Imagine your life…now live what you’ve imagined.

 

Helen reading by bvw

 

Act as if.

It is very effective.

I have had and do have times when I can’t seem to get my imagination to go past what I already do in my current “real” life. I am trying to change my direction, but it just doesn’t happen . I guess you could say I am in a rut. At this point, I know I have to free myself to fulfill the potential of my vast imagination. The only way to do that is to let go of my self taught or life taught parameters and choose to go beyond them.

Suddenly, everything is possible. And it really is!

It is all about what you believe is possible. Allowing yourself to “image” or” make a picture in your mind” of what you would like to accomplish is one of the  thinking tools of creativity as defined by Robert and Michele Root- Bernstein in their book “Sparks of Genius”. Their research outlines 13 thinking tools that they have discovered are used by the world’s most creative people.  use the ideas in this book to remind myself of ways to sharpen my creative tools. I will be occasionally referencing them as I explore ways to increase creativity in your life.

To simplify, to get out of a rut of thinking the same thoughts and doing things the same way. Here are 5 concrete steps:

1. Set aside at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Sometimes, just doing this takes imagination!      Some suggestions I have found to be helpful are:    Get up a half hour earlier; sit in your car at lunch time; put dinner up and sit in the kitchen while the meal warms up; go to your room; take a walk with the dog; go to the beach or a park nearby; have a cup of tea or coffee where nobody knows you so there is no extended conversation; go to the library and look busy. (You really are!)
2. Now make pictures in your mind of how your life “is” when you are living the life you imagine. This is the most important step!
3. Describe this in a journal. A journal to write, draw or collage in is a great place to automatically put down your thoughts. It also saves time AND your thoughts because you never actually lose the previous ideas. The journal is always there for reference.
4. Act as if you are already doing this! If you want to be a successful writer, you need to write as if you already are. What would a writer’s day look like? What would be the priorities in his/her life?
5. How would you define success in accomplishing your newly imagined goal? Defining exactly what you want is important because each person can have a totally different idea of what achieving “success” in that area is.
6. Make a list of things to do that would accomplish this. Start with a simple item that you can accomplish today and determine when, today,  you will do it. Set up another goal for the next day.
7. Focus on this goal and how to continue to advance, expand and change it on a regular basis. Continue to use your journal and your reserved time. Adjust the time more or less, depending n your schedule and the time needs of your chosen path.

Let me know how you are creatively re-imagining your life. It is always astounding to see how concentrated imaging makes a path for transformation in life! Take a look at some other people who have transformed their lives and documented it on their blogs! Zen Habits has a detailed of how he makes changes and an interview with Colin Wright in Far Beyond the Stars.

Why being creative is the next best thing!

home by bvw

Creativity is becoming increasingly important in the world theses days. As we struggle to find solutions to the problems an issues that are currently preoccupying us, vast knowledge is not enough! Daniel Pink writes in his book “A Whole New Mind”,

“Today, the defining skills of the previous era_ the “left brain: capabilities are no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous- the “right brain” qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness and meaning- increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders. For individuals, families, and organizations, professional success and personal fulfillment now require a whole new mind.”

How can you incorporate more creativity in your own life?

Change your perception.

Yes, that’s right. Change how you look at things. When I was in high school, in Latin class, my teacher taught me that if the world was overwhelming us take a walk to an imaginary mountain nearby, and climb to the top. Then look at the troubling situation from a different perspective. I never forgot that gem of a suggestion. It changed my life.

Changing your viewpoint opens up all sorts of options that you never noticed before!

Try it and let me know how it changes your life.

Recognizing beauty is explored by Patrick in  Unwrap your Mind . I love the way he analyzes and explores in his inspiring blog.

Also , check out my guest post today about “Art & Soul” on The Religion Network .

 

Creative, clean living in 3 easy steps.

folding laundry in the light bvw

Do you start a boring job that has to be done around the house,  and plod through it?

I have begun many a task like that, and somewhere between the necessity of gettting it done and the annoyance of wasting my time with upkeep, I have discovered how to make it fun and creative.

First, I have to change my perception to take in the gestalt of laundry in my life. No research, just what it represents in my life. So I reflect upon  what laundry means  to me. Cleansing, layering renewing are concepts that come to mind.

Then  I observe laundry  as a way of exploring shadows and light. See how it looks in different lights. Look at it straight from the dryer crumpled in the basket and then folded crisp and clean.

Then I respond to the visual beauty that I have discovered in my ordinary day. What a blessing!

