Showing posts with label viktor frankl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label viktor frankl. Show all posts

Monday, May 20, 2013

change, choice and peace of mind...

No, this isn't about a marriage proposal.
it's about saying YES to life itself.
Saying yes to making art part time
instead of full time.

Saying yes to a 15 minute art session
instead of a 2 hour one.

Saying yes to knowing that art will always be with me,
regardless of what i do from 9 to 5. :-)


As many of you already know, a few months ago,
i made the decision to look for work outside the home.

The whole business of making a living with art
became very disheartening to me.
I seemed to be struggling all the time
to make ends meet.

When the struggle overshadows the joy -
it's time for a change.


When i lost my job unexpectedly almost 10 years ago now
and made the decision to become an entrepreneur,
i had no idea what it meant,
or where it would lead
or how i would do.

But i knew one thing.

i would give it a damn good shot
and when it no longer worked for me,
i would steer in a different direction.
Here we are, 10 years later,
and i am steering towards a new path.

I have made countless creative connections,
i've worked with tons of wonderful (and not so wonderful) clients ;-)
and i have learned more about myself
that i ever thought possible.

Oh, and i've become more brave. :-)


Too often, we say no to change.

We don't trust ourselves enough
to be able to handle whatever comes our way.
We want to keep things the same,
predictable,
safe,
protected from the possibility of maybe failing...
of maybe losing control...
of maybe making a mistake...
of maybe being judged by others.

I've failed at many things.
i'm quite ok with this. 
i think as a society,
we need to worry less about what others think
and listen to our own hearts for a change.
Be kinder to ourselves.
Viktor Frankl -
a man i admire, for so many reasons...


Everything can be taken from a man but one thing:
the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude
in any given set of circumstances,
to choose one's own way.
- Viktor Frankl


Wednesday, December 12, 2012

put a little love in your heart...

Yup. It's a big black square.


I used a piece of cardboard from a pizza box
and covered it with black acrylic paint.


Chose a few colours, and started with this...


added a few pencil marks...


covered a few things here and there with white...


flipped it around,
circles, bubbles, dots... ;-)


i was using an older brush when i made these little red marks.
i did them really quickly and once they were done,
i noticed some of them looked like little hearts.

That made me smile. :-)


i actually kinda like it. 
i love the look of layers, one on top of the other.


And this, an inspiring little tip, from Viktor Frankl.

His book, Man's Search for Meaning
is still one of my favourites
even if it's sometimes hard to read.

I have such admiration for people like him,
who not only survive such ordeals,
but who are able to love again
rather than hate,
and spend the rest of their lives
inspiring others to do the same.

Have a happy mid-week everyone.
Thanks for being here...
xox

Friday, May 25, 2012

flower child...

Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
“I will try again tomorrow”.
- Mary Anne Radmacher


Courage comes in all shapes and sizes,
doesn't it?

For some, getting out of bed in the morning
feels like an act of courage.

For others who face debilitating obstacles
 on a daily basis,
and who do so with a peaceful heart,
a strong determination
and without resentment -
courage is simply a way of being
in the world.

Their way of being.

Surely, they have dark days or moments,
but they choose to move ahead
and face the day as if it were their last.

I believe certain circumstances
give birth to courage.

My own mother has become
far more courageous 
through her journey with cancer.

We all know people who have faced
unsurmountable situations
and have surmounted them
with tremendous courage.

One of my favorite books is Viktor Frankl's
Man's search for meaning.

If you want to learn about courage,
read this book.


Sometimes, courage means
wearing flowers in your hair
when what you really want to do
is throw in the towel.

It's not about being in denial,
it's about choosing to create
 your own circumstances
whenever and however
you can.


I had fun doing this one last night...

Acrylic, collage, and oil pastels on paper.


I believe being an artist
takes courage.

Yes, I do. 

Sharing art takes courage.
Like being naked in front of a crowd.

Well, ok, some of us may be 
totally ok with this... ;-)

Go out and practice courage today.

Apply for that job.

Quit that job.

Tell someone how you really feel.

Take that walk.

Take that nap.

Express gratitude.

Move to the ocean.

Make a decision.

Volunteer.

Paint that masterpiece.

Wear flowers in your hair.
xoxo