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Inspiration Prompt #20 – The Canvas Of Life

Monday, October 6th, 2008
A palette of watercolours and a brush.
Image via Wikipedia

Life in itself is an empty canvas,
it becomes whatsoever you paint on it.
You can paint misery, you can paint bliss.
This freedom is your glory.
Osho

I am still on a new-year-new-beginnings state of mind and what can be a better paradigm for the year than the canvas of life.

Each year we are gifted with a blank canvas on which we can paint in any way we choose to paint. We can use a large variety of mediums and tools – but moreover, we have the power to refrain from using some colors, shades and tones that do not do our life-art any good.

Our life is what we make of it. Our picture is what we choose to paint on our canvas. It depends on our rough sketch, our color-palette and the box of tools we choose to take along with us. Provided that we have taken the right tools and paints, our rough sketch will be taken over by more and more confident brush strokes.

This Wednesday is the Jewish “Day of Atonement”. (Yom-Kippur) On this day we are supposed to look deep into ourselves, beyond our material needs (such as food, water and bathing) and prepare an “analysis of the soul“.

This is the perfect opportunity for me to draw my rough sketch on the canvas of life.

Needless to say, this notion is open for every soul in the world and observing Judaism (or Yom-Kippur) is irrelevant (Hey, it’s a notion suggested by Osho…). The proximity to the holiday just puts me in a reflective state of mind which brings me to write about it right now. That’s it.

share-

  • What would you like to draw on your canvas of life?
  • What colors and tools would you like to use?
  • What colors and tools would you like to steer clear of?

Leave a comment with your answers and thoughts.

Vote of Confidence –

I am bringing my heart and soul to this blog. I have done that from the very first day. Therefore, it’s always nice to know the blog is appreciated by my readers. This vote of confidence is rejuvenating and gives me an enormous boost of motivation.

Therefore I would like to take note of several affirmations I have received last week:

Thank you all – your positive feedback is much appreciated.

Feedback is also extremely important when it contains constructive criticism, so I can improve and make this blog even more fabulous.

So remember, I am always pleased to hear from you guys!!! Whatever you have to say.

Book cover of
Book cover via Amazon

Psst… You have a chance to win a copy of the book: Visual Chronicles by Linda Woods and Karen Dinino.

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment here. Just follow the instructions and secure your place at the raffle.

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Inspiration Prompt #19 – New Year Greetings and a Giveaway

Monday, September 29th, 2008
Seagulls and sunrise
Image by 5348 Franco via Flickr

Today is the new year’s eve, according to the Hebrew calendar. The beginning of a new year is always a good opportunity for an internal check-in. New resolutions. New wishes and dreams. An opportunity to look afresh at life and re-sketch my path in it.

I enjoy pondering both on the Jewish new year and on January 1st. Exhausting any opportune moment to go back to the drawing board of life and making sure I’m not walking on the wrong path too long.

I would like to celebrate the new year with a giveaway for you!!!

Giveaway –

Book cover of
Book cover via Amazon

I have a copy of the book: Visual Chronicles by: Linda Woods and Karen Dinino to give away. It is a beautiful book, filled with loads of creativity.

You may click on the link to look inside the book on Amazon.

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post and write how are you celebrating or going to celebrate the new year and on which date or dates?

I will draw one happy winner on October 14th, which is Sukkot’s eve. So make sure to stay tuned for the winner’s announcement.

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Inspiration Prompt #18 – Book Meme

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.
Mark Twain

Books are my great love. I can get lost in a world made up by the author and stay in it long after I have finished reading the book. I feel extremely passionate towards events and people in memoirs (and sometimes in fiction novels as well). I can finish up a book in one long reading, even if I start on one day and finish on another… I can wake up in the middle of the night, feeling I must go on and read. I am like that – either going at full steam or not going at all… I’m a nerd but I don’t mind 🙂

I have always been like that. I have always been a bookworm. I remember stacking books under my pillow as a small child. To my parents’ dismay, I always fell asleep over a mountain of 8-10 books, my neck completely bent and distorted but a smile was smothered all over my face. I also have numerous pictures with a book opened, held in my hands, while I was fast asleep…

This is why I immediately knew I had to follow a book meme I saw on She-Power (a great blog, by the way), which goes like that:

What was the last book you bought?

A Brother’s Journey, by Richard B. Pelzer.

Name a book you have read MORE than once

Life Artist, by Ali Edwards.

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?

Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom.

How do you choose a book – eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews

Recommendation & summary.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?

I love both just the same.

What’s more important in a novel – beautiful writing or a gripping plot?

Beautiful writing is REALLY important to me. I can derive great joy from the writing by itself. However, if the plot has nothing to it, I’d probably lose interest pretty quickly.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)

Mariam and Layla in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

For good measure I am going to throw in some questions of my own to the book-meme:

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?

Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell.

The Anti 9 To 5 Guide, by Michelle Goodman.

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?

Kafka On The Shore, by Haruki Murakami – last Thursday.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?

No… Though I really should…

You Are Tagged –

I would love to hear your answers to the book meme and get to know you better. Please leave your answers as a comment to this post – you can also link to a post on your own blog. Spread on the book meme and don’t forget to tag three other people while you’re at it.

I tag Vered (though I know you’re not really into memes), Amy and Joce – three talented bloggers I luv.

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Inspiration Prompt #17 – A Simple Hug Can Light Your Day

Monday, September 15th, 2008

A simple hug is a sign of fondness and empathy. A hug is offering warmth and closeness. A hug can transform someone’s day by knowing that someone actually cares and is there to offer a soft spot to fall into.

Have you hugged someone today?

Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment and have a fabulous day and a wonderful week.

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Inspiration Prompt #16 – Authenticity

Monday, September 8th, 2008

If I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you. But if I am I because you are you, and you are you because I am I, then I am not I and you are not you.

–Menahem Mendel of Kotzk

Authenticity is the most important building block in leading a creative life.

Unfortunately, modern life does not give much room for authenticity. The fast pace of life, the strong wish to fit in and adjust to social conventions, the fear of criticism and ridicule – all are pushing us towards living the life we think we should live, rather than living our life authentically and allowing ourselves to roll the way we roll.

This week’s inspiration prompt is all about authenticity.

Follow these 2 easy steps to become more authentic:

  1. Let go of preconceived ideas. Fitting in and following conventions cannot lead to innovation. Great ideas are always conceived by thinking “outside of the box” and breaking all the rules. This is what “new” is all about. Forget about what other people think is right or wrong. Stop listening to what other people consider as ‘art’ or as “proper writing”. Make your own rules.
  2. Reconnect with yourself. After you have let go of popular conceptions (or misconceptions), you need to find your own voice. Think about what makes you “tick”, consider these questions:
    • What book do you revisit time and again?
    • What color or color combination appeal to your eye?
    • What song do you hear over and over again?
    • What images come to your mind when you are daydreaming?
    • Without any restrains of time and money (or gossip…), what do you see yourself doing in life?

    After you have found your own voice, nurture it and follow its advice – following your own voice and believing in it is the very definition of authenticity.

What do you think about authenticity? Do you feel like you are true to your self? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts with me.

Giveaway –

You can still win a free copy of my new e-book. Leave a comment here with some feedback on this blog to enter the giveaway.

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Inspiration Prompt and a Giveaway

Monday, September 1st, 2008

I am delighted to announce the release of my first e-book: Unleashing The Creative Child Within You. This e-book is a result of my own journey to find and reconnect with my inner creative child. I invite you to join me on this journey so you too will be able to spark your inner creative child.

September the 1st is the perfect timing for starting a new learning expedition. Nothing provides such a refreshing boost like learning something new. It helps to open your mind to new methods and get inspired by the new possibilities – limited only by your own power of thought.

Without further ado I invite you to embark on a journey which will take you back to a state of creativity abundance, the same state you had had as a child.

  • Discover what have happened to your creative self.
  • Find out what inhibiting forces are intimidating your inner creative child.
  • Learn how to overtake these forces and spark your own creativity.
  • Read about the special traits that will help your creative self flourish.
  • Unleash your inner creative child by following ten simple exercises and enjoy your overflowing creativity.

Please feel free to read more about my new e-book. I am sure you will benefit from my e-book and it will help your creativity soar in ways you had never imagined were possible anymore.

For a chance to win a free copy of my e-book, leave a comment to this post with some feedback on my blog. You may comment until September 13th 20:00 (GMT) and the happy winner will be announced on September 14th.

Have a great weekend!!!

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Inspiration Prompt #14

Monday, August 11th, 2008

There is a well known phrase saying that good things come in small packages…

This saying is also true while speaking about art and creativity. Who says that a master piece must be spread over a huge canvas or carved out of an enormous piece of marble? Great art can be created on tiny canvases and the smaller the canvas is, the more willing you’d be to transform it. The blank canvas is much less intimidating when it’s measure 3.5″ x 2.5″, for a traditional ATC.

This week’s inspiration prompt is a website that offers weekly challenges, to be created on 4″X4″ Canvases. The website is called: 4X4 Friday and it is a great place to derive inspiration from and also to get a creativity boost.

Making a small piece of art can be the incentive your creativity has been waiting for. It isn’t as overwhelming as a larger scope project, but it is satisfying just as much.

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Inspiration Prompt #13 – Collecting Stories

Monday, August 4th, 2008

Every once in a while I visit the TED website. Their motto is to spread ideas and I find this philosophy beautiful and indispensable.

It is interesting that although I visit this website itself occasionally, I tend to stumble upon the most inspiring videos through links from other websites. I guess this oddity is very much in sync with the TED notion of “ideas worth spreading”.

This week I followed a link on Ali Edwards’ blog. Ali Edwards is a graphic designer who works in the scrapbooking industry and has the most interesting and beautiful life philosophy. She is all about telling the stories and capturing life through art. She has come up with the notion of “Life Artist” and had written the most amazing and inspiring book, carrying that name and glowing of that special philosophy.

As you can probably guess, by following the link on her blog I have stumbled upon another inspiring, beautiful and fascinating video in which Jonathan Harris, a computer scientist and an artist, lectures about his unique way of collecting stories.

While you’re out and about, seeking inspiration, check out Jonathan Harris’s project “We Feel Fine”.

Have a great day and don’t forget to collect stories.

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Inspiration Prompt #12

Monday, July 28th, 2008

The best way to predict the future is to invent it

© Alan Kay

How would you invent your future? Remember, every minute past now is the future.

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Inspiration Prompt #11

Monday, July 21st, 2008

You are beautiful.

When was the last time a complete stranger has told you that?

You may hear it all the time or maybe it has been a while since you’ve last heard it. Either way, one thing is certain – hearing that makes you feel happy.

Positive affirmations keep our self-esteem up and make our entire day seem brighter and more delightful.

There is one group who took it upon itself to spread this positive message worldwide. For this week’s inspiration prompt I invite you to their website: You Are Beautiful. Take a look at the photos on the website and read their manifesto. Perhaps you will get in a mood of printing “you are beautiful” messages yourself and spread it among your love ones – just do not forget to include yourself among the recipients.

Remember – You are beautiful.

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