Because I draw and paint, I will document my experience that way. Other ways to articulate your laundry experience could to write about it , photograph it or tell stories about it. You could also begin to notice subtle variations in colors, trying colors next to each other that you never tried before.

I can’t say that this will get those chores done faster. In fact, I may take a little longer, especially once I get started on a painting.  But I have a real feeling of satisfaction when I complete the task , As I touch the laundry with my hands, transforming the deep clefts of shadows and mountains of light into folded patterns of crisp geometric shapes I am lead to understand the necessity for renewal, order and balance in my life.

What ordinary household or work tasks could you transform creatively?

Life as art…a balancing act

 

note to self with crayon

I look at ” life as art “. It makes sense to me that the very act of being requires creativity and can improve with self-reflection.  Reading, meditating and experimenting have allowed me to put together a holistic , creative way of balancing life.    I have created a  mindmap of the areas in my life in which  I want to be sure to develop and unify. 

When you are creating art, it is always good to take a step back and reflect on it, asking whether it needs color, a certain linear quality, a better balance. These are some of the elements and principles of art.

The elements of design are line, form, color, value, texture and space. These concepts are organized by  the principles of art . The principles of art are balance, movement,repetition contrast, emphasis, balance, pattern and unity. So, I decided  to  apply these elements and principles to the big art of my life and see what would happen!

The materials that I build my life with are artwork, spiritual growth, physical needs, intellectual development,  relationships, environment (surroundings) and riches (both financial and other). I knew it would be difficult to remember these areas on a daily basis, so I made them into an acronym, ASPIRER.  I like that word , so I remember it easily.

Each day, I plan my activities and goals around these seven areas. Some occur more often than others, but I generally touch base with each of the areas at least once a week. No real pressure, just a gentle reminder to balance myself with my goals.  Kind of a visual nudge, I guess.

Color is constantly influencing me from choosing what to wear, to creating an appetizing meal,  to seeing a rose -to -lemon sunrise on my way to work! Its broad spectrum and depth delight me everywhere I look!  Color changes in relation to its surroundings. This brilliance of color color and its changeability cause me to be aware of the corresponding qualities in my life. It reminds me, also, how who or what I am near to has a great influence on how I perceive things!

Color, anyone?

Inspiring interiors, rejuvenating everyday routine!

Have you ever been caught unawares by the sunlight falling over an ordinary corner of the room?  In its path of revelation, colors and shadows that you never noticed become apparent.  The air is electric with expectation and time slows down so you can drink it in. 

                 Then you wonder , which is the real place and time?   What has allowed you to notice the lively energy and vivid colors? How can you save this memory? How can you see past your daily routines, allowing light, time and space to open another view of the ordinary?

Pierre Bonnard, in the current exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “The Late Still Lives and Interiors”, shows us the results of his attention to daily routine.  A breathtaking exhibition that brought tears to my eyes in its simplicity  and grace!  A show not to be missed! it will help you to see beyond the mundane!

interior dining room by Bonnard

dining room on the garden

Life as Art

 

0582

Drawing and  painting  has always been  an insightful and energy producing adventure in my life.  The process of creating it is as fruitful as the product!  I  have come to realize that all creating uses the same skills as making artwork….. including shaping my life! Using the process of creating can give  a template  to transform your life.

So what is “art” anyway?  According to Eric Booth, in the  extraordinarily insightful book  the everyday work of art

“At he birth of the word”art” it was a verb that meant “to put things together.” It was not a product but a process. If we can reclaim that view of art_ as a way of looking at and doing things, as a series of experiences and experiments_ all of us gain a fresh grasp on the proven practical ways to construct the quality of our lives.”

So let’s look at the definitions of both work and art to divine the process!

According to the Visual Thesaurus the verb “to work” is to 

“exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; apply through; think through”

and defines”art”   as

“the products of human creativity; works of art collectively; the creation of beautiful or significant things; a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation”

Michael Kimmelman, art critic for the NY Times and author  of the book, “The Accidental Masterpiece; On the Art of Life and Vice Versa”  clearly articulates the process of art making in our daily lives! He integrates stories of artists in his book, demonstrating how their way of working  can easily be applied to our lives.

“…art provides us with clues about how to live our own lives more fully… creating, collecting, and even just appreciating art can make living a daily masterpiece.”

 I have come across blogs that are created with the attitude of an artist.   “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin is one.  Her journey into the ways of attaining happiness share depth and  balance. I always leave her site with at least one new perception. It is definitely worth checking out!