Tag: Inspiration

  • K Is For… Kinetic Kindness!

    Speaking of movement.  I was fortunate to be assigned to the letter K. Hmm, so, Kinetic Kindness—I googled these two words together and found oodles of optimistic blogs, websites, teacher resources and more about movement and kindness (not always at the same time). Here’s my take on Kinetic Kindness:

    What and who is Kinetic Kindness?

    Kinetic refers to non-verbal emotional communication through movement and facial expressions. Kindness is generous, friendly consideration.

    Think of kinetic kindness as a combination of non-verbal expression of movement and being of a positive giving nature (which paradoxically will often contain verbal communication). Then I suppose we are getting into the realm of Kinesthesia. Anyway, let’s have some fun with that concept.

    Think of an encounter you have had while briskly walking, running, or bicycling on the trail with the person coming toward you. What has been your experience? Someone could offer a kinetic kindness with something as simple as a nod or a bright wave “hello.” A kinetic kindness could be your delightful pet bringing you a dirty sock and dropping it at your feet while staring lovingly up into your eyes (not sure if I’m anthropomorphizing here or not; but doesn’t that feel like kindness?).

    Why Kinetic Kindness?

    Why not? Supposing that kindness as a noun can be a stationary state; how does one offer kindness without movement? Food for thought and for another essay sometime in the future (or not).

    Ways to live in Kinetic Kindness:

    I wonder if you could offer kinetic kindness by purchasing or painting a happy painting that shows something, or someone, in motion or draw a drawing (with the intention of giving it as a gift or hanging it in a place that can be kindly shared with others) that has many bright colors and “motion.” Here’s a hint: it can be a realistic or abstract painting like this one from Wassily Kandinsky:

    or it can be a flower waving in the breeze or a bird or animal in motion like this little squirrel I sketched:

    Whatever your skill level or whatever your media or subject matter, make it m> o> v> e>_>_> across the surface of the painting or drawing then share it.  Get how that combo of concepts works?

    Another way to practice kinetic, well, uhm, kinesthetic, kindness is through sound. Not everyone can see a painting or a wave. Could you call out a friendly hello? Could you invite someone to sit next to you on the train with both words and a physical gesture such as a hand movement toward the empty seat (that covers auditory and visual movement)? Could you share a kindness by playing or creating or singing a song that illustrates movement. What comes to mind for you? Do you have any tunes like this on your current playlists? Jeramiah was a Bullfrog comes to mind. What are some songs that you can share that depict movement and kindness?

    What are some of your ideas to live in kinetic kindness?

    BTW I totally made up this goofy fun concept, kind of works though, doesn’t it?

    By JaeSage
    Iowa Druid and Kinetic Kindness Practitioner
    2023

     

  • I Is For… Inspiration!

    Contributed by Alexandra Sissulak.

    Be Open for “Inspiration”

    Our days are filled with so much to take in and absorb, we are constantly bombarded with the stimulation asking, begging, or pleading for our attention and asking us to take some kind of action.  Between news and social media, marketing and advertising, our eyes and ears are getting tired from seeing and hearing the same madness all the time. Walking through life without the energy or bandwidth to consume the everything being flung in our direction.  It really is no wonder we’ve become nearly blind to the limitless inspiration all around us, surrounding us in our everyday life.  It has been so overwhelming that some of us began to isolate and estrange ourselves from everyday society; barely hanging on….

    One day, we catch a flash of something that tugs on our head-strings, makes us vibrate with excitement, or compels us to think creatively.  It comes from a song we hear, engaging with someone we love, or looking for a solution to help do the things we enjoy and the tasks we dislike better, easier, or more efficient.

    We are drawn to it like a moth to a flame. All it takes is a spark, a flicker that ignites, the only light bright enough to pierce through the thick cloud layer of fog, dust, and other shattered debris; flowing energy radiating outwards, sweeping indiscriminately, gathering momentum.

    Inspiration can be found lurking and hiding within our environment or around the people with whom we interact, like an elusive hidden gem. However, it must be given before it can be received and vice versa; very similar, remarkable, and divine as love. Further, it needs a place to go to be received, and vice versa…

    Here’s the rub if one isn’t open to receive inspiration it can’t get in. It has nowhere to go, because the entrance has been shut tight, boarded up, and barricaded to drown out the constant chaos of modern life. Inspiration can knock, or ring the doorbell all it wants but if the door isn’t open, nothing is getting through.

