recommends having a goal with your exercise (e.g., “I will do at least 10 pushups today.”)
Although I have never been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, I know for a fact that if I start my day out with strenuous exercise, my anxiety levels are greatly decreased all day.
The 13 Daily Habits (#6)*
Find True Quiet
Disconnect.
Unplug.
Be unreachable.
Find calmness and peace.
Build this into your daily schedule.
Ryan Holiday likes to swim. (What a great way to combine Habits #6 and #7 (strenuous exercise))! I love to go running in the desert. Or go to a coffee shop and write. How do you like to create quiet for yourself?
*From Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog blog
The 13 Habits* (#4)
Do a Kindness
Practice a kindness every single day. If you’re already doing this, consider being kind to – yes – a rude person, or someone you are not particularly fond of. It’s challenging, but it’s important, if we’re going to change the world.
13 Life-Changing Habits to do Each Day (1/13)
I enjoy reading Ryan Holiday’s Thought Catalog blog. He just published an article on “13 Life-Changing Habits to do every single day.” These habits will definitely lead to good things for you!
I’ll share them with you. Here’s #1:
Prepare for the Hours Ahead
Holiday refers to the stoics often. Here, he informs us that Marcus Aurelius used to keep a morning journal, where he connected with his intentions for the day and planned how he might react to people and events that were less than desirable. This helps us to prepare for potential setbacks.
Fresh
As a huge fan of Lisa Congdon, I’ve basically exhausted her classes on Creativebug.com. I decided to venture out and try another artist: Molly Hatch. She’s awesome and does design work for Anthropologie. I’ve never taken art classes and she taught “the basics” which are very good to know:
Rule of the Thirds:
Basically, you make a grid of thirds (She did it on tracing paper) to help you visualize the “four corners” of intersection.” The focal point of your art (for the viewer) will be in the center and ideally, your art should touch these areas.
I love being a beginner – everything is fresh.
Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
Pablo Picasso
Printemps
What if…
you chose to enjoy the very thing you dread most today?
Wouldn’t the entire day be lifted?
Bliss of Solitude
Nature teaches us how to be quiet and calm.
*from William Wordsworth’s poem, “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”
My favorite lines are the last three:
Which is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.
What Happened?
Recently, I (wo)manned a booth at our school’s International Festival. We were making maracas using empty toilet paper rolls, duct tape and (uncooked) beans and rice. Kids of all ages and sizes came to make their maracas.
After just one hour, I realized something: six and seven-year-old girls came up confidently and chose their colors without hesitation. “I want blue! And red! And green!” They taped their rolls, scooped up rice, taped again and smiled radiantly.
Teenage girls, however, hemmed and hawed, wracked with indecision. “Ummmmm. I dunno. I dunno what to choose! Ummmm…” It took them far longer to decide and even after they decided, they second-guessed their decisions and did not seem entirely happy with their results.
What happens to girls?
Kismet 