A very personal look at creativity and creation

I was thinking about an artist friend of mine who is out there every day putting herself on the line to promote her work and the work of others. Her efforts inspire me.

Then I was thinking about my own small efforts to create. I write almost every day and love to garden when I can.

I remember my daughter telling me, when she had been married a few years, that she was in awe of the way I would come home from work every night, when she was growing up, and go right into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. She remembered the meals were varied and delicious. She wrote down many of the dishes I had prepared, things I don’t even think about any more as they were family fare and I live alone now just cooking for myself. She saw that as amazing.

Her words brought to mind the memory of creating those meals and how it kept me sane to know I would be using my creative nature to feed my family. I didn’t know in conscious words and thoughts then. I was just taking pleasure in doing something I enjoyed.

I sometimes longed for the days I had used paint and pencils to create. I never made time for that any more. What I didn’t recognize was my medium had changed, not my ability to create.

I reminded her that she creates with her décor and the projects she does with her children. She includes her children in decorating their rooms and allows changes to happen often. Her home is full of little creative touches. She also does very well in the kitchen. She just doesn’t enjoy cooking quite as much as I did.

The point is, we all create in some way and it makes us whole. I am suggesting you look at what gives you joy and creates joy in someone else today. Even if you don’t know it you are creating something. Recognize it – enjoy it – allow yourself to be all that you are – and have fun doing it.

You are an artist and a creator in some way. Look inside and embrace that part of you.

So go out there and create today. Create a wonderful meal for your family. Create a spot of color in your neighborhood by planting a flower. Tell a story – sing a song. Create a smile on someone’s face by giving them one of yours.

You are perfect, exactly as you are.

Gratitude and the Coming Holidays

I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. All of us, no matter what our circumstances, have reasons to be grateful.

With all the chaos happening in the world today there is a lot of worry and concern, especially about financial matters. We can choose to focus our thoughts and energy on the fear and the ‘news’, or we can consciously choose to think about what we have in our lives to be grateful for.

You may think that it is necessary to focus your thoughts on: ‘how to get out of this mess?’ or ‘what can I do to keep my family safe?’ when, in reality, all you truly have to do is be the love that you are and pay attention to the opportunities that present themselves. And they are presenting every day.

Most of us are so set on following the path we’ve chosen that we miss the quite lovely side roads as we go zooming past. This can be true even for some of us who have chosen a spiritual path. For some reason, the human personality tends to choose the straight path most of the time. Even when we make a major change at some point and take a new direction, we tend to feel the path is now set and, after a while, we forget to look around.

The truth is - - Life is a grand adventure! It’s all in the choices. Don’t most of us have wishes and dreams? Let us, for a moment, be as little children and believe that our dreams can come true. But how can we make our dreams come true, especially the way the world is today?

We can spend some time every day focusing our minds and hearts on being grateful for what is already there. That creates a new energy and like draws like energy. We don’t do the gratitude exercise to get more stuff, but to create the atmosphere of loving gratitude for our own joy. There is a bonus here - - by being the example of our living, loving, God selves for our families and ultimately the world, everything begins to change.

How do you suppose our children have become so intent on how much they can get for Christmas? We can blame television and their friends, but they learn their lessons first at home. When we become less focused on how to get more and more and begin to live in gratitude, our children will imitate do the same. It isn’t what we tell them as much as who we are that forms their ideas and behavior.

So if you want to make a happier, more loving atmosphere this holiday season - - choose loving gratitude, in how you think and behave - - and your family will follow.

I created you a little book as a gift for my family and friends. I liked it so much I’m sharing it with you. It’s called “My Gratitude Journal” and you can see it at www.lulu.com/pennymccoy

I’m wishing you, love and joy this Holiday Season, and all the gratitude your heart can hold. I’m grateful for you, my faithful readers. Many blessings!

Choosing Your Vibration

Choosing your vibration is as easy as choosing your favorite flavor of ice cream. What is the sensation of enjoying your favorite ice cream? Can you taste it? Can you feel it on your tongue?

By now you have probably heard of the law of attraction. Like attracts like. That’s what all this vibration is all about. Our vibration is created by our feelings, not our emotions, but what we feel. When we choose to vibrate with our true selves we are vibrating with love.

