The Blank Canvas

Oh, my picture this.  Last weekend my sisters and some of our children had a session in the art studio with a great artist and creative mentor called Renae Carmody.  She is a beautiful artist and person as well.  One of those great people with loads of positive energy.

Yes, I knew it was coming up and it was to be fun, we had champers and sandwiches and a beautiful lemon / yoghurt Birthday Cake topped with frosted icing made by yours truly.  It was a celebration for my nieces 19th birthday.  Now, I want to share with you how incredibly confronting it is to look at a blank canvass and know that you alone are responsible for what is going to go on it. I can still hear Renae saying "just let your creative juices flow".  And the self talk parrot in me sqaurking back with "what if you haven't got any?"

Once started all went well and I had an idea and went for it.

And now, upon reflection for me it was just like creating / planning your life direction.  How amazing to think that we all have the same blank life canvass and we alone are responsible for creating our own life journeys.  Regardless of our backgrounds and what gifts we are granted (and we are granted with many) creating a painting is so like creating a life direction.  If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it.  I feel much more empowered to be the artist of my life now....

The blank canvass and me!


At Work in the Studio

My Masterpiece entitled The Journey of Life

  

Writing Your Very Own Vision - Some Examples

My last few posts must have hit a cord as I have received feedback letting me know how great the reads have been.  And how important it is to have a personal vision.  And just how difficult it is to have one and how extemely difficult it is to write it down!!

So I want to say "calm down" this is not as tricky or as difficult as it can be made out to be. And yes lots of people ask: 

Should my vision be for life?

Can I have a vision for the next year?

What is a vision anyway?

So, regardless of whether this is theoretically correct or not, iI want to let you know that I have two visions.  One is for my life (took me til 40ish to come up with it) and then I also do a vision for each year and it reflects more what I want to focus on for the year.  This works for me. 

What's a Vision? 

Vision is “the ability to see’.  Vision gives you a clear sense of where you are heading. It is the big picture view of what you are trying to create.  The vision is the desirable destination - not the way there, not how we have to act to get there – but it is a description of that future.  It should be in sufficient detail or simplicity so that it works for you and helps you use it successfully. 

Examples of Visions          

I am always asked for examples of ‘good’ vision statements.  As much as I want to stress that your vision, one that has meaning for you will be a good vision, here are a couple of diverse examples for you.  You will see some of these examples are for life and some are for a year. 

Example 1
I live to serve my talents as a communicator, artist and independent business woman.  I create balance in work, play and my community.  I inspire those I interact with.

Example 2

To live a year of happiness, sincerity and peace.  To laugh often and to feel that I have contributed to greater good.

Example 3

No painful memories

Example 4

Fun, laughter, stability and positive change

Example 5 
A year of learning.  This will help me grow and revitalise the life I have with my wife and family.  I will always endeavour to understand others – this will be my first act with my wife, my family and my business.  I want to influence the development of organisations and people I work with and to teach and help others grow beyond their current self limits.  I will build relationships that support this direction.

Example 6

This year’s vision for our family is to create a nurturing place of order, love and happiness as well as relaxation and to provide opportunities for all to be independent and interdependent.

Without your vision, you can get caught up in someone else's and go along for the ride ending up in a place where you don't really want to be feeling pretty dissatisfied.  It's about then that a BIG voice can be heard bellowing "live your own life" - be all that you are capable of being and ensure ebverything you do leads you in the direction you want to go - the direction of your vision."  So, if you have haerd this voice its tiem to start afresh and set your very own vision.  It's good to have one for life, but you can also set one for the year ahead. 

Self - Esteem - 5 Things You Should Know.

Took advantage of a lovely winter's day today and headed off to the annual second hand book sale in our local hall.  The Friends of the Library Group run the sale to raise money to buy new books for our library.  In one day, 5000 books walked out the door so they are well on their way to breaking a fund raising target.

After losing myself in the gardening, craft, business and fictions section,  I stumbled across a magazine.  The words, Life's Little Secrets - Five Things You Should Know about the Stuff That Really Matters.   Fifty cents later with magazine in hand (and a few other books as well) I left the hall.

The article, written by Carolyn Parfitt in the NOTEBOOK magazine was a great read and here are the 5 things you should know about Self - Esteem.  It's always good to remind ourselves of helpful hints and lessons for life!

1. The goal of high self-esteem can sometimes seem like a mysterious thing other people attain but not you.  It's not.  It is simply a matter of self talk - how you talk to yourself about yourself.

2. This quote from aothor Marianne Wilkinson is gold.  "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'  Actually, who are you not to be?... Your playing small does not serve the world."

3. Shakespeare was right when he had Polonius (in Hamlet) give this advice to his son Laertes, about to leave for France: "This, above all, to thine own self be true.."  Certainly, being true to yourself, acting in the way you believe is right, is one of the keys to a healthy self-esteem and inner peace.

4. Give yourself a break by accepting that making mistakes is a universal human trait.  Treat it as a learning curve.

5. Habits that help build a healthy self-esteem are;

• Recognising your good points:
• Spending time with people who make you laugh:
• Doing things you enjoy:
• Taking care of yourself:
• Doing something to help someone else:
• Wearing clothes that make you feel good;
• Not comparing yourself to others.                

Write it Down It Really Does Make You Feel Better

I've been jounalling ........And it's all been about GRATITUDE.  Although I have always wanted to journal as I think I have lots of stuff going on that would make more and better sense if I wrote it down, it wasn't until I bought a Gratitude Journal that I really got serious and am starting to feel and see benefits.

I'm a believer in what you focus on expands and giving thanks and being grateful really helps to find focus.  Somwhow, although its a Gratitude journal, I still write about;
My life,
My musings,
My loves,
My favorite things,
My favorite people,
My favorite moment and at times
My not so likes of favorites!!
I find it an amazing release and a great way of renewing my positive energy.

There are lots of beautiful journal available now. One of my all time favorites is my very first journal which is an oriental red.  I bought it at Monograms Papers in Milton in Brisbane years ago now.  And they still have them and more.

I find having a beautiful journal, a really special thing.  My journal has turned out to be like an emotional partner who just listens, nods their head and just somehow always seems to understand!     

Questions to Evoke Your Personal Vision

We all know (at least most of us do) the importance of having our very own personal vision.  We all know it helps us to set our life compass, get involved in things and do things that are meaningful and that overall living to a  personal plan will increase and sustain our happiness and live a great life.  So what is the big deal!! 

The big deal is that it is harder to set a personal vision that you might think. Stephen Covey, Peter Senge and others point out that a powerful vision can help you succeed far beyond where you'd be without one.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, again we know all this.

Questions to Evoke Your Vision
So here are some questions that will help you to begin to craft your very own personal vision.  They should help you to ponder, dream and think about life.  Jot down your anwers and see what you think.  And then be brave, share your answers with someone you trust and see where the conversation takes you.  Following this, find a quiet spot and write your very own personal vision.  A big call, you can do it.

1. What things do you really like doing?
2. What brings you happiness and joy?
3. What are the two best moments of your past week?
4. What 3 things would you do if you won the lottery?
5. What issues / causes do you care greatly about?
6. What are some things that you can do at the good - excellent level?
7. What would you like to stop doing or do as little as possible?

Good luck, see how you go and let me know how valuable these questions are for you.