Monday, April 25, 2016

The Dreams Gifted To You


Believe in your dreams.  They were given to you for a reason.
~Katrina Mayer

I have been on a personal journey of soaking up as much new ideas as possible in the last few years.  It is invigorating and overwhelming!  Each book, article, blog post, course, video has helped me refine what I am beginning to understand is my dream, my next step and my why (and that I and the world deserves this).  And each new learning moment also leads to another and intertwines and circles back to previous concepts.  It is so stimulating!

I love the idea that your dreams are given to you.  I feel that since some say that your dreams come from your subconscious and are what you are trying to work out while asleep, then we can read this quote to mean that you gave yourself your dreams for a reason.  So then does this come back to the idea of believing in yourself?

No matter where they came from, I feel like remembering that our dreams, both those we have while sleeping, and our life dreams, are a gift.  If these are gifts, then we need to care for them, feed and water them and use them as carefully as we would something special a loved one shared with us, or an ability that has been handed down in your family line from generation to generation...  

Even if you are still trying to figure out what your dreams mean for you, 
I hope you can enjoy and appreciate the journey!  

Monday, April 18, 2016

The Silence Of Love


In the silence of love you will find the spark of life.
~Rumi

I found this quote a couple of years ago and it really resonated with me, although I still feel like I don't totally understand all of it's layers...  I love the idea of being so totally absorbed in loving (life, the present moment, yourself, your significant other, your family, your pet...) that the silence allows you to feel the spark of life.

This weekend I had a day to myself and the silence was full of creativity as well as  the appreciation of sitting in and listening to the sounds of nature.  I don't know if we can fully appreciate all of this if we don't first have a deep love for ourselves.  And it helps so much to know that you are loved by others, so that when we are sitting in our own silence, that love is the beautiful aura surrounding your day.

Wishing you love this week.

Monday, April 11, 2016

The ordinary can be full of opportunity...


 Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. 
 ~Orison Swett Marden

Today I am feeling a bit under the weather, so this is actually perfect.  In between sleeping I have been reading or watching inspirational art technique videos or trying to eat.  I am practicing the art of making this little sick day great!

All joking aside, this quote goes with many of the same theme that I have read lately.  Sometimes we want everything to be amazing and we are so busy looking for that, seeking it or "working on" it, that we can let ordinary great moments pass us by without much notice.  

One of my favourite song lines is from John Lennon,
 "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."
John included this in a song for his young son, Sean, along with other simple life reminders.  It is a reminder that life keeps going, regardless of how we choose to use our time up with...  And so noticing the little things can be important if we don't want to miss life!

Life, and all of it's types of moments,  can be pretty amazing, even in bed, with a funny tummy.

Enjoy your week!

Monday, April 4, 2016

Let magic find you


Ultimately, magic finds you if you let it.
~Tony Wheeler

This one is so whimsical!  I had fun painting it.  It began as a crazy ink background on aquaboard with lots of bright colours.  I toned it down with a deep frame, only to realize it then looked like a crazy Easter egg...  not my goal!  Then I had this idea of doing silhouettes (and I love elephants) so it finally emerged.  So the whole process was a bit magical itself...

This quote reminds me to notice the magical things in each day.  Finding a simple but lovely feather dropped by a bird, having a plant bloom for the first time and the scent of my favourite perfume as I get dressed.  An artistically done latte, being able to touch my toes effortlessly (after a lot of hard work to get there) and the fact that after almost ten years, my husband still makes me laugh all the time.  This is the magic that finds you, if you let it.

I will continue to let it!