    “The most impenetrable barriers between ourselves and our
    own happiness are those that are self-    imposed.” – Me

    So how do we overcome this, get back into the flow of giving and receiving inspiration?  Blasting away those barriers can be as simple as changing your perspective as well as reminding yourself who you are, what you’re here to do, and most importantly why you do it.

    First, we look within. We analyze our values. Maybe we have a list lying around that has a was handwritten in chalk somewhere on the driveway last summer or crumpled and lying on the bottom of our desk drawer… ya know what? Never mind, the outcome is far better when you start all over again anyway!  If you’re looking for help figuring out what your values are, you’ve entered the wrong line; there are plenty of other posts out there in the digi-verse you might be lost for days though…so

    Great, now that we’re back and we’ve been sufficiently reacquainted with everything gives us enough reason to live we’d die for it, let’s continue.

    Second, start by creating, doing, or making something, anything, that makes only you, and ONLY happy. Whatever it is, intend to impress no one. Your happiness is always defined by you.

    What happens next is amazing!!!  The door for inspiration to come pouring back in is blown wide open and balance is restored.  Life starts to flow again, fueling yourself and others with infinite inspiration.

    When the door opens, what kind of inspiration will find you… and vice versa?

  • Q is for Writing Quotes

    One of my most recent addictions is Pinterests. I love browsing quotes and there are so many! Inspirational and motivational quotes for the days when I feel I need a boost to get into the writing zone. Funny quotes for the times when I need that laugh to keep me going through the next writing hurdle. And the advice infographics that help me when I feel a little stuck. There’s everything there, and I complied tons of boards. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to share only the memes I created.

    For every time someone tries to tell you to be a realist:

    Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars. ~Les Brown
    Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars. ~Les Brown

    For the times people ask you ‘why do you want to b a writer?’:

    I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say. ~Flannery O'Connor
    I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say. ~Flannery O’Connor

    For the times when we need an affirmative boost of reassurance:

    If we had to say what writing is, we would define it essentially as an act of courage. ~Cynthia Ozick
    If we had to say what writing is, we would define it essentially as an act of courage. ~Cynthia Ozick

    My favorite writing quotes for when I’m feeling as if I’m not going to make it to The End:

    A writer is a writer, not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, or because everything she does is golden. A writer is a writer because, even when there is no hope, even when nothing shows any sign of promise, you keep on writing anyway. ~Junot Diaz
    A Writer is a Writer

     

    And if you’re looking for some more quotes, I have some on my website, on my Pinterest account, and if you feel like taking it to the next step I recommend Sarah Andersen’s funny webcomics.

    What about you? Do you have favorite writing quotes?

  • D is for Day Dreaming

    D is for Day Dreaming

    My favorite pastime in the world is day dreaming. I love it! No matter where I am, with whom, and despite what I’m supposed to be doing, I’m always day dreaming. It’s like magic…best during dedicated slots of time when I can day dream without any interruptions. 🙂

    For an ADD girl, day dreaming is part of my nature, but it doesn’t mean that I always have it easy. I need to let go in order to tune into the world of inspiration and listen. Walks help me on days when I feel as removed from inspiration as my dog, Dobbi (named after the cute house elf from Harry Potter) from having the common sense not to snack from the cat’s litter box.

    A head full of fears has no space for dreamsThe other day I returned home after work with so many things crowding my brain, my temples throbbed. So instead of answering the call of comfort food and TV, I took Julia Cameron’s advice and stormed out with Dobbi by my side.

    It’s hard, at first, to let go and clear my head of all the messy clutter. But with every step I take, I feel lighter, as if I left some of the burdens down on the floor…and on some I even stomped. Then, at some point, without noticing, I forget all of the tasks and burdens and start being in the moment. I notice the things around me, and as I look, I’m rewarded with day dreams and inspiration.

    Suddenly, birds chirping, cars honking, construction workers drilling…aren’t an annoying noise anymore. I hear music. The wind rustles tree branches, and I see them dancing along with the tune. I see the world with layers of imagination. Trees have faces, splatters of mold on the wall have fantasy creature’s shapes. Dust twinkles under a ray of sun and transforms into a fairy. And all of this, everything around me, the silliest things, really—it all turns into inspiration for my stories.

