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Posts Tagged ‘Inspiration’

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Inspiration Prompt #28 – The Art Of Receiving

Monday, December 1st, 2008

For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.
by Ivan Panin

The Art Of Receiving The art of receiving is a skill I have not yet mastered.

Many times I struggle with the notion of accepting a gift – be it a material gift or a gift of a kind word – I don’t seem to think I deserve it, therefore I often cannot let myself enjoy it.

But I am working on it…

I want to open my heart and receive the love. I want to give myself permission to be worthy of the gifts I receive along the way. I want to acknowledge my merits. I want to allow people to give by becoming more competent in accepting their gifts.

I invite you to join me on this journey of mastering the art of receiving and ask you to give yourself permission to accept gifts.

Share your thoughts and experiences with me and leave a comment to this post or contact me.

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Inspiration Prompt #27 – People That Enrich Us

Monday, November 24th, 2008

People Photo by: Milivoj Sherrington (Flickr)

“There is no such thing as a ‘self-made’ man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.”
George M. Adams

Coming back from an homeland vacation, Adam’s words are 10 times more significant to me. I am definitely made up by the people in my life. My loving family. My understanding friends. My teachers. My nephew’s broad smile. The excited wag of the pet’s tail. The conversation around the dinner table. Sitting with a friend at a favorite cafe and losing any sense of time. A mosaic of people (and pets – it’s not an editing error) that shapes me and makes me the person I am at any given moment.

Share –

Do you believe that you are made by the people in your life? who is the most significant person in your life (or persons)? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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Inspiration Prompt #26 – What Is Creativity

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Creative Commons Creativity Poster [Creative Commons Creativity Poster by maven, on Flickr]

There are almost as many definition of creativity as there are people trying to define it. In my opinion this happens because each and every person has a different take on creativity. You might already have established your idea of what is creativity and how it resides within you and others or you might still try to figure it out.

For this week’s inspiration prompt I have compiled a list of different definitions of ‘Creativity’:

  • Merriam-Webster dictionary:
    “1 : the quality of being creative
    2 : the ability to create”
  • Concise Oxford English Dictionary: “relating to or involving the use of imagination or original ideas in order to create something”.
  • Wikipedia: “Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. An alternative conception of creativity is that it is simply the act of making something new.”
  • Encyclopædia Britannica: “Ability to produce something new through imaginative skill, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form”.
  • Answers.com: “Creativity is the ability to think up and design new inventions, produce works of art, solve problems in new ways, or develop an idea based on an original, novel, or unconventional approach.”
  • Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Csikszentmihalyi finds correlation between creativity, happiness and being in a state of ‘flow‘. He suggests that the creative moment occurs when a person is completely involved in an activity. The flow state, as he defines it, is an optimal state of intrinsic motivation, where the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing.
  • Mary Lou Cook: “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun”.

As I see it creativity is Unleashing the child within and going back to the state of freedom of thinking and experimenting that we naturally had when we were children. Therefore, in my opinion, as each child is different from another, so is each person’s expression of creativity.

Share –

What is your definition of creativity? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

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Inspiration Prompt #25 – Smile

Monday, November 10th, 2008

Smiling Horse
The picture was taken in Iceland a few months ago. I was trying to take a picture of that horse eating grass from the hands of two cute little girls. The girls would not stand still and I could neither take a picture of them feeding the horse nor a picture of the horse itself. Finally, the girls went away and the minute I pointed my camera directly at the horse’s face – IT SMILED. This isn’t a camera trick – I wish I could take more photos but I was in total shock and this is the only shot I took.

Have you smiled today? If you have not smiled yet then smile now!!!

About eleven years ago, My friend and I were about to go on a “girly-girl-date” together. We were both feeling a bit down, each of us for her own reason (hence the need for a “girly-girl-date”). My friend had made some finishing touches with her hair and came out of her room with a grin. “What are you so happy about?” I asked. “Nothing”, She answered. “I’m still not feeling very well, but this is a kick start for our date, try it too”.

