I have not done an inspirational picture post in a while, and since it is Wednesday, hump day, why not? These, I took around my home. I gave them titles to inspire you.
LIGHT AS A FEATHER
Photo by MAD
AMONG THORNS, I STAND PROUD
Photo by MAD
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW
Photo by MAD
I hope you enjoy these and wish that they inspire you to write/create.
A woman searches for inspiration, in this 1898 painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I have set a December date for the first draft of The Book of Sharon, and over the next couple of weeks, making it happen will be a priority. My focus has wandered between several projects, and now, it is down to clock versus pen. I am goal oriented and I dislike missing a generous timeframe. It happens, and sometimes our focus splits in many directions. One little trap that I have identify as far as my working habits is learning to battle the generous flow of ideas that one story may generate at a particular point when writing. That is, one scene, character, or something about research may trigger ideas that spark the creation of future novels. It is easy to become sidetracked by these ideas, and become an octopus of multiple future projects, and by default, a turtle on the projects at hand. I have been guilty of it, many times hindering the progress of the story at hand. So far, I have three future books lined up, and unless I deal with the one at hand, in the now, none of them will become reality. This is an easy trap to fall into, and one not so easy to get out of, that is, unless you realize it. Why is that?
The answer is simple – because you as a writer, are working on what you are supposed to do – write and research, and that in itself gives you the illusion – that you are working hard “in the now” (and you are), when in reality, you have crossed the time/space of your current project wandering into a dimension of future projects, and unless you return to the “now” to work on the story at hand, it will consume your productivity, making it harder to make progress, to advance your project. Without productivity in the now, there are no results, no future stories, despite the many lined-up stories. You might argue that research on future novels/projects is healthy, and it is; however, it is when that research is hindering progress of a current project (taking its allotted time) that it becomes a productivity/time management issue. What happens to inspiration or the “mood for writing?” I believe that there is a time to be inspired and act on it, but also a time (more so) to work hard when inspiration is not present. In other words, if you wait for inspiration to start writing, you will never finish a story. This is why time management for writers is so important. Setting priorities, a balance between work and personal priorities is essential. This post addresses writing priorities. Other than work that has a deadline, my priority (writing) should be my current novel, and anything that falls under it – editing, cover work, early promotion … although these are secondary to it, but an important part that must be done. When doing research, I must stick to the necessary research for the novel, needed to advance the writing of it.
I used to believe that multitasking was good; I was wrong. Multitasking is opposite to productivity – it is the opposite to “being in the now,” and being in the now promotes the flow of productivity, the healthy flow of the project at hand. There are circumstances when multitasking will save the day (ask a busy Mom), however, when multitasking becomes a modus operandi, it hinders the healthy flow of life, of work, and if you are a writer, eventually of inspiration – the Muse itself. As far as my work is concerned, I have learned to name the thieves of productivity, the future ghosts of now, by anchoring foot and returning to the task at hand when I begin to wander, to sabotage myself.
Sensitive, sculpture by Miquel Blay (1910) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Today’s post is about how you can use your good, bad, and ugly in your writing. That is, the experiences that have taught you much, and that you acknowledge as being of impact. It may bring good or bad feelings to memory, maybe even ugly emotions, but despite that truth, all are very valuable to use in your writing. Be thankful for all you experience, because as a writer, it will translate into genuine characters, giving credibility, strength, and sentiment to your story.
Maybe you were back-stabbed by a best friend, cheated, or even experienced an excruciating event. As sad as it might be for you to remember, it serves you well as a writer because you know how it feels and you can translate the feeling into words. Given that you use the right words, readers will experience the feeling. In a way, achieving intimacy between author and reader.
Bad and ugly experiences can have an inspirational or paralyzing effect because they are that powerful, emotionally speaking. You control the response. You can let feelings and emotions control you to the point of writer’s block, or you can try to understand those and absorb strength/focus/inspiration from the experience; it is up to you, and the time for dealing with the bad and the ugly varies from person to person; however, the time for resolve/action always comes, leaving it to you to make the best or worst of it. You will emerge stronger or weaker, and so the writer in you.
Embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly, grieve and understand it, and let it serve you well.
English: Lemons Español: Linomes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If life gives you lemons, you either go with the rest and make lemonade, or you play with them, juggle a few minutes, make tea, make a pomander/potpourri with them, or whatever it is that fits your lemon best.
I thought that we were all a part of everything, but I realized that this only made us a piece of the puzzle. Today, I understood that it is all a process, and we are all it. We are the process, not just part of it. Somehow lemonade seems boring now.
Linen Closet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A bit different from what I usually write, maybe dark and creepy, but inspiration comes in all colors, and sometimes, unexpected 🙂
The Closet
Hanging by a thread,
Pinky lets go of the rope,
Fighting to grab thin air,
I began to fall, deep dark hole.
Nails screeching the atmosphere,
Long way down the depth of soul,
The slow fall, miles of hope,
Pretending the bottom never touch.
The closet calls, inviting
A safe haven of obscurity
Knowing truth, I avoid the call
For if I go in, I will never be back.
Not lost of body,
Not lost of soul,
But of the mind,
Long lost, lone gone.
The Antennae Galaxies are undergoing a collision that will result in their eventual merger. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Have you ever gotten the right words of comfort when you needed them? Has the right book suddenly came into your hands when you were looking for answers or pondering an issue, deeply looking for some comfort? Somehow, it seems that we experience these occurrences when we seem to have lost our hope, or when our mind/heart is experiencing turmoil, and need to find a little ray of hope or “something” that will point us in the right direction, as our life compass has undergone a little interference. When we happen to find that ray of light, we feel comforted, as well as grateful. Grateful for the ones who have written the words that seem to make so much sense today, as sometime ago. It is like a symphony of human comfort that is as old as we are, that transcends time, space, culture, race … the right words at the right time. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1
We are part of everything, and everything in us, a concept that for some is difficult to grasp, and that is understandable. Many times, I see a connection in everything that surrounds me. It is in those little moments of serendipity that I feel that connection stronger. It is when the works of someone who lived many years or centuries ago, happen to touch my soul today, and offer insight – whether spiritual insight, or one of those “aha” moments, when my questions seem to have been answered. It is then that I understand that we are one in many. As if our collective knowledge comforts our collective souls. We are part of a greater process, each one contributing in perfect time and harmony, each one influencing one another.
I leave you with a poem that I wrote sometime ago – “One in Many”
One in Many
On this day I shall wish
many blessings, harmony
When the night gives in to day
and the day nestles the night,
we will be as one in many.
Shine your light for it will be
as the beacon one will see
Always seek your love to give
without measure, plenty and free.
As you give you will receive,
one in many it has been.
Me, You, It, one and the same,
Love, One Source, is One in many.
As you wish it will be done,
may you wish, joy, peace, and love
For it returns the wish to wisher,
two ten fold, as one in many.
I love sci-fi and monster movies, not so much people killing people, but more the fantastic kind – werewolves, mummies, aliens, vampires …. One thing these movies have in common is the cup of coffee that the desperate people who have run for their lives decide to have once they have found shelter, a safe place for a brief time, until the ordeal starts again. It never fails, whether in an abandoned building, a hut, the middle of the forest, or a cave, they manage to make that cup of coffee that seems to bring comfort, somehow. This is one of my favorite moments in a movie, so much, that sometimes, I run to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee for myself, as if I too, am being comforted, and inside the movie. Besides, I happen to love coffee so much, that any excuse is good enough to have that extra cup. Why am I writing about coffee? Well, because we all need that moment, or what I call “the comfort cup of coffee.”
