Who's Tune are You Dancing To?

Who or what are we allowing to have influence over our lives - its a question for reflection.  Have there been times that you doubt the journey or direction that you are going?

If we Imagine life as a giant, noisy orchestra, with everyone playing their own tune, shouting their expectations at you. In a quiet moment we take a breath and ask ourselves 'Who am I even trying to please and What song do I want to dance to?" It is a gentle reminder to reflect on the source of influence in our lives. Are we marching to the beat of our own drum, or are we swaying to the rhythm of others' expectations?

As artists and creators, it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of external pressures—the need for validation, the pursuit of perfection, the desire to fit into a particular molds. But in the midst of this chaos, it's crucial to take a step back and reconnect with our inner tuning our melody. What is it that keeps you awake, what are you longing to create?

Take a moment to listen closely to the still small voice. What are the passions, dreams, and values that drive you? What sparks joy and ignites your soul? It is here, within the depths of your being, that you will find the ideas that will really move you.

Express yourself through your art, and allow it to speak and express where words can sometimes fail? Join us in our online creative community, we offer a myriad of opportunities to explore and unleash your artistic voice. Some FREE courses to get your feet wet and more exciting courses to come.

Take a look in the Art Resource Hub and you will find monthly digital downloads, prompts and quotes to encourage and motivate you, learn more HERE

So, my dear creatives, I ask you again: Whose tune are you dancing to? Listen closely, for the answer lies within. And when you find it, dance with joy and conviction, knowing that you are living your truth, one step at a time.

Gratitudes and Celebration - Week 66 - Listen

Well we made it again, we have got to Friday and this is something that we need to be grateful for.   As a carer to my mum I spend a lot of time driving back and forth in looking after her and my own family, and this gives me a bit of time for reflection, to mull over things and even unravel those complicated things that rear their head from time to time to seriously try you!

I have learnt that I need to take time to listen and not just jump in without taking time to consider, contemplate then make an informed decision.  I have found that we can get so caught up in the circumstance that we end up running from one point to the other without feeling if you have actually achieved what you set out to do.

When we listen with the two ears that we have we can see things from many sides and come to a range of conclusions but only one might be the right one for us.  I challenge you to take a moment right now as you read this post to listen to your surroundings, and if you get the chance take a moment and do something else down this list, there is so much that we miss when we rush around.....

Listen - take some time today to listen to your surroundings.  

Listen to your heart beat, 

Listen to your walking the sound of your feet as your shoes hit the ground, is it a squelching sound or a clip, clop of your heals on the sidewalk. 

Listen to the rustle of the wrapping to that thing you are opening is it paper or plastic,

Listen to the sound of the birds, flying over head or on route to warmer climbs

Listen to the wind, as it breezes past your ears, gently moving past your cheeks

Listen to the back ground noise, can you hear people talking or is it a tv in the distance

Listen to the tones, are they raised, or gentle caressing voices

Listen to the sound your car makes when you start it up

Listen to the tap taping as you write on your lap top

Listen to the heating coming on, the noise that the radiators make as they warm up

Listen to the sounds that your home makes, the familiar sounds, the footsteps of someone moving around

Listen to what your heart is saying about your current situation,

Listen to what your head is saying about your current situation

Listen to your creative spirit full of joy that can very often get lost in all the noise when we forget to listen

Listen to your voice

I am grateful and I celebrate the life that I want to live to the full, to the ability to notice so many things around us that we can often take for granted.   Those magical things that appear in the still, small voice, that breaths grace into our daily lives.

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Listen

What can you hear when you listen?  Stop for a moment and take in your surroundings

I look forward to the journey and hope you come along and join me. Why not start your own journal, keep it as simple or complex as you wish, but do something!

Gratitude and Celebration Journal

Taking time out

I've taken time out, so it seems, well, its pretty evident.  Not sure what happened, felt stuck, as if I were in a fog and could only see a hands width in front of me.  I didn't know when it started, but it felt like the moment that I had resolved to make changes that there would be some resistance.

I think I had taken to much on my plate, as well as posting I am taking part in the courses - Soul Food and Life book, as well as dealing with the day to day.  I think the challenge would have been fine if I didn't try and do a vlog and edit and post. Keeping it real via the video is what I wanted but it seem to take forever and a day to load a 15 minute ramble, and then the fog came, and I stopped.

On top of all this as a family we have mourned the loss of my brother - Robert, there is no preparation to how you will feel, or how to deal with it all, .  The year has gone quickly, it's weird, and then again feels like forever, the loss still raw in our hearts and minds.  We remember his joy, his sense of humor, his love, warmth, his strength.