I tried and it worked – now it’s your turn to give it a try too.

Why smiling?

Smiling is the best and quickest way to elevate your mood. It’s an instant remedy, even if you have nothing to smile about. Try it. If there’s no one next to you right now or if you don’t mind the audience just make the widest most radiant smile you can come up with. Keep smiling for at least a couple minutes and see how you are already starting to feel a wee bit better.

Share –

How does the smiling-therapy work for you? Leave a comment and share. While you’re at it, include one of your best jokes in your comment. I am looking for the joke that would make me laugh even on my worst day.

Thanks for sharing!!!

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Inspiration Prompt #24 – Things I Have Learned From My Autistic Nephew

Monday, November 3rd, 2008
french Girl & Boy autist at Villa Cosmao, Bretagne - France

Illustration By: Alain Elorza

My first nephew was a beautiful baby who has grown into a beautiful little boy. When he was 1 year old he could already calculate simple arithmetic. About half a year later he started losing his language and wanted to be left alone. My beautiful nephew was diagnosed a few years later. He has autism.

Finding out about my nephew’s condition had been devastating for us. We didn’t know what to expect and we only knew he’s special. Now I know how fantastic he really is. How pure and sincere this wee child is. I would like to share the inspiration he has given me with you:

  1. Get absorbed in the moment. My nephew notices textures and colors in an intense way. He touches everything he wants to observe, and he’s eager to observe every little detail. He doesn’t rashes through life but rather takes complete heed. If there’s an ant, making her way home with a seed on her back, my nephew’s wide and awake eyes will notice and follow.
  2. Switch off jealousy and competitiveness. My nephew has never had feelings of jealousy or competitiveness, he is the purest person I have come to know. He is sensitive and always seeking the well being of his loved ones. The negative thoughts are completely switched off and he does not recognize them (hence cannot understand why others switch these negative forces on).
  3. Smile. My nephew can lose touch with everyone and run away to be left alone, but when he’s interacting with people he loves (and he always loves a person, the first time he sees him or her) he has the widest and most pristine smile you can ever imagine. The kind of smile that gets you out of a bad mood in an instant. When my nephew smiles at you – you cannot help it but smile too. You instantly fall in love with him.

It will take me a lot of time and practice to fully adopt all the elements which my nephew naturally lives by, but I am learning and evolving – all thanks to my wonderful nephew.

Share –

  • Have you had an unequalled teacher in your life?
  • What lessons have you learned from your exceptional teacher?

Leave a comment and share your learning experiences.

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Inspiration Prompt #23 – The Elements Of Life

Monday, October 27th, 2008
Cát tuyến và ... tiếp tuyến
Image by ThinhHoang via Flickr

Who can identify what are the most important elements of life more adequately than someone who had formed wondrous worlds, full of character and flair, knights and princesses?

No one can, right? Than let us soak up the words of Hans Christian Andersen:

“Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

Living in Ireland, which can be rainy and gray, I do appreciate the warm rays of the sun, caressing my skin softly and brightening up my day. But a sun can also be a hug from a loved one, a warm word of encouragement, an unexpected compliment from a stranger and a wide and honest smile.

Freedom is indeed a key element in life, as without it we are nothing but marionettes, hand held puppets. Freedom gives us both the reason and the means to live.

When we are free and feel the sunshine above us (whether the weather is good or it is only the atmosphere around us), all we need for going on at full steam is a flower to bloom right in front of us and embellish our day, show us how beautiful life is – remind us that we are free and that the sun is shining.

Share –

What are your elements of life? Do you agree with Hans Christian Andersen’s list? Leave a comment and share your opinion.

Giveaway Update –

A while back I had hosted a giveaway on my blog. The prize offered was a copy of the brilliant book: Visual Chronicles by: Linda Woods and Karen Dinino.

On October 15th I randomly picked up a winner, yet the prize has remained unclaimed, albeit an e-mail sent to the previous winner.

Therefore, I have randomly picked another winner, which is: Mary Doak.

