As I was saying last week – I think Spring is in the blood. I was given a poem this week by Shae Partridge, a young woman who has had a difficult life and is finding some measure of her creative self again in words. Here are some of her thoughts on the nature of Beauty.
Poem: Shae Partridge
Visual: Kadira Jennings
Well almost – it is September in a few days. The Jasmine is flowering outside my window and filling my office with it’s heavenly perfume. The Magnolia trees are covered in their giant maroon and white flowers and today I saw some peach trees draped in hundreds of fragile pink blossoms.
Spring always brings that delightful quickening of fresh new energy. It is a great time for beginning new projects and casting aside the detritus of Winter.
In honour of Spring, I would like to share a video made by a good friend – Prue Kelsey. It’s beautiful, a lovely tribute to Spring I feel.
spring from Prue Tee on Vimeo.
What will you do to celebrate Spring? What project can you bring the fresh Spring Creative energy to?
An idea that’s so simple yet probably counter intuitive for many of us. These are the words of an abundance mindset.
We have been taught the values of – always put others first, and dined at the table of self sacrifice as being the highest ideal to reach for. An ironical thought springs to mind “Do unto others as we would do unto ourselves”. Why ironical – you say? Well, if you think about it yes we do always strive to treat others well, but take a look at how we treat ourselves. Is this how we would want to be treated?
I could go on – the list is kind of endless. I would suggest that the answer to all those questions is probably the same person, someone who you are very well acquainted with.
When was the last time you completed a project, a painting, baked a cake etc. and thought to yourself – “Wow – that was great, what a fantastic effort”. Not only that even if you did that, was there a little PS riding on the end of the statement that went something like – [Yeah but you could have done better, so and so - look at their one - why can't I do one like that! etc.] And next thing you know it any self acknowledgement has gone out the window and down the drain.
If you have young children, or grand children – listen to how you encourage and praise them. We are constantly telling them how wonderful they are – are their efforts star quality? Probably not. Does that matter – not at all. So why do we bother? We love to give praise to others because it makes us feel good to see them glow, to know we are helping them to grow. So my question is Why – Why can’t we do this for ourselves?
Why do we baulk at settling for more for ourselves, do you think?
It comes from a poverty mindset, the belief that there is not enough abundance to go around and therefore I must settle for less. I don’t deserve more. If I take, not even more, but just my share then I am depriving someone else. However if we look at the world, the universe, it is filled with abundance. Look at Mother Nature, she is overflowing with abundance.
Abundant Mother Nature
So in your abundance mindset, with gratitude in your heart, - ask your self this question….
What is the one thing I can do today to ‘Settle For More’ ?
And then think about how that will enhance your life and the life of those around you.
There are many ways to be inspired and I have covered several of them in our converstions here. One easy way to get yourself back into the inspiration zone is to visit one of your favourite places.
So why does this help? Simply because when you go to those places you connect to something deep withing your self . Its like a home coming and often you are impelled from within to respond creatively. Here are two of my favourite places….
Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
And another also filled with light and water…..
Venetian Canal
There is something about both of these places that I am drawn to again and again. I have only been to Venice once but all I have to do is get out my photos and I feel inspired all over again.
