Creativity, Craft & Cadence

Hiatus is over. I’m back. After spending some much needed time in self-reflection and goal-setting, I came to some conclusions about this blog.

I’m here to stay.

And I know what I want to communicate.

From this Monday on, I aim to dissect the many facets of creativity. I’ve been paying attention. In particular to the way I choose to live day-to-day, and I’ve noticed one common theme in my life. An undeniable thread sewn through everything that I deem important—everything that excites me. I’m attracted to (and quite possibly addicted to) all things creative. For this reason, I’m going to be highlighting all aspects of creativity that catch my eye, set me sail, or light my thoughts on fire.

I’m also going to continue to share what I’ve learned when it comes to the craft of writing. Last Friday, I completed the rough draft of my sixteenth (maybe seventeenth?) novel. I’ve lost count. I’ve worked with some fantastic agents and have received hopeful feedback from readers and editors through the years. What’s more, I’ve tucked all kinds of helpful hints in the folds of my brain. And I want to pass along the goods.

Finally, I’ll be writing about girls like Cadence. The other day, while my seventeen-year-old and I were checking out prom dresses, a little girl came up to me outside the store. Boldly, she beamed up at me. “Hi, I’m Cadence, and I can do anything.” It was a random introduction. I’m not sure what it was about me that made this girl want to say hello. And say it with such assured confidence. Nevertheless, her greeting stuck with me. That’s when I realized I want to write about anything girls—females who live their lives with the hope of bettering the world—of making a lasting impact on others.

It is with great sadness that I share the world lost an anything girl this past weekend. Rachel Held Evans kindly wrote a guest post for this blog nine years ago. In the years since, I’ve watched her career skyrocket and her voice empower many. She inspired me in ways I could never find the words to communicate. I’ve hidden away a lot in recent years, tucked inside myself. I suppose there are many reasons for why I’ve done this. Rachel led the kind of life that reminds me how beautiful and poignant it is to speak our truth. To stand up for something we believe in. And to leave a legacy of, above all things, love.

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I’m not going to be silent.”

Madeleine Albright

Inspiration from the Most Unexpected Place

I never imagined a man who spent years on death row would be a source of inspiration for me. Then again, I hadn’t known anything about Anthony Ray Hinton. Reason number 1,278 why I love book clubs. Hinton’s book, THE SUN DOES SHINE: HOW I FOUND LIFE AND FREEDOM ON DEATH ROW is our next read for book club.

Forty pages in, and this book has found a way to seep into my day-to-day thoughts. Hinton’s honesty, his ability to see beyond his circumstances has been revolutionizing the way I approach my day. Needless to say, I’m excited about this book. I love when inspiration comes from unexpected places. I’ve been around long enough, and open-minded to a degree where this is happens on a regular basis. I just never know where the inspiration will come from—when it will spark. I’ve learned to expect it from nature, after a lung-burning run, or while reading. And yes, I’m inspired due to reading his book, but there’s something more here. Hinton is inspiring me. Through his book, yes. But also with a greater reach—through his life.

I’m tackling some key edits on one of my novels, but I’m going to carve out some time so I can get back to reading THE SUN DOES SHINE. It’s one of those books that possesses a gravitational pull.

Have you read anything life-changing lately?

A New Kind of Birthday Song

I’m completely immersed in Birthday Land here at my house. Three girls. All born within the past eight days. And we do birthdays up around here. Signs. Special dinners. Desserts. The works. Needless to say, my mom muscles have had quite a workout lately.

Thought it might be fun to post a song I’ve really been feeling lately.

Enjoy!

Story Ideas & the Toy Vending Machine

You know when you wrap up at the dentist and the hygienist offers you a shot at the itty bitty vending-type machine, and you get a little excited wondering what you’ll get? This process similar to what it’s like coming up with story ideas for me.

Ideas bombard me at any given moment. I keep a notebook by my bed, in my car, and on various counters of my house. Because they sneak attack—ideas do. And every time I weigh the validity of a story idea it feels like selecting something out of a toy vending machine. I’ve gotten better at figuring out which are the best toys to get.

Some days I end up with . . .

A bouncy ball

You think this is a good one at first. Mildly entertaining. Fun to zing up to the ceiling. It responds to your exertion. All good, right? But there comes a day when the bouncy ball is quarantined under a sofa and gets coated with so much dust it’s difficult to see what it ever was in the first place.

