Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year


The end of 2011 is a few hours away and by most counts, reviewing the year has been interesting but 2012 is decidedly something to look forward to.
Most of us will be out partying at some point between now and the next few hours to bring in the new year with a bang. However, it is always worth taking advantage of the energy the beginning of any new journey elicits.
In a quieter moment, take some time to look over the good and bad bits of the last 12 months. Give thanks to the lessons learned and various growth periods that came disguised as testing times. Be grateful for the times when you had peace and bliss and allow those memories to revisit to give you pleasure.
Most of all, remember that the next 12 months for 2012 can hold as much joy or misery as you choose in each moment. It is essentially up to you to stay present in each moment and make the most of it, whatever it is.
Planning, setting goals or winging it, whichever way appeals to you for the next while, just go with it. We're going into a period of new beginnings I reckon, and whether they're good or bad are going to be largely down to how we perceive things and how we choose to act.
It sure as hell won't be a boring year, that much feels certain! :)

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Creativity and the power of a belief

This article was found via facebook, and I am simply so in love with this breath of fresh air approach to creativity that it had to go on the blog.

The notion that people are born with talent has often irked me when it comes to art. I have seen clients suffering as a result of disconnecting with their art or creative side simply because they didn't produce a body of work worth noting. The early stages of not being encouraged to simply keep with it led to them discounting their creativity due to 'not being talented'.

It's a crippling form of a belief and it can throw people off for years and stop them from engaging in any form of creativity, thus self realising a belief of a negative nature.

What I really love about this article is the simple approach of recognising that anything you put time and effort into WILL enable you to improve upon that skill. An example of the article is below but please go to - http://www.creativitypost.com/create/twelve_things_you_were_not_taught_in_school_about_creative_thinking

" You are creative. The artist is not a special person, each one of us is a special kind of artist. Every one of us is born a creative, spontaneous thinker. The only difference between people who are creative and people who are not is a simple belief. Creative people believe they are creative.
People who believe they are not creative, are not. Once you have a particular identity and set of beliefs about yourself, you become interested in seeking out the skills needed to express your identity and beliefs. This is why people who believe they are creative become creative. If you believe you are not creative, then there is no need to learn how to become creative and you don't.
The reality is that believing you are not creative excuses you from trying or attempting anything new. When someone tells you that they are not creative, you are talking to someone who has no interest and will make no effort to be a creative thinker."