Staying resolute

Happy 2013!

I read an interesting article today in the Entrepreneurs' Circle monthly magazine. Guest writer Vic Johnson talked resolutions.

He made an interesting point, one I've heard before from my good friend Leanne Flower but it's always useful to be reminded.

It's about maintaining a positive attitude toward our goals and hopes for the year ahead. Vic uses the classic January example of weight loss. He points out that setting a goal to lose weight is negative in itself, plus it speaks volumes of future angst and torture. It's hardly a good starting point. How much better instead to picture yourself in the mirror in February clear-skinned, toned, glossy-haired and sparkly-eyed - a vision of health and fitness? I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good about working towards becoming this February girl.

To help, I'm writing myself a long list of positive verbs - build, grow, commit, make, test, create, learn and above all, I'm believing in the beauty of my dreams rather than thinking too much about the slog I need to do to get there. With the shining touchstone of success guiding me through the tough times it all feels so much easier.

2013 begins for me with a clear(ish) plan with some SMART goals and a rough idea on how I'm going to achieve them. However, I never like to set anything too much in stone (it takes far too long to chip away all that concrete). I believe a spot of by-the-seat-of-your-pants flying is often the magic dusting required to take a project to an elevated level. Being able to shift the plan at a moment's notice to embrace that exciting vision that just popped in your head can lead to the remarkable over the mundane. It's a method of working I highly recommend - never stop asking questions. I know I'm not the only one who thinks like this...

"Don't think! Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things."

Ray Bradbury

(Artwork above is something I made the other evening after a fun planning session.)

And the day came...

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

I love watching a face take form on the canvas. This piece is a little topsy turvey in its approach though.

It began life as a full length Klimt-inspired Goddess, but I got annoyed by her wonky eyes and ridiculous hair so she disappeared under a layer or too of Gesso and I went to town with the mosaic patterning while I waited for inspiration to strike.

Finally, weeks later I am rewarded with this face as she takes shape from the layers of lives that have gone before. She seems to carry some wisdom in those eyes, which once again seem determined to be wonky... but there is plenty of time to fix that!

My beautiful business coach Leanne Flower shared this video with me and asked that it be my mantra for the month as I feel a shift within - shoots ready to grow and bloom...



Sharing this piece with the crew at Sunday Sketches where I have been absent for weeks - my apologies my lovely artist friends. I have missed you!

 

Also to confess I already missed a day's blogging for Blogtoberfest... Oops....