We need to have that moment of peace, of feeling safe, of stopping all the running we do and coming to a halt – to meditate, ponder, and reassess our direction. We need that cup of coffee (whatever that may be for you) to help us reenergize and keep going. One thing I have understood is to take that moment when I seem to need it – it makes a difference in what follows next. Whether your cup of coffee is time alone for yourself, a much-needed vacation, a weekend or day off, a sabbatical, a walk in the woods or the beach, or time well spent with people you love and have not seen for a while … it doesn’t matter what it is, because it is personal, and the result is always “feeling better,” “re-energized,” and “strong.” Timing is also different for everyone; you will know when it is time for that comfort cup of coffee.
Food for thought – What represents that cup of coffee in your life? Have you ignored the need for it? Why? What happened as the result of not having it?
wood meter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Today’s post was “The Vintage Office,” however, after reading a post this morning, I decided to write a different post, and reschedule that one. The post inspired me to ponder/write about the issue of success, and what it means or how it measures. The more I thought about it, it continued to be clear to me that success is not something that can be defined in one way, neither measured.
Our society conditions us to measure success by the expectations of the majority, and we may end up measuring our own success with the same narrow stick – money, material possessions, fans, popularity … . However, success goes beyond labels and expectations, and it should matter more to us at a personal and deeper level. You should measure your own success by the ruler that you create at a particular moment in your life, and that is why what others think of success, might not necessarily apply to you.
What is success to you? Think about it, and think deep. What makes you happy? What rings your bell? What is your ideal state of success? It may be wealth, it may be glory, it may be writing a novel, maybe, being able to stay alive one more day. Those represent examples of success for somebody. Someone is measuring success by what makes them happy or fulfilled, and that differs between people.
This is why it is important to never apply someone else’s definition of success to your own; otherwise, you will be miserable and may waste your time following someone else’s dream and path, or someone else’s misdirection.
The timing of success varies as well. Today, you might find success in making tons of money; tomorrow, you may find success in giving part of it away – and making other’s dreams possible. In both circumstances, you have been successful, but according to your own measure of success. It may be that you want to write a novel and publish it. You work hard at it, and finally, you publish it – you have been successful in accomplishing that part of your success story. The rest, you keep measuring one inch, one step, one dream at a time, making yourself accountable, by your own efforts and determination.
The frustration and sadness, as well as the insecurity or doubt comes to us when we use someone else’s yard stick to measure our own success, being that, someone’s opinion of what “success or greatness means,” or when we compare our lives or our own success to that of another, not realizing that although we are all related and intertwined in this universe, it is only by achieving the measure of our own success that we make our contribution to the universe, and find happiness/fulfillment.
I have been guilty myself of measuring my success by the rulers of others, at times, as well as by the dreams of others (whether for themselves or their dreams for me); however, it wasn’t until I understood this concept that I was able to let go of all the rulers collected over time (and a long time that was), and start adding inches to my own.
Think of what makes you happy, of what you love, of what makes your bell ring, and your days brighter … measure your success by attaining those.
Much success to you all!
I came across this audio put into a video on YouTube and shared by youtuber PSNy2kUK, and what caught my attention was that the narrator is from 1956, Earl Nightingale. The same principles apply today. Think and enjoy.
Today, I want to share an awesome blog that many of you might know, but the more the merrier, and it is the blog of Jack Canfield, and you can find it here . It is a blog full of inspirational and motivational energy, and tons of good tips to live a more positive and happy life. Through videos, articles and goodies, Jack Canfield manages to awaken readers.
If you are not familiar with this blog, take a look; you won’t be disappointed, and you will gain so much by reading or watching some of his videos. It is truly a treasure, and one to be shared, so if you love it, keep sharing! And since today is Watercolors Friday, let’s celebrate Mr. Canfield, and Happy Solstice and Watercolors Friday to YOU! Don’t forget to watch the Super Moon tomorrow, the brightest and biggest moon of this year. I will try to get some pics to share with you 🙂
Inkspeare 