I paint, I draw, I create, as a way through.  I remember my conversations with Robert and the things I said I would explore, so many things that I don't want to let anymore time pass before I get to do them, and so I change.  Change is good.  I am still going to make the healthy changes that I said I would, I just won't worry about giving you a blow by blow video update, because essentially I want to pour all of that time into creating. I want to paint, I need to paint, it has become as essential to my heart as breathing is to my lungs, and a way to allow the heart to heal from the loss of the past few years.  Perhaps this is another lesson learnt from the challenge.

I will share with you some of the pieces as I finish them, and I am quite excited by the some of them. This painting is called Together...it is about our relationships

Together - Mixed media

Together - Though time and dimensions may separate, you will always be in my heart. Came from the same source to lead different lives, you were a strength and a support from the start.

We have to invest in our relationships and make the most of every opportunity, and knowing our purpose live as if it were our last day on the earth. 

Blessings always!

We have raised £1530 for Myeloma UK, if you want to donate you can do so HERE

Gratitude's and Celebration - Week 44 - Listen to the stillness

Gratitude's and Celebrations - the beginning.....

Allow the blank spaces and the silence time to settle....

Sometimes you need to be quite, to stop and listen.  Listen to the silence uncomfortable at times but necessary, listen to your heartbeat, your breath, the ticking of the clock.  Listen to your mind as it tries to make sense of the world, as the wind soars past your window frame and makes a sound as it seeps into the panes of glass, to the tweeting of the birds in your garden.  

Gratitudes and Celebrations - Listen as the page begins to take shape

Listen to your thoughts, as you go about your day, what are you saying to yourself, what words of encouragement or discouragement do you utter in a moment of testing?  Listen to your cries of your heart, what is it you really want? often what is not said speaks volumes.

Listen - sometimes it takes time to make sense....

Listen to your voice, do you support yourself in your endeavors?  Are you spending time in your creativity, do you listen to the little girl inside you shouting to be heard, or do you brush her aside and miss your calling?

Listen - don't be afraid to stand out....

Listen to your heart as you give space to those friendships, the bonds of love, nurtured, supportive, and forgiving, those that are near and sometimes far.  Listen to the word....

I am grateful today for the opportunity to listen, to listen to my heart and celebrate the stillness that will bring peace.
What do you need to listen to this week?

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Listening - Thought for the Week - 52 Weeks of Colour

Thought for the Week

 

Your blessings are waiting for you, it is never to late to turn things around, you just have to decide what you are going to do and make the step. 

Above all, you need to listen to your heart and take time to nurture the dreams that live within you.  What have you been 'hearing' that you now need to 'listen' to? 

Listen to the Podcast

Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby. ...Unknown 

"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  Psalm 37:5

Additional Things to do...

Spend time meditating on the words and allowing them to permeate your inner consciousness.

Think about the changes you would like in your own life and the step or steps you would like to take. Take out your art journal and be creative, use colour, texture, whatever you feel inspired to use.

I love to hearing from listeners and you can connect with me on a number of platforms

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Taking time to Listen

Met an elderly man in the hardware store recently, he was about 85 years old. We were both looking for something they didn’t have, as we both stared at the shelves in worlds of our own he apologised for being in my way. I laughed and said it was alright and that started us chatting. His wife had died 6 years earlier and he shared how much he missed her, how he like ‘most men’ and these were his own words, didn’t appreciate what he had when she was around. He signed, as he stated that she spoiled him and would do everything for him ‘oh how I miss her he said’.....the old saying ‘you never know what you got till it’s gone came spilling out my mouth and he laughed, ‘yes your right’ he said.

He asked me what I had been looking for I told him I was picking up a few bits for my mother who I look after. We talked for around half an hour dodging the other customers that walked past us, time was irrelevant we were in the moment. I learnt of his past, fighting for justice, a rebel with a cause in South Africa, fleeing to London, and talked about his childhood sweetheart he was forbidden to see and every now and then since his wife had died he wonders how she is and whether he should get in touch with her.

He then turned to me and told me I was a treasure, and how lucky my husband must be....would you like to get a cup of coffee in the cafe next door? I rain-checked and promised the next time that I saw him we would sit and chat.

How much time do we give to others to listen to what they have to say?  He hadn’t spoke to anyone for a whole week, people just didn’t have the time and I was for him a breath of fresh air, just as he was for me – I was on automatic as I got on with the chores of the day until I met him!  Being called a treasure reminded me of the light we all carry around with us that we can choose to let shine or turn it off as we get burdened with the pressures of life.

Making the most of every opportunity and relationships that come our way we need to seize life with both hands and live it to the full. When I get to 80 or 90 years old I want to be able to look back with fondness at all those memories, and those times that I stopped what I was doing and listened.