Silly string

Yay. It’s fun. It’s entertaining. For about two seconds, then it’s a mess.

A stuffed animal

This one is tricky because it likes to fool you. Look at me, I’m so cute. You can cuddle me and love me. Until I end up in the back of your closet because my weird eyebrows and overly stuffed stomach freak you out at night. Stuffed animals seems like such an ideal grab at first, but they’re quickly neglected. Especially the vending machine variety because they’re made cheap, prone to ripping easily and destined to bore.

A plastic slinky

Another initial cheer when an idea like this strikes. I take notes. I think I’ve got a good thing going, but have you ever tried a plastic slinky? They have the power of Eeyore before a nap. And they readily twist up. Not writer’s gold, the plastic slinky. Better to slink it back.

Fake teeth

I have a thing against chewed gum. And fake teeth. And anything that has the potential to collect saliva. Fake teeth also seem intriguing at first. Try ’em on. Have a laugh with them. Then what? They sit in some drawer gathering germs, forgotten.

It’s not until Silly Putty falls into my hands that I know I’ve got a real thing going.

Silly Putty

More like writer idea gold. When a concept like this sparks, I trust it’s transferred from something that’s left a great impression on me, such a lasting impression it leaves a stamp on me. (Think Silly Putty and a newspaper.) Then, and here’s the coolest thing, with an idea like this, I know I’m able to smash it up, bend it, and contort it into an entirely different shape—that impression. And if you’re like my kids were when they were little, you smack Silly Putty and leave it smashed onto your forehead for as long as humanly possible. And I don’t think I know a writer alive who doesn’t want people to have their stories smashed on their foreheads. Silly Putty is the holy grail of toy vending machine grabs. It’s the idea maker and giver all in one.

Authors, always root for the Silly Putty to fall into your hands.

*Blogging break. Be back on April 9^th.

Cheers to the Dreamers

Cheers to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for inspiring others to dream. It’s my hope that we all will continue to follow fast and hard after our dreams and advocate for genuine leadership as we press on.

“Power isn’t control at all — power is strength, and giving that strength to others. A leader isn’t someone who forces others to make him stronger; a leader is someone willing to give his strength to others that they may have the strength to stand on their own.”
― Beth Revis, Across the Universe

“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.”

― Nelson Mandela 

Spirit-churning

I’m more than a little slammed right now with self-imposed deadlines and life in general. Still, I wanted to inspire you in some small way today. The following three quotes speak to me. 

Hoping they will speak to you today.

“The success of love is in the loving—it is not in the result of loving.” ―Mother Theresa

“Hope is not about proving anything. It's about choosing to believe this one thing, that love is bigger than any grim, bleak shit anyone can throw at us.” ―Anne Lamott, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

“Teach them the quiet words of kindness, to live beyond themselves. Urge them toward excellence, drive them toward gentleness, pull them deep into yourself, pull them upward toward manhood, but softly like an angel arranging clouds. Let your spirit move through them softly.” ―Pat Conroy, The Prince of Tides

Can Travel Spark Creativity?

I’m going with a resounding yes. We’ve bounced around our share this summer and every time I find myself in a new city I’m met with surges of fresh ideas. Some of these thoughts involve characters, some plot twists, some career moves, and some promotion, but I’m not sure any would have come to me had I not physically moved to a different location.

I could write a year’s worth of blog post reactions about the book I’m reading. IMAGINE by Jonah Lehrer is my kind of book. It stretches the way I think about how I learn, and how I interpret the world.

I was particularly amused by the section about travel and how it influences our ability to create. Why so fascinated by this? Because in addition to our big move, we’ve also done a load of traveling over the past few months. And I’ve found every time I leave our house I open the door to new material. It’s wild. It’s wonderful.

Lehrer writes, “We need to leave behind everything. One of the most surprising (and pleasurable) ways of

cultivating an outside perspective is through travel, getting away from the places we spend most of our time.” He goes on to say that when we travel ideas that were previously suppressed have an opportunity to surface. New surroundings inspire new thoughts. Travel also encourages us to become more open-minded, or as Lehrer suggests “alive to ambiguity, more willing to realize there are different ways of interpreting the world.” Yes. Yes. And yes.

