I waited. Surely, it will come.
I wait, eyes closed. I wait for the rumblings, the signs of it arriving.
Nope.
With my first self-published book under my belt, I’m raring to forge on! I want to write another one. I will write another one. Alas…nothing. No (good) ideas. Not yet, anyway.
The harder I push, the further it seems. So I’m going to relax. Enjoy all the goodies in my life and trust that it will surface.
My friend and fellow chaperone was walking with me at the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. We were in the aquatic section. He laughed, pointed at a fossil and said, “I think I’ve seen this in Star Wars.”
I laughed and realized that creators are most likely inspired and influenced by the strangest things!
“And this too!” He laughed. I could see exactly what he meant.
I imagined the designers and creators researching and studying ancient, strange creatures from millions of years ago. Maybe? Maybe not. But they were clearly inspired by the strange.
If you’re looking for inspiration, visit a musuem or an art gallery. Relax and enjoy yourself. Creativity is sure to reveal itself when you least expect it.
Animals and Zen masters are the most peaceful living creatures. They don’t judge.
I’ve noticed that I’m a lot more judgmental than I’d like to be. And this tendency is a formidable block to inner peace.
I’m on a self-imposed challenge: stop judging people. First, I must be aware of when I judge. It’s strongest when I’m driving. Wow! Do I have very negative thoughts! The good news is that it’s completely impersonal. I don’t know these people. But still…
Will you join me? Next time you’re in the company of one or more other people, notice your thoughts. Are you judging? Be aware. And then let it go. Don’t try to fight it. Just let it go. Just say to yourself, isn’t that interesting? My mind is judging.
As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.
Gandhi
When you change, your world will change.
The flower does not ask for anything. She simply looks up to the sky and drinks in the sun. She absorbs the water that comes her way. She gives so much: pollen to procreate, nectar for the birds and bees and beauty for all to see.
Can you imagine the flower complaining? Or arguing? Or gossiping?
Do not succumb to insecurity or ugliness.
Be brilliant. Be brilliantly, bravely, unapologetically you.
I’m reading a synopsis of the book Unleash the Warrior Within. It’s written by a former Navy SEAL Michael “Mack” Machowicz. Obviously, he’s quite a self-disciplined, productive individual: host+ producer of Discovery Channel’s “Future Weapons”, author of Develop the Focus, Discipline, Confidence, and Courage You Need to Achieve Unlimited Goals and he possesses multiple black belts in martial arts.
One surprising piece of advice he gives (considering he’s a former Navy SEAL!): pursue your objective at 80%, not 100%. Why? Because you can’t give 100% long-term. You’ll burn out. This made me relieved because that is what I already do.
Yay! I’m not a slacker!
Did you know it’s been scientifically proven that celebrating small celebrations and experiencing fun times frequently vs. celebrating big achievements and taking big vacations less frequently will lead to more happiness?
How can you celebrate and insert small moments of joy frequently in your life?
I went rollerskating today. It’s one of my “flow” activities: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defined flow activity as being in the groove or “in the zone.” It’s when you’re so utterly absorbed in what you’re doing, that time passes without regard.
I’m skating and happy when an older gentleman gestures for me to come to him. I relent. I’ve seen this guy before, he’s a good skater. He looks like a slender Santa Claus – easily in his 70s. I’m curious.
“When you move forward, move your skates outward, not backward. Do you know why?”
I answer, “I’ll go faster?”
By now, I’m miffed that he’s telling me how to skate better when I’ve been skating for nearly 40 years. But I listen. I’m curious.
I consciously skate outward. It works!
“When you turn, bend your left leg. Lean into the turn. Don’t lift your right leg.”
This takes me a lot more focus. I realize I have a hard habit. But he’s right. My upper body is much more stable. It feels better.
My resentment is just a whisper now. But it’s there. He hangs back. I smile in appreciation.
He doesn’t try to talk to me for the duration of my skate. I focus on my newfound skills and realize…after 40 years of skating, I learned something new!
If I had gotten defensive and refused to listen, I would not have learned.
We need to be receptive in order to accept constructive criticism. And this receptivity is in our control.
I am a HUGE fan of James Altucher. He’s creative, honest and authentic. I absolutely believe in his assertion that we must choose ourselves. He’s the reason I’m finally self-publishing my children’s book (which I’ve mentioned before).
If you’re interested in self-publishing, check out Amazon.com’s program CreateSpace.
Choose yourself!
Update: all the illustrations are done. Now, I’m working on the manuscript errors. I had 3. My laptop is super old, so it’s very slow in processing.
Tonight is all about editing. I’m enjoying the process and I’m learning a lot. My daughters, ages 13 and 15, were the illustrators. I will cherish this book for the rest of my life.
Happy Saturday night!
Great achievements take time, energy, commitment and a positive attitude.
Chau Smith, at 70, decided to run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days.
On the same page is Harriette Thompson who, at 92, is the oldest person to complete a marathon.
Colonel Sanders, Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, began peddling his recipe at 65.
At 73, he sold it for $2 million.
It’s never too late.
There’s power in “no.” Saying no to boring parties, mindless gossip and other wasteful diversions will save you valuable time and energy. Just make sure that while you say “no,” you are saying “yes” to something constructive or restorative.
Kismet 