    I often wonder what other people see and hear. Do you see regular trees with regular branches? Do you hear construction drills? Cars driving by? What do you see when you look at a tree leaf? Maybe it’s in the shape of a heart? Is it big enough to hold a fairy? Do you even take the time to look at the things around you? If not, please try, because maybe you’ll discover new worlds, new mysteries to explore…right here next to you in the puddle of mud that would have ruined your new shoes if you hadn’t noticed it. As you move toward a dream, the dream moves toward you

    There’s a kind of magic in taking a first look at the things around you, and a gift in making the time to take a second look. It’s in the second look that I usually get lost in a day dream. Don’t get distracted by where you need to be or where you’d rather go. That’s too easy. Let what’s around you, or what’s stuck in your path, lead you through a different twist in the road. The world around us is the biggest art gallery ever made, just waiting to be explored. There’s no need to chase inspiration. It’s right here next to you, waiting to be noticed.

    Have fun day dreaming.

    And if you need help getting into a walking routine, check out Julia Cameron’s Finding Water. All of my walking poetics are inspired by her awesome book!

  • Writer Wednesday – The Sagging Middle

    Sunrise Over Evanston or, What’s the “O” For?  Oh, my God, it’s early! (Thank you Robin Williams!)
    Image Copyright 2015 A. Catherine Noon; All Rights Reserved

    So, those of you who are paying attention will notice that it’s actually Thursday.  Yup.  This may give you some indication of my state of the state, compounded to the fact that someone seems to have ripped May out of my calendar completely and it feels like it still should be early April.  Maybe March.

    This actually gave me my idea for today’s post:  the “dreaded middle,” or the “sagging middle,” take your pick.  Where I am in my life, the “sagging” is more apt on many levels, some of which I’m not prepared to discuss.  ~grin~ So.  Middles.

    Writers talk of the middles as being the hardest part of writing a novel.  Sure, crafting an opening that snares the reader, and finishing off with a bang, are all to be desired.  But once we have them, there’s still the problem of the journey.  Do we add layers?  Do we have too many characters?  Too few?  What about that plot twist that you weren’t a hundred percent sure of – now that you’re at the other side of the mountain, does it provide shade, or block the light?

    One of my buddies on Romance Divas, author Amity Lassiter, shared some motivation with the board that I think applies to how I’m feeling today.  I’ll share it with you, but first, a warning:  it’s loud, and rather startling, but very worth it – especially if you, like me, get stuck in the middle.

    We can do this.

  • Shaking Things Up – Darla’s Writer Wednesday

    Tired of feeling like a lump, I recently discovered the joys of working out. I’m learning as a novice that increased fitness relies on alternating exercises. No surprise there.  No doubt circuit training has its place, too – set routines using the same equipment for X number of workouts. Switching seems to suit me well right now, though, especially as it keeps things more interesting.
    Of course, “interesting” sometimes translates to wandering around until I find the correct machine. All devices are numbered, but some sadistic soul made sure their placement follows no pattern.
    Anyway, the same principal applies to my writing.  (um… not the numbers, and usually not the sadism… ahem…)
    Point being, I find my productivity remaining satisfactory with variation as the key. Whether editing or writing anew, I sit down to a document every day now. And breaking from a frustrating dry spell feels fantastic.
    Flexing my muscles, on the page and in the fitness center, is something I intend to continue. I hope you’ll join me in creative reshaping. Whatever my future brings physically, though, I promise right now that I will never, ever refer to my upper arms as “guns”.
    What gets your creative juices flowing?
    –