I still think part of the reason I write stems from my time growing up in Germany. My mom loves to share how as a young kid I’d look at people in an elevator and excitedly speak my own interpretation of German (I was a special child). As an adult, I love learning about other cultures and other ways of living. I no longer go up to people who speak a different language and spout Gibberish, trying to engage in conversation with them. My husband stops me before I try.

I buy into this concept entirely. And I’m not convinced we have to fly to Paris or Rome to thrum the creative juices. Simply stepping out can do wonders. This is why walks can be so instrumental when I’m brain-blocked.

Every time we leave our comfortable nests we’re forced to view the world through a fresh lens.

Traveled anywhere lately? Have you experienced a heightened sense of creativity when you’ve stepped out?

Onward. Upward. Through.

One of my mom’s closest friends passed away this past weekend. As I digested this tragic news, I got

to thinking about my time here. And then, without warning, the hard questions infiltrated . . . as they have a habit of doing in moments like this.

I asked myself if I’m living fully.

Am I allowing fear to stop me from pursuing a dream?

Have I grown numb to living life on autopilot?

Am I putting relationships first?

Why do I keep fighting against thoughts that I know aren’t based in truth?

How much time have I wasted clinging to shame, regret, jealousy, and anger?

What’s stopping me?

And that’s where the questions slammed into a roadblock. What isn’t stopping me feels like a more fitting question to ask. Excuses. Past mistakes. Broken relationships. Bruises and scars. Fear of failure. The weight of other’s anger. Distractions. Insecurity and doubt. Mind traps—lies I’ve chosen to believe.

Futile.

There are castles to see, waters to sail, books to be written, girls to raise, a husband to dance with, a dog to walk, family and friends to embrace, people to inspire. There’s a whole world out there for me to engage with.

I have so much more life to live. I’d rather fight through the mire, than sit idly by.

It’s worth it to ask the hard questions in order to squeeze the most out of this short time we’re allotted here.

Onward. Upward. Through.

A Nod to Eleanor Roosevelt

I’ve spent the past week talking to people, listening, and seeking to understand. Still working on that last one. I’ve been searching for words. Powerful ones, ones that will make a difference. I find myself fumbling at the start of this week. I’ve decided to post the following quotes, thankful that Eleanor Roosevelt tapped into her passion, harnessed her wisdom, and used her voice.

Consider, applaud, and reflect upon each meaning and the implications as you take on the week.

“If anyone were to ask me what I want out of life I would say—the opportunity for doing something useful, for in no other way, I am convinced, can true happiness be attained.”

“You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”

“I could never be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”

 “Character building begins in our infancy and continues until death.”

“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.”

“One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”

“There is not human being from whom we cannot learn something if we are interested enough to dig deep.”

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

Embrace the. . . Limitations?

I’ve watched this TED Talk at least three times in recent days. I’ve showed it to each of my girls, curious to gauge and discuss their reactions. Carve ten minutes out of your day. It’s worth checking out. Few things have inspired me the way uber talented artist Phil Hansen does in this talk.

For starters, Hansen challenged me to think about how life circumstances—even and especially limitations—can be used to enhance our craft. He rejuvenated my belief that perspective helps to shape experience. Candidly he shared that at times he became creatively stumped. It was through these times of reflection and contemplation that Hansen grasped an appreciation for the process—for the love of creating itself.

By inventing twenty-three projects within a Goodbye Art series, Hansen grew to understand the liberation of letting go . . . of outcomes, failures, and imperfections. Can I get an Amen?!

I won’t spoil the rest because it’s just that good. Trust me.

But I will leave you with a quote that struck me as deeply profound.

“Learning to be creative within the confines of our limitations is the best hope we have to transform ourselves and collectively transform our world.” –Phil Hansen

The Five Biggest Bullies for Writers

Ever try to put your finger on the five greatest culprits of your career? Recently I did.

Here’s what I came up with regarding my vocation…

Taunting Tom

Taunting Tom is the voice in your head siphoning all the goodies. Tom tells you you can’t write for squat. He rattles on about your ineptitude until you’re tempted to start believing him.

Tell Tom to take a take it out on someone who’s willing to believe him. You’re done.

