Motivation, My Brand

This rock fascinates me; well, most big rocks make me wonder. I like small stones too, but I use to watch large rocks moving around because of workers on tractors and in dump trucks. There were also the boulders we set dynamite in, after drilling, and a lever push made them blow. Georgia is full of rock and red clay. LOL.

Anyway, I took this yesterday with the Sony camera, and I thought which I always do. I wanted to draw, but I think you know creating art intimidates me. I am a perfectionist, and there is desire, but there is fear. The fear I am not good enough at it. This morning I got a sketchbook, drawing pencils, and colored pencils out. I created something. It really has little relationship to the photo, I did not look at the picture except a glance at the file last night. The photo was what drew me to try.

Creativity is not an easy thing, though it is inherent. We all have abilities, we can all do creative things. Maybe you cook, dance, play music or sing, organize items, create presentations, graphs, pie charts, lesson plans, a wardrobe, furnish a house, anything. Liberal arts are not the only home of creativity, life is creative. The thing is to create positive outcomes for yourself and others.

Perfection is a lie, read that again. Perfection can clog the creative flow, it is as close as we get to block. When we want perfect results, we can stop ourselves from doing what we can do. If we do not do, we can never become better. We lockdown and fail to grow or produce.

Maybe we want a tremendous experience, and we devalue ourselves, our lives. Life, creativity, love, accomplishment is in the little mundane things. It is great to do something outstanding, but we have a lot of ordinary moments, and we can choose to recognize that those are precious too. We may find joy, gratitude, in relationships, in the wonderful taste of what is eaten even if it is often eaten, in the fact we can reach others around the world, the songs played, the soft touch of the fabric on the body, writing with an ink pen, the smell of pencils, a warm shower, a safe environment, our pets, the families God gave us, any gift.

Ah, I guess you should see the creation before you go.

I hope you find the courage to recognize the beauty of your life.

2020-01-12_Moonrise with Rock and Trees

Suggestions, Perhaps?

Respectful Restriction

Gates open and close,
Allow entrance and exit,
But they also lock.
Sometimes there is no going
Through barriers facing us.

Neighborly fences
Can save us torturous pain,
Where parties respect
Limits that secure freedom
And borders are not breached.

The gates of morning
Let in the nourishing sun
Lighting life each day,
Night swift falls, portcullis like,
Calling us to wangle sleep.

We live between gates
Though we believe we are free,
The beginning, birth,
The conclusion, death, and yet:
Eternal resurrection.

In this beautiful
Time we spend between the gates
We should live – alive,
We should be real, with the gates
Of experience thrown wide.

We are who we are
And we can create our lives,
Miracles abide,
Even in the dark, some gates
Guide us to places we belong.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Sometimes people wonder about inspiration. I took the photo this afternoon. I picked it randomly from a selection of several. Afterward, I determined to write a “GATE” poem. You just roll how you roll.

2020/365 – The Reasons Why

Why do I do Creativity Projects? This is not my first one and probably will not be my last. Why do I crazily decide to commit a year to come out in public with some work every day? Most know I regularly work, create most days without posting. Like now, I soon enough decide I should give up because there is a lack of engagement.

The thing is, I believe in LOVE, and believe in creativity as LOVE’s most actionable visible expression. If I do this – if I make myself produce something original each day of the year, maybe one person stumbles across what I am doing and is emboldened to create. If I inspire one to do something gorgeous and lasting out of LOVE, overcoming fear, that he or she would have left undone, it is worth my 365 efforts. The expression of ideas fuels changes in our lives – if we want a better world, we best be busy creating a platform from which it can be built and launched. The basis of a brighter day is LOVE.

I am not here only to make my things, to promote myself, I am here to move, encourage others to have fortitude enough to share their truth, their reality, in freedom and boldness. Together, perhaps, we may all move this populated globe toward an understanding of why we exist. Loving, supporting, helping, encouraging, accepting, inspiring, teaching, nurturing, building, nourishing, protecting, listening, cherishing, being friends, and companions together with every one of us – this is our individual and joint reason and purpose as human beings. We belong, all of us, we are precious.

We have what it takes to LOVE, and we should be busy about making it our business.

I hope that clarifies my mission and why it is important to me. It is no easy thing. The quit dogs me often, but I have never been one to give up.

Join me, do this thing yourself or just come back here when you feel the notion. I hope 2020 has taken off as a blessed year in your life. All the best in all you do.

This time do not let
It flow past you and away,
Capture it with LOVE!

I never know what will be until it comes, and I am grateful that this came in my journal. I like what it has to say. Have a great weekend. Fill it with moments to treasure and make what you dream happen.

Prose Poetry

Sitting in bed after midnight in those black hours where the lamp goldens the air, sometimes I find inspiration there. I turn to a pen and a journal because my mind I want to bare. A hand moving across paper laying down ink seems more connected to me than an electronic device manipulating ions.

However, when I bring it here, you freely see those mistakes I make. It is a bit scary, but I have never wanted much other than to be real. It is as I have almost always been before.

A discussion today involved imperfection being an element of our ideas of value in arts. Another was how freedom undiluted by opinion, especially in arts, allows us to be true to our ideals. So, I hope you like what I do, but I have to let my attachment to your opinion go. I know that is not popular, but it is how I must roll.

I used the scanner today, the clarity seems much better than my phone. I am actually better with the more fundamental forms of technology.

If you only use devices now, as a prompt, try writing by hand. You do not have to share the handwriting, but see if your mental connection is different. You may find your production increases in freshness. Not being able to back up, erase, and edit can hold you to a standard that may be unfamiliar.

I edit better on-screen, but sometimes words line up in more musical ways when I write by hand.

I practiced handwriting extensively throughout my life. My writing hand, the right, is giving me some problems, I have arthritis, but I am keeping it active. Working very hard to retain my legibility so I can keep doing things like the above is essential.

I believe as we age, staying creatively active is a gift to help remain mentally agile. The small motor motions also help brains maintain robust neuronal, axonal, and dendrite activity.

I am thankful for the many blessings given to me. I am amazed at the gifts of which I partake in existing. I hope everyone can find beauty in their lives.

Be well, be you, chase your joy, create!

Negative Emotion = Positive (Re)Action

Day Three – 2020 Creativity Project

Let’s unpack this, I am (tentatively) committing to do this every day for the year. I have done it before, but it has been a while, and it was on Chronicles.

Generally, our negative emotions are powerful, cause discomfort for us, and those who are within reach, but we can rechannel them as creative energy to fuel the work we wish to do.

Some things which may be done are taking anger and engaging in positive dialog with ourselves about what irritates us and reframing it as motivation. Instead of giving in to the destructive impulse to tear ourselves down, we can invest in building our self-esteem with affirmations and creations that validate our being.

Irritation does not have to continue into a foul mood; writing, drawing, cooking, making or listening to music, or other enjoyments, can redeem the time in such a way that it becomes constructive.

The power of NO can also be a tremendous positive force. When our lives are overextended, or we are dealing with issues beyond normal limits, it is okay to say, “NO.” It is okay to schedule some time for recreation, creation, and recharge. Even when we are swamped we can find a few moments to reset.

We must be best-friends with ourselves, whatever that requires. Self-care is not optional; if it is left undone, the significant adverse health effects it produces can shorten or make miserable our lives.

Gratitude is an optimal tool for elevating mood. Once we begin to see all the wonders in our lives, our discontent and unhappiness begin to lessen.

As this year kicks off, let us all demand it be one of the best ever. Our smiles, joy, confidence, kindness can impact the world around us in myriad ways. Let’s be who we wish everyone could be.

04-07-614-Cluster Of Boxes