When you sit for a quiet moment and smile, it brings up pleasant feelings. Then set the intent to be the love that you are. How does that feel?

We have all experienced unconditional, non sexual, love in some way; a kitten or puppy, a baby, taking a moment to look at a beautiful view, or enjoying your favorite food. Use that as the start then just let yourself feel the vibration of love.

As you breathe in and out, breathe love, think love, feel love. Know you are love and feel the vibration. When we are intending to be the love that we are, we attract everything our hearts desire.

Is it time for a new car or are you hoping for the perfect lover? Are you looking for a satisfying new job or do you wish you could feel as good as you did 20 years ago? Set the intent to be the love that you are. Everything good is attracted to love. Spend a little time each day quietly focused on feeling that love. It may take a little practice to feel the vibration but I know you can do it. Choose it!

Intent is an amazingly powerful too and we all have it. When I intend to be happy I am. When I intend to be angry I am. When I intend to be fearful I am. All we have to do is recognize and take responsibility for our intentions. Intend to be the love that you are and all the rest will follow. Choose to enjoy who you are. Don’t wait for someone else to make it happen for you. No one can do it as well as you can.

Let's Play Pretend

I just finished reading a wonderful article about coming to terms with our fears written by my friend Dawn at http://breathfusion.1hwy.com In it she says “Intend it. Pretend it.”

It brought my attention to the word pretend. When we were children we played “let’s pretend”. We didn’t know it then but it was a very important step in growing up to be who we intended ourselves to be. Then we grew up and thought we had outgrown such a childish thing. Not really . . . If we can intend, we can pretend. It is still a useful tool. Pre tending is something we can do to begin the manifestation of our hearts desires. When we pre tend we feel it, see it, smell it, taste it, know it. To intend is to put it out in the future somewhere but when we pretend we are in it, as if it were happening now.

Anyone who has seen the movie “The Secret” or read any of the many articles and books based on those ideas, knows this process is recommended to manifest our desires. We have had the secret all along.

I am so often reminded that much of what we did as innocent children was exactly right. Many of our, so called, childish games were wonderfully useful tools. So much of the “growing up” process stripped us of our fantasies and imaginings, our sense of wonder. Remember, a great deal of our culture is based on a strict Puritan background. It was dangerous to be a dreamer.

We can let that go now. We can be the imaginative, creative, joyful beings we were created to be. All we have to do is give ourselves permission and do it.

Today I will spend a few moments allowing my imagination to run free and “play pretend” just for the pure joy of it.

Gifts

I think I had forgotten for a while, why I started to blog in the first place. I have had, and continue to have, some wonderful thoughts that I consider to be gifts from the Universe. Sometimes they work themselves around in my mind until I know I have to share them. That is what blogging is to me. It was also the inspiration for my books.

Lately I have been putting so much of my energy into trying to figure out what to do with my life. The plans I had haven’t worked out and I’m staring into, what I have seen recently as a bleak future. How could I write blogs that would uplift people and lend hope in these troubled times feeling that way? A couple of days ago I made a commitment to myself that I would do whatever it took to find my way out of my negativity.

As usual, the Universe has sent me a wonderful multi layered gift. A friend suggested I read a little book called “The Go-Giver”, by Bob Burg and John David Mann. The multi layer part is the recognition of the importance of my friends. I have wonderful, loving, beautiful, friends and I give thanks for them. All of the people in our lives add to the intricate tapestry that is our lives.

Then there is the book! I encourage you all to find a copy of this little book and read it with an open heart. It says it is a “powerful business idea” but I see it as a beautiful life lesson. I would love to tell you all about it here but I believe you may be better served by letting the story unfold for you and seeing what ever it is you are to see as a result of your own experience. I read the entire book in a couple of hours.

I found it at my local library. Libraries are one of the best kept secrets of our time. They are an opportunity to try out lots of books to find the ones we are most served by. The library is also a place to find books to help relax and to find a laugh or a cry, whatever we need for that day. When we find a special book we can then purchase it, to have it around, like an old friend, for reference and comfort.

So I did have something to share after all. This time I started with gratitude and let the words just flow. Thank you, my friends, for giving me this opportunity to share with you once again, the thoughts and ideas that flow through.