Pseudo Sue

Pseudo Sue’s greatest desire is to convince you to become like all the authors you admire. To morph into everyone but yourself. Sue encourages you to not just practice writing like them—to actually try to pattern your style, your writing voice after them. Meanwhile, Sue is robbing you of the most valuable gift writing offers—finding yourself in your words.

Send Sue sailing on the winds of change.

By the Book Barbara

Barbara is that gnat in your ear reminding you to cross all your Ts and dot all your Is. She’s stifling your inspiration with her musts and have-to lists. Coiling around you like a python, By the Book Barbara chokes your creative connection to the world around you. There is no one way.

Buy Barbara a one way ticket to Bye-Bye Ville.

Computer Crash Cal

Pulling out the big guns now. As a writer, nothing puts an abrupt squeeze on your lungs as fast as that little blinking cursor at the upper left hand corner of your all black screen. Dead. Gone to pasture. Cal is dying to gobble up your latest WIP faster than Cookie Monster and his flying cookies. Speaking of cookies…

One way to cut Cal off at the knees is to back that thing up.

Look a Rabbit Rebecca

She’s always there with a smile and a great story. And for some reason she always wants to share. Problem is, one thing leads to another, then another, then another… The rabbit trail is looking more and more like that curlicue path from the Candy Land board game every day. She means well. You mean well.

But Rebecca is robbing you of your most precious commodity—time.

So whether she comes in the form of good, but not great ideas, babbling acquaintances, or your own novel tripping along one rabbit hole after another, I’m here to encourage you to redirect Rebecca. So you can move on and “go confidently in the direction of your dreams” (thanks again Thoreau…I keep quoting you lately).

Can you think of any big bullies you’ve encountered when it comes to your vocation? How did you simmer, silence, or solve (I’m all about alliteration today) the bully issue?

*photo by stock.XCHNG

**

I’ve been having a blast featuring books written by some close friends of mine. Dani Pettrey’s book Shattered has gotten stellar reviews. Check it out!

When What We Need Makes Us Vulnerable

Giraffes need water.

But did you know giraffes have to spread their legs and bend down awkwardly to get water?

And every time they do this they make themselves vulnerable to predator attacks.

So what do giraffes do in order to get what they need despite the prowling lions and hungry crocs?

Giraffes…

Look up & find water elsewhere (acacia leaves)

 We too can find what we need by looking up. More often than not we convince ourselves that what we need will only—can only come from someone else—something else. More often than not it’s a fallacy. We have all we need in God.

Avoid waterholes where predators hang

It’s worth it to pay attention to the company we keep. I’ve walked out of some settings and mumbled, “But for the grace of God.” Skin of my teeth moments. Beyond grateful that more detrimental events didn’t occur in those places.

Though, this one has a tendency to be more difficult to discern. Lions can waltz into our lives disguised as affable elephants. But a lion will always reveal its claws at some point or another. Unfortunately, lions also like to hang around waiting too. This is why there are circumstances in life when we are better off skipping the waterhole and lifting our heads.

Go together

I’ve reaped tremendous benefits from seeking (and being open to) accountability in my life. Not long ago one of my closest friends stopped me midsentence and said, “You need to shut those thoughts down, Wendy.” And it hit me…I was giving credence to lies. The affirmation I started off needing came blessedly wrapped in a whopping bout of truth-telling.

Take turns

We all have moments of weakness—times we know our legs won’t cooperate beneath us when we tell them to bend. Time to keep watch for someone else.  Or we encounter stages in life when our eyes blur, clouding our vision. Time to step up to the water and awkwardly shift our legs.

There’s a beautiful give and take that occurs in relationships that we’re bound to miss if we’re always the one taking—or giving for that matter.

Drink 12 gallons of water at a time

“I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” Henry David Thoreau

There’s something to be said for investing deeply, for being grateful for every moment given to us living as though we may not be granted another—for learning to appreciate rare opportunities.

Something to be said for slurping up 12 gallons of water at a time. Go, giraffe, go!

~

I’m fascinated by animals and nature. It never ceases to amaze me the innate ways animals circumvent threats.

We need to feel safe. We need love. We need other things. What happens when what we need makes us vulnerable? In times of need, we’re wise to be mindful of how a giraffe approaches a watering hole.