Her comment was:

Celebrating with family. and goals for the new year will be to declutter our home. I have packed too many things in this little house. Thanks for sharing your time and gifts with all of us.
I am from the State of Maine

Congratulations Mary, please e-mail me your address, and I’ll send you a copy of the book 🙂

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Failure Is Success (at the risk of sounding Ing-Soc)

Tuesday, October 21st, 2008

Inspiration I have recently posted a couple posts about dealing with failure.

In the first post I was preparing the ground by asking you to take some time and concentrate on what you grasp as “failure”.

Then I tried to change the way you think about ‘failure’ and embrace it into your life.

I wish to accept and expect failure in my life. I wish to embrace it as an integral part of my learning curve. I wish to understand that success is a process, which is paved by failures.

Today I have stumbled upon a great quote which wraps up that idea:

“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”
By: Samuel Smiles

Do you want to embrace failure in your life too? Share your thoughts by commenting on this post.

For anyone who wonders what Ing-Soc is, I am referring you to “Nineteen Eighty-Four” by: George Orwell – one of the best books I’ve read, a sure must for your bedside table. For all of you who are familiar with Ing-Soc – this idea of “failure is success” has nothing to do with the distorted regime Orwell described in his brilliant book.

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Inspiration Prompt #22 – A Different Outlook On Failure

Monday, October 20th, 2008
Description unavailable
Image by Daniele Butera via Flickr

Failure is tough. It is frustrating and discouraging, yet dealing with failure is an inherent part of our lives.

Saying that, I know that most people (myself included) think they must always get everything right on the first try. We do not leave much room for failure and for second and third trials (etc). Many times this perfectionism point of view gets us so discouraged that we stop trying.

This is not the way to go about it. Failure is a natural thing and a learning tool. It only means you should give it another try. Analyze it and see what you can improve and learn from your past mistakes or just do whatever you need to do, over and over again – until you get it right. Just like a child learning to ride his bikes. At first, he falls once or twice but then he gets the hang of it and finds his balance and ride like he’s been doing that from the day he was born.

We should do the same. (Today is my birthday, which is a good opportunity for adopting new and more positive outlooks)

Prof. Randy Pausch,of blessed memory (Sadly, this incredible person has passed away in July), had put it very nicely:

“The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

Many best selling authors had been rejected time and again. Many renowned artists have suffered a great deal of dismissal and criticism before making their first masterpiece (some became famous only postmortem). Moreover, even those masterpieces and best selling books were not created in one continuous brush stroke or in one writing session. They are based on numerous drafts and sketches, additions and subtractions – they are a result of a long and sometimes tedious process.

Today I am calling you to change the way you look at failure. I am calling you to look past the brick wall and use them as building blocks.

Share your thoughts with me and leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you have to say about this idea.

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Inspiration Prompt #21 – The Value Of The Everyday

Monday, October 13th, 2008

groundsel

“Make each day your masterpiece. “

–John Wooden

We are grown to acknowledge the “Monday’s gloom” and its brother “TGIF” (thanks god it’s Friday). I resent those ideas as both are causing us to fast forward and actually live only 2 days out of every week. We are living from one weekend to another.

I’ll repeat (for the sake of stressing this point as much as possible), we are growing accustomed to living every 5 days in anticipation for the last two days of the week. Waiting – 5 & Enjoying – 2. Why would we do such thing to ourselves? Why would we accept notions that are basically nullifying 5/7th of our lives?!?

I have lived like that for several years. I was waiting for the weekend from the very first day of the work week, living aimlessly for 5 days only for the following two, but no more.

Why shouldn’t we enjoy EACH day to the fullest. Live each day as if it is a masterpiece… Live each day purposefully.

I hereby invite you to dismiss the Monday’s gloom. Instead I offer you to wake up each day with joy and excitement and a purpose in your hearts. I invite you to make each of your days – 7/7 – a masterpiece.

Would you join me? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with me.

Book cover of
Book cover via Amazon

Psst… You have only a couple days left for 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 #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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