See the need

 

See the need - then do something.

The world is full of people who give advice. They're always happy to jump in with suggestions for how you should be doing whatever it is you are doing. They can see ahead to what is going to be needed. They know just what problems might come up and how to cope with them. And they're eager to let you know.

The problem is that they don't actually do anything to help. 

There's nothing wrong with seeing what is needed, but maybe we can offer assistance to meet that need as well, rather than just assuming someone else will do all the legwork.

Death

 

Death, expected or sudden, is always a shock. 

We are never ready to lose people, even when they've been ill for a long time and we know it's a blessed release. There is always a shock to the system because it is a massive change in one's life. Memories are stirred up. The past is revisited. The lost future is mourned.

Event or journey?

 

An event or a journey?

This is the question asked by Seth Godin on his blog in the past week. Events are one-off, on a certain date, whereas a journey can take a lifetime - and life is our longest journey. 

I guess this is another energy question for me. Do you put an enormous amount of effort into something that is fleeting (although it may have outworkings that last longer) or save it for the longer haul? Obviously there are some events that are important, such as a wedding, but the marriage is the journey and therefore the more important part. So often people fall out over things happening - or not happening - at weddings when really that's a fleeting part of the whole.

Energy

 

Choose carefully what you give your energy to.

This is my first post of this week because I've been giving my energy to other things. The summer has finally arrived here in Adelaide and I've been feeling the lassitude that comes with the heat. When energy is in short supply we must think carefully about what we choose to use it for. I had a couple of social engagements at the beginning of the week, and that, combined with the heat, meant that I was a bit wiped out.

So instead of journalling (although I have done a few minutes each day), my creativity has been going into new shirts for Zach. Here's the first one - we call it 'the space unicorn shirt':

Make your mark

 

How will you leave your mark this year?

What are you going to do that's new?

How are you going to build on what you've already done?

What marks will you leave on the lives of others? Will they be good or not so helpful?

How will you leave your mark on the planet? On history?

None of us leave this life without leaving a mark on others, so let's decided to make it a good one.

New starts

 

Any time is a good time for a new start. 

We make a lot of fuss about changing things for a new year. The start of a new year feels like the best time to make a new start, but really any time is a good time to make that new start, to change your habits, to begin again. So don't be hard on yourself. Make the new start whenever you need to.

Direction not goal

 

Set a direction rather than a goal. 

It can be disheartening to not reach a goal. We can get 99% of the way there and still miss it. Does that make you a failure?

But if you set a direction, even if you don't get a long way, you can celebrate each step you make. It's the difference between a lifestyle change and a diet. 

Focus

What's your focus for the new year? 

What are you going to concentrate on?

What will you put your energy into and toward?

Will you expand your horizons or hone in on one thing?

Things to be considered...

And for those who wanted to see the origami angels, imagine this as a 10 foot long curtain moving in the gentle breeze from the fans:

More storms

 

With Christmas fast approaching I'm only finding a few minutes each day to work in my journal, but that doesn't mean that I'm not 'arting' in some way or another. These canvases now have their edges painted black and are just about ready for exhibiting, so I thought I'd show you another batch of five. 

In this Christmas season of peace and goodwill, may the storms of life pass through quickly and as quietly as possible.

Branches

 

Branches - wide or high?

When a plant grows, it can put it's strength into growing up or growing out. There are people who grow 'tall' by being really good at one particular thing. They tower over others in that area, but they don't necessarily have a wide canopy. 

Other people grow wide. They spread out, producing many branches. They may not be as tall as the other plants, but they have a large canopy. They try their hand at lots of different things and can bring those things together in new projects. Height may come, but it takes longer.

Neither is 'right' or preferable. They are just different ways of approaching life.