~

Which one of the above are you most likely to forget in times of need? Which one has benefitted you time and time again?

*information from http://weirdfacts.com/animal-facts/2503-giraffe-facts.html & http://www.livescience.com/27336-giraffes.html

**2 more interesting giraffe facts: a giraffe’s heart is 2 feet long & weighs 25lbs and giraffes communicate by emitting low notes humans are unable to hear

***photos by stock.XCHNG

8 Dream Slayers—Two Sides, Same Sword

Have you ever given thought to the words or false beliefs that kill your dreams before they have a chance to grow? No surprise, I have. What’s the saying, knowing is half the battle? I’m going to unsheathe this sword coated with all kinds of reflective discouragement.

Let’s have a look at eight common dream slayers…

I Can’t Do This

Defeated, discouraged, staring at the mountain ahead with dropped jaw and drooped shoulders. One of the best ways to guarantee you’ll freeze in place, paralyzed and unable to take another step, is to tell yourself you can’t move.

I Can Do This All on My Own

Flip the I Can’t Do This sword and you have the stubborn, “Back off, I’ve got this” mule-spirited, “I’m the only one who’ll do it right” belief that at the base of the mountain reveals nothing more than…a braying ass.

We all need help.

I Don’t Have the Right Tools or Enough Knowledge

Weakness. Fear. Inadequacy. Feeling less than. These can all be altered, adjusted, melted down into more useful and motivating feelings.

I Don’t Need to Learn Anything More as I Pursue this Dream

Flip it and you get…youch. Danger zone. Every single second we’re alive offers an opportunity to absorb, to acquire life-changing knowledge—dream-charging knowledge.

It’ll Take Too Much Effort

Okay, Eeyore, I get it, life gets hard sometimes.  Walking from one room to the next can feel like you’re carrying a million monkeys on your back. Time to fling off the monkeys. One at a time. Or as my good friend Bob would say, “Baby steps.” It’s how things get done.

I’ll Lean on Others to Carry Most of the Load

Come on and take a free ride, freeloader. This side of the sword paints the image of someone dumping bricks on all those around them as they build. No one likes to have bricks toppled over their head. They remember things like that. As my good friend Samwise says, “Share the load.”

This Will Take Too Long

For all those in the publishing biz, I smile with you. It’s a long and wiiiiiiiiiiiiiinding road for sure. One of the most rewarding things I’ve done during the wait time is remembering how enamored I am with writing. I work hard to appreciate writing for what it is and what it does and who it leads me to be before any publishing rewards come. We are here in the now—might as well make the best of it.

I’ll Make it Happen in a Cinch

Ha. Laughing with me yet? Easy peasy lemon squeezy my left foot. Dreams require work, time invested—heart and ruthless determination sometimes.

Delayed gratification. Releasing control. Expecting obstacles. Trusting God. All of these are good for the soul. They change us (for the better).

Can you think of some more dream slayers?

*photo by stock.XCHNG

8 Ways to Evict Negativity Before It Evicts You

Every year we have critters die behind our walls. Likely, it’s mice that are dearly departing, but a few years ago I swear a moose had gone to the great beyond behind our bookshelf. This is morbid and this is disgusting. I understand, but it helps me make a point.

We all have putrid thoughts we allow to fester and run rampant in our brains for far too long.

Sometimes they die off on their own. And sometimes they don’t.

Time to give you eight eviction methods that have worked best for me…

Don’t Ignore the Smell

Something is rotting in there. You know it, visitors to your home know it. How does the saying go, the definition of insanity is smelling dead mice over and over again expecting the smell to go away on its own? 

Yeah, I know, not how the saying goes. But it should be.

Be realistic when your thoughts are causing stinky behavior.

Neuter the Baby Mice Makers

Mice love to breed. So do certain thoughts (especially if they know you’ll entertain them). The second a scratch of discouragement carves against your conscience, something along the lines of ‘You don’t matter’ or ‘You’re a failure and no one cares about you’—scythe it where it hurts. Show no mercy. Don’t let more in its likeness scatter freely, thinking they own the place.

Go to the Source

Oftentimes, after we’ve been upfront with ourselves about the negativity we’ve given voice to, we do something strange. We walk around tapping and sniffing in other areas of the house, suspicious and distrustful that every room, every wall has been overrun. This is a waste of time. After some honest reflection, we assess the troubled area. Now time to get down and dirty and kick out the mouse crap.