I wish you all the blessing of friendship and a strong awareness of your own value.

What Do We Really Need?

We think we need so much and we think we are somewhat dependant on others to help meet our needs. If we can turn our minds around on this for a moment we can change the energy and change everything.

If I don’t need you to help me out with my project I have no need to convince or manipulate or cajole or persuade or try to make you like me or believe in me or my project or my abilities . . . . See what is happening here?

When I realize I don’t need, I don’t have to twist myself around and do the convincing dance which can lead to my resenting you for not appreciating how important my work is. When I appreciate myself and my work I don’t need your approval. I don’t need anything.

When I realize I have no needs, I have everything; I realize that to offer you an opportunity to participate in my project has no strings. I can make the offer, share my excitement and leave you to decide . . . without expectation. I know my project is wonderful and I don’t need anyone to approve or support it. I know there will be people who will recognize the value in the project as soon as they see it. All I have to do is get it out there. As I recognize the intrinsic value in all that I do and all that you do, I trust myself and the Universe to flow with abundance for all of us

The projects that come from our hearts will flow with abundance as we present them to the world with confidence and joy. That is what the new energy is. When we realize it is all there for us and know it, really know it, we create the energy to make things happen. People will feel that energy and choose to become involved. It just feels good.

Now the trust is in me. When I know in my heart that my ideas and what I am doing with them are valuable, whether anyone agrees with me or not, then I know I have the power to create and produce and change the world. (No ego, just gratitude and love) .

When I am confident I can share my thoughts and plans with the world without the need for approval. The energy surrounding that is joyful and people respond naturally.

So share yourself with the confidence that comes with knowing you are God also. You and your ideas and your projects that come from your heart are valid and valuable. Share yourself with the world knowing we are all one body, all one mind and all one soul. What comes with confidence and joy is a beautiful gift.

Choosing to be a Peaceful Warrior

I just received one of those forward e-mails suggesting it be passed on to everyone I know if I agree with the sentiment of the writer. It was filled with so much anger and hatred I couldn’t ever read it all. My first thought was to delete it but I decided to walk away for a few moments and see if I could come up with a different way to handle all that rage.

This is my response and I’m sending it out as a blog and to all the people listed on the e-mail.

There is truth to all the incidents listed in the letter, beginning with 9/11 and going through a very long list of horrors and atrocities that have been perpetrated since then. I will not list them as it simply fuels the fires of fear, rage and hatred that are already altogether too strong in our world today. The piece even suggests the author might make a good candidate for president.

I simply want to remind everyone of some simple truths we have all observed in our lifetime. Has war ever produced a lasting peace? Has hatred ever produced love? Has rage ever produced anything worthwhile?

Do we have a right to be angry? Yes! But exactly how does that anger benefit us? The acts committed were unforgiveable, it’s true. But we must forgive if we want to change things. As long as we keep the rage alive the killing and maiming will continue.

We each have a choice, every moment of our lives. We can choose love over hatred. We can choose forgiveness over revenge. We can choose peace over war - in our hearts and minds.

Do you have the courage to be a peaceful warrior? Do you have the courage to pray for all of the men, women and children fighting in wars all over the world; that they find love in their hearts and recognize that we are truly all one people? Do you have the courage to hold love and compassion in your heart and recognize the personal hell each individual who participates in war produces for themselves?

I do not say any of this to, in any way, diminish the sacrifice and dedication of our troops overseas. They are doing a job to the best of their ability with courage and a belief that they are truly serving their country in the best possible way.

I simply want to suggest that we who are here could better support their efforts with love and compassion than with hatred. If we as individuals can make a conscious choice to send a loving message out into the world, the world will begin to change. We have the power to do that. As we send out hatred it perpetuates war. As we send out love it will bring peace and bring the troops home.

So let us make a new choice today. Water the flowers and not the weeds. Choose love over hatred. Send your loving energy out into the world. Be the love you hope to see in the world. And remember our children learn to relate to the world through us. If we have fear and hatred, so do they. If we choose love and compassion, our children will be much more likely to do the same.

I send blessing to all.

If you agree- - - or even if you just wish it could be so - - - pass it on