Running on Empty

We've all heard the term, and there are quite a few others that have similar meanings, 'burning the candle at both ends, writers/artist block, and many more.  These states of being can be a result of not making the right decisions to ensure we are looking after our health be it food and exercise but also spending quality time with friends and family - making time to renew our creative spark.  Some of us take heed or more often than not we ignore it, waiting instead for the consequences that will either lead to blocks, burn out or illness and exhaustion. 

For those that own a car, each year we take it for its Service and MOT to make sure its road worthy, it won't pass unless everything is in good condition and we regularly put petrol in our car and top up oil and water.  If we are going to do that for a piece of metal that gets us from A-Z why not our own bodies.  Have you been running on empty for a while?

We often committe ourselves and time to doing projects that if we had thought clearly about we would never have agreed.  Perhaps its time to take stock. Take a look at the wheel above draw a line where you think you are at that point, it covers all aspects of life, finance, family, health etc.  You get a chart looking something like the small one below. It will help you recognise those areas in your life that need some extra attention and tlc, the next step is doing something about it....

Quotes

There are so many really great quotes I come across that are inspiring and motivating.  Here are a few for you to ponder over.  When you get a chance comment and share favourite quotes that you come across.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

Mark Twain

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul.

Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

Ralph Vaull Starr

Come to the edge. We can’t, we’re afraid.

Come to the edge. We can’t. We’ll fall!

Come to the edge. And they came.

And he pushed them. And they flew

Guillaume Apollinaire

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark,

in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet,

the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish,

in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach.

Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won.

It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours

Ayn Rand

I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you, the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

Posting for A-Z April Challenge

I hope you have been able to visit many of the blogs taking part in the A-Z Blogging challenge.  I am very proud of myself for getting this far.  For many of the blogs that you might visit most people are probably on their V words.  Today is serving as my P word.

I took the challenge primarilly to develop my writing in as many ways as possible, I also wanted to see what others creatives were doing and have met many inspiring people along the way.  I had given myself the additional challenge of not only writing on this blog but also to post on my other blog Amanda Trought Art.  This mean that instead of 26 I would have 52 posts to do over April.  I didn't get to preschedule any posts and so what then happened was life....there were days that I couldn't post because of the particular circumstance that day, or after a full day working blogging was the furthest thing from my mind.

To make sure that I complete the challenge what I have then had to do is play catchup and have been trying to post twice a day and where possible see if I can do some in advance.  After this post I only have 10 more on this blog to do and I have been patting myself on the back every step of the way because this has been one of my 'stepping out of my comfort zone' experiences.  Now I have got this far, lets see what else will appear on the list of challenges!  I do hope my post have been encouraging and inspiring, would love to see your comments.

Opportunity

I am always telling my son opportunity plus preparation equals results. We have been fortunate to have been able to visit Florida many times.  On this occasion we went to Seaworld and I had the opportunity to take this picture of the underside of an arm of an octopus.  I love the shapes of its suckers and how they look like O's .....