Set it Free

Acknowledge the critters for the infinitesimal power they bestow. When they lose their power, it’s easier to send them packing.

Nothing but a Mind Trap

Set traps. Yep, a bit weird. But it works. Whether it’s scripture or positive affirmations that are sure to snap shut on the scavenging scoundrels, acquire resources to resort to when the horde, mischief, or nest (all words for groups of mice) comes scampering.

Notes of encouragement you’ve saved, uplifting verses, connecting with a trustworthy friend, journal writings where you’re reminded of God’s faithfulness = great resources

Don’t Turn a Mouse into a Moose

I’m your example for this. Go back and read the second sentence of this post for proof. I imagine and worry mice into moose all the time. When I do that it makes it harder to convince myself to evict them. Too cumbersome. Too many horns. Too heavy. If I crack open the wall though, I’m sure to find a teeny weenie Stuart Little peeping up at me. Fear can debilitate us. So can robust imaginations. Don’t imagine your negative thought from a mouse to a moose.

Study Architect Plans

Mice are desperate creatures. They move in so they won’t freeze to death and because you have what they need—food. But your head, your life was intended to be mouse-free. Refresh your memory from time to time why you’re here (to glorify God and answer His call for your life). See if mice make any sense in the structure He crafted. Be ruthless if a thought is causing the structure to be compromised.

Exterminate

Hardest one because cold critters come back. They’ve lived there before, they’ll find their way again.

But it can be done. You have to call on supernatural strength for this one. I know because I have. I used to be tortured by insecurities about my weight and numbers on the scale. Through prayer and God’s unending grace these insecurities were exterminated years ago. I’ve blocked all entrances for the mice to repopulate. So long suckers!

I jest. I play. But disparaging thoughts can be brutal. I speak from experience. The methods above have worked for me. I hope they’ll work for you.

Do you have any other suggestions how to evict menacing thoughts?

*Disclaimer: No live mouse was hurt during the making of this post

**photo by stock.XCHNG

***Now might be a funny time to mention I’m reading Stuart Little with one of my daughters. ;-)

8 Ways to Organize Your Brain

In this social media age, when we’re bombarded with one distraction after another, it’s imperative to step back every so often to clean out the clutter we’ve accumulated like ravaging, time-sucking dust bunnies inside our brains.

Does your brain need an organization overhaul?

Stop Being So Polite to Distractions

Welcome, Facebook, here’s all my time. Do with it what you will.

Oh, it’s you, come on in TV show that will extinguish that spark trying desperately to ignite.

Hello, rambling neighbor, yes I’ll engage in forty meaningless minutes of non-conversation as I listen to your gossip about your mother’s uncle. Sure, why not.

Downsize the Worry Quadrant

“But what if,” you’ve been moved to the cerebral office with no windows, no computer, and minimal interaction with coworkers. Oh, and lights out all day. Saving energy.

Don’t Starve Creativity

Example of starving creativity: Glimmering inspirational idea that scurries to the corner whenever I open the door and light streams in full of hope and promise, no soup for you.

Take out the Trash

Negative self-talk, haunting lies from the past, discouraging phrases stuck between lobe one and lobe two—be gone!

Place Priority Items on the Highest Cranial Shelf

Assess what you value most and evaluate whether you’re dolling out enough time and resources to these top priorities. Make it so you can see them at all times—visual reminder.

Goal-Set a Cerebral Table

Establish attainable, focused tasks you’d like to accomplish. Write them in chalk on the canvas of your noggin’. Check in from time to time to evaluate if your centerpiece is the focal point of all you’ve set on the table.

Hang an Encouraging Sign (a mantra if you will) on the Strongest Sensory Point

We all need regular reminders of what’s important. If your reminder is imprinted on an impressionable sensory receptor—imagine the possibilities!

Trade Multi-tasked Mindjumper Mentality for Fully Focused Engaged Experiencer

One of my favorite lines from Dead Poets Society is when Robin Williams quotes Thoreau with wanting to “suck the marrow out of life.” We can do this, we can suck the marrow out of life or we can sip, sip, sip never ingesting the deep goodness that only comes from full engagement. Make your brain freeze, people!