  • Writing Tools and Tricks for Getting on the Page



    Wisdom abounds about writing goals – so many words written a day, keeping certain routines, having accountability.  Many kindly authors will share their valuable tips when asked.  Yet each individual is different.  To this day none of these ideas have worked for me.
    Once the glorious bustle of November’s National Novel Writing Month ends, so does my grand output.  Good habits fall by the wayside and my output trickles to little or none.  I don’t necessarily even wallow in editing.  Some of my novel manuscripts have remained untouched since the day I met that year’s NaNoWriMo goal.
    This time I wanted to continue the joy of storytelling beyond November.  So far, I have.  As you can guess it hasn’t happened through goal setting, at which I’ve never been particularly good.  Nor have I set a particular routine.
    The madness in my method seems to tie more into what many experts suggest to help break a habit.  I’ve shaken things up this time.  Routines are being broken.  Times, locations, even methods have been altered according to whim.
    No longer do I feel the need to get my writing done early in the day.  The day is far from over by afternoon or evening.  Why not save the best for last?  Yet if I wake with inspiration from a dream, I may certainly get the words down before they’re lost.  The words may be recorded in a notebook, Microsoft Word, or the Scrivener software I recently purchased.
    I also have been writing out some character and setting sheets in Scrivener, adding more topics as I go.  I usually just carried details around in my head.  Besides cementing a few characteristics, I’ve found myself learning new things about my fictional peoples/places.  And it’s been a pleasure getting to know them, whether those details make it into the story or not!
    As for one huge change, I went to some write-ins during NaNoWriMo and blessedly got invited by some nice folks to year round gatherings.  I’ll be going to one tonight, in fact.  I just have to decide which project I’ll open.  Edit the latest novel or write something new?
    On that note I’ve also rekindled my love of short stories.  Somehow, they seemed inferior to novels.  How could I consider myself a writer if I wrote tales under a few thousand words?
    I seemed to have forgotten some famously beloved short story collections.  And as several wise folks have told me: the fact I’m writing makes me, by definition, a writer.  I hope you’ll join me and dive into whatever speaks to your heart.

    Happy Writing!

    –

  • Darla’s Writer Wednesday – Dabbling with Drabbles


    Many years ago I discovered a website through which people shared their stories.  I met some really great people and read some remarkable fiction.  Another unexpected discovery turned out to be learning a miniature story format termed the drabble.
    Each drabble should be a mere one hundred words and sketch a complete scene.  Some readers and writers despise them.  I became addicted, which is not necessarily a good thing.  But positive results have stayed with me to this day.  For one thing, pithy storytelling can be some of the best.
    (Flowery language certainly has it’s place, though; don’t get me wrong.)
    In addition, I have learned to tackle the challenge of National Novel Writing Month a hundred words at a time.  The concept is no different than taking baby steps, of course.  Still, it works for me.
    On that note, I better get back to my NaNoWriMo story.  There are about five hundred more words to go before I reach today’s goal.
    Oh, and if you decide to adopt my ploy, try not to be obsessive about counting.  ~grin~  Stopping to constantly hit alt→ t → w in Microsoft Word contributes unproductive key strokes and takes time away from the actual composition.
    Happy writing!
    –

  • Darla’s NaNoWriMo Update


    Now that National Novel Writing Month has begun, I’m really finding my stride.
    No, I’m not a horse.  ~rolls eyes~  But I am writing.  My word count is in a range I haven’t produced since last November.  Quite frankly, NaNo inspires me.
    And inspiration is what I’d like to spread today.  I read a terrific pep talk on the NaNoWriMo website.  Author Chuck Wendig shared ideas very much like Julia Cameron with her creative workshops.  He essentially encourages writers to let loose their creative inner child.  Here is his amusing and perceptive insight garnered from observing his own toddler:
    “…He’ll grab a Transformers toy and half-transform it into some lumbering robot-car monstrosity—and when an adult might say, “No, no, it’s like this or it’s like that; it’s a robot or it’s a car,” he’s like, “Uh, yeah, no. Go back to your tax forms and your HGTV, stupid adult, I’ve just created a Frankencarbot and you can go hide your head in the sand-swept banality of grown-up life, sucker.”
    I’m all for creating a Frankencarbot.  What about you?  Has the NaNo bug bitten this fall?

    –

  • Pictures and Pottery


    Today, I had some ridiculous fun.  Hopefully, as “Artist’s Way” author Julian Cameron suggests, the activity will refill my artistic well.
    My adventure started with a visit to my favorite art framer.  All-around gifted, this photographer is working with me to recreate some damaged wedding photos.  I usually bring him something more eclectic, but I feel certain he and his wife will help me create something unique from my cheaply framed ruins.
    After leaving his studio, I visited a pottery store.  There I picked a paint-able piece with a reasonable, all-inclusive price.  Alone on a rainy afternoon, just as I like it, I had my pick of paints and tools.
    What a blast!  A week from now, I anticipate picking up my zombie candy dish.  Flaws and all, the fired and glazed piece should be a cute addition to my extensive Halloween collection.
    Anything fun taking your interest these days?  I’d enjoy reading what you’re up to.
    –