The Eyes have it...

I spent the weekend drawing (among other things) eyes.
Practice, practice, practice!
I'll begin painting them soon...
I have to shoo away a bit of fear first.

Funny how a little bit of fear can keep you from doing the
things that you really want to do, isn't it?
Now, I have always been able to draw..or I should say that I practiced a lot.
But painting...another story all together.
I have this feeling that I can paint
but for years I have stood frozen in front of a canvas.

How silly is that?

So, today I am letting go of that particular fear
and I'm gonna paint.
I'm going to paint like my mom always wanted to but never did
cause SHE was afraid too.
I'm going to paint like I am the bestest,
most talented painter in the world.
My world anyway.

So, what fear is holding you back?
What is it, in your life, that is screaming
to be done, to be drawn, to be painted, to be said, to be created...?
What is it that you know you can do,
you're just afraid to take that first
itsy bitsy step?
Or maybe you don't know that you can do it...
maybe it's the fear of disappointment
or the fear of failure
or the fear that someone will make fun of you...

Maybe you're afraid that you will actually
SUCCEED...


Think about what I've talked about.
Really be honest about what fears you allow to run your life.
Think about what you can do to overcome them.

Let's make a conscious effort to
chase those fears away.
Let's stand tall
and Be Brave.

Words, words, words...

I've seen several blogs and newsletters lately

that have encouraged everyone to Pick A Word for 2009.

I started a list...(see my photos)

Being a little anal, I began looking the words up in the dictionary...

just to make sure that I really, really liked the things that

The Word encompassed.

Just to make sure that there wasn't some Hidden Meaning somewhere...

Well, one thing led to another and I ended up with four pages of Really Good Words!

Part of it was that I like to write words...

go ahead and laugh, I know it sounds funny

but those of you out there who enjoy it too

will understand how I got carried away.

I actually like the arrangement of all

those great Words...

that would be a great mixed media piece, now wouldn't it?

OK, on to the actual post...

A few of my Most Favorite Words were

Cultivate

Foster

Intent

Purpose

I do have some very specific goals this year.

I started a new journal last year,

a neat handmade one, at the beginning of the year.

Fabric, of course, with hand painted pages.

Spiral bound with my cool Bind It All.

I wrote a little bit and then listed three goals

for that year.

I won't go into the specifics but I am glad/proud/pleased

to say that I met my goals.

I must be honest and say this as well...

I didn't make them TOO difficult, well...hmmmm...

Maybe it is in hind sight that I say that.
When I wrote them, I knew that they would require work.

I personally don't mind hard work at all.

I like it actually. It's good for people.

But what I'm trying to say is that I feel like I

could have done so much more than what I DID accomplish last year.

Part of the goal setting, the planning was based on Fear.

How, you say?

I was afraid that I wouldn't reach my goal,

so I set the bar a little lower than I should have...

That is Fearful Planning.

So I decided that THIS year,

I will set my goals without the burden of Fear.

I will set a few goals based totally on my sense of

adventure...that wild abandonment that I have been known for.

I'm going to reach so far that my arm might stretch a bit.

You know why?

Because I can.

Seriously...I mean that

I am Capable of Dreaming, of Seeking More,

of a Firm Determination.

Or we could call it "A Firmness of Purpose".

When I first began looking at the definitions

of all those yummy words that I wrote down,

there was a couple of words that were repeated in several definitions...

If you look closely at the journal pages

you will see that Promote is written several times.

Cherish, Care, Purpose...all repeated several times.

Aren't those wonderful words?

Look them up in the dictionary.

Then begin following the thread of words...

look up the words that are in the definition that you just looked up.

I especially loved the definition of

FOSTER

PURPOSE

CULTIVATE

Read these definitions...

THINK about what they mean to YOU.

Leave me a message, email me but let me know

how these words make you feel.

I'm going to say it again (even at the risk of repeating myself)

2009 is going to be a wonderfully Uplifting Year.

I will have a "Firmness of Purpose" this year.

I will reach out in Love.

I will believe that my fellow man

is as precious as a new born babe.

And in practicing just that one thing,

my life will change.

My heart will grow.

My smile will be bigger.

I will love my neighbor as myself.

And this year, I will love myself,

warts and all.