Can you think of any other methods of brain organization at its best?

*photo by stock.XCHNG

Star Perspective

“Stars are formed inside vast clouds of hydrogen gas, such as the Eagle Nebula. A small fragment of cloud collapses under gravity.  It becomes increasingly squashed and eventually forms a spinning ball of gas termed a protostar—the first sign of a new star.” ~ One Million Things: A Visual Encyclopedia

When your future seems cloudy…

When you feel like your world is collapsing…

When your resolve is increasingly squashed…

And your emotions feel as though they’re spinning out of control…

These are all indicators you’re becoming a star.
It’s up to you how bright you will shine.

 
Perspective is everywhere if we choose to see it. What have you discovered inside a discovery lately?

*photo by stock.XCHNG

Moving Thoughts Friday

Every Friday I’m going to ask a question. The questions I choose might be ambiguous on purpose. The goal is to have you answer the question according to your beliefs, where you’re at in life or a circumstance that might have recently impacted you. The only thing I ask is that you provide an explanation for why you answered the way you did.

It’s my hope to understand you better through this and also to gain a greater understanding of humanity and how people make decisions.

I saw the following on a recent show highlighting great Olympic moments. Reached in and grabbed me. Hasn’t let go.

Ever lose something, but somehow are better for it?
*I’m going to be offline on Monday. You know, pretending I’m competing in the Olympics & such.

The 8 Most Influential Lessons Motherhood Has Taught Me So Far

Go with the Flow

The moment I begin to grow comfortable with a specific routine, something up and lunges the game plan with the strength of an Olympic discus thrower, therefore teaching me to be more amenable to going with the flow. Might just be on my gravestone someday.

Wendy Paine Miller, the mama who knew how to go with the flow.

Judge Not

At my core I believe most moms truly are doing the best they can with what they’ve been given. I keep this in mind when I’m tempted to judge, then I remember all the times I’ve made whopping awful decisions and have jacked up miserably. It does wonders for infusing me with clarity. I need not judge.

Paging Nurse Paine

I’ve spent the last few nights on call. Sleepless. Rubbing a back hunched over the toilet. Changing sheets. Doing laundry. Caring for my daughter. Caring less what I looked like at preschool drop-off the days following. Conclusion: I’d make a mighty fine nurse. Conclusion #2: I greatly respect moms with the burden of tending to terminally ill children or children dealing with chronic pain. Such respect!

Assess What Matters

I’ve tackled this some with you before. Numbers will come and go, rise and fall. Friendships will find seasons. There will be times demanding flight from us, and other times calling for fight. But no matter what, family remains. I choose to pour into my girls now when they still live in my home, while I can still greet them with a smile in the morning and bedtime kiss at night. I embrace what matters. The lives that matter.

Count My One Thousand Gifts

Voskamp is doing something amazing with her book, isn't she? She's prompting people to pay attention again—to slow down. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve recollected the wisdom in Voskamp’s book while washing dishes, folding laundry (alright, so that doesn’t happen near as much as it should), and while cutting vegetables for dinner. I’m savoring these days because they’ll pass. My children will grow. And I wish to remember them now and give abundantly now.

Sacrifice & Humility

I lost sleep the past few nights. That’s nothing. Try losing pride, losing face, losing your cool, and losing your mind. Pretty sure I manage to do all of those on a daily basis. I’m okay with apologizing to my five-year-old. I like what it teaches me. I like learning from my kids and I hope I’m passing on powerful messages to them as I take on this wild beast called motherhood. Another one for my gravestone:

Wendy Paine Miller—never too old to learn.

Value of Bonding with & Encouraging Other Moms

I adore other moms. My relationships with women in the same diaper changing, naughty step disciplining, breast milk-stained T-shirt wearing boat have been invaluable. I’ll never be able to adequately express my gratitude for what I’ve garnered from other moms on this journey. I’m deeply grateful for the wisdom and even simple encouragement some have given me during times I needed it most.

Let Go

Hardest one, but I’m working on it. Probably can’t write this one on my gravestone yet. But that’s because I’m not dead yet. Life in progress. Motherhood in progress.

What is one of the most influential lessons parenthood has taught you so far? If you’re not a parent, what was a biggie you learned from your folks?