Goodbye Light, Hello Thrive

 Song - Light you Up by Shawn Mullins


For the last few years, instead of doing a New Year's resolution, I participate in Ali Edwards - One Little Word.

 
The idea is that you ponder, meditate, journal, scrapbook on just one word for the entire year.  I have been doing this for the last 5 years and it is so much more helpful to me than to make a resolution, which often feels like pressure.

Here are my words for the last few years......

2010 - spirit

2011 - intention

2012 - balance

2013  - simplify

2014 - light

 
For the last few days of 2014, I have been spending time thinking about what has transpired with my word "light" so that I can let it go and focus on my 2015 word. 

 2015 - thrive

It's a beautiful word in so many ways.

I'm feeling inspired!


"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty and truth." - Albert Einstein

OLW 2014

Song - The Light by The Album Leaf

During the month of December, I began to think of what my One Little Word  for 2014 might feel like and become.

I wrote down several words that might be a good fit for the upcoming year.  As the weeks passed, I was able to cross off words that I just didn't connect to at the present time.

This year's One Little Word is.....

l  i  g  h  t 

--lightness of being

--lighter possessions

--a lighter load

--enlightenment

--delight

--bathed in light

--shine my light

--my art needs light

--to become light

If you would like to join in One Little Word with Ali Edwards, here is her link.

One Little Word

"Shine like the whole universe is yours" -- Rumi

2013 One Little Word

Song - While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison

Wishing you A Very Happy 2013!

I still have a house full of "Christmas" because I am painting like crazy to get some new pieces ready for a show going up next week at the Lafayette Gallery "Tokens of Affection"!

It feels so wonderful to be painting again!!  Yippee!

Here is one of Sergio Romo on the final game of the Division Championship.  I still need to work on the rain, the shadow color under his arm and the background crowd a little but I just love the energy in this painting!

The GIANTS have clinched the NL Championship

I will show it to you when it's finished!



If you have never heard of "One Little Word", check it out on Ali Edwards site or on Big Picture Classes.

 

In 2010 I chose the word "intention" for me to use for the upcoming New Year. It turned out to be a great word as I would pause and set an intention (or game plan) before moving forward.  

Last year it was "balance" which ended up being too general of a word for me. 

During the last month,  I have been "feeling out words" for 2013.

I have narrowed it down to several which each has a pull for me.

Grace

Inspire

Lighten

Mindful

Purposeful

Serenity

 

 

 

But one word that is sticking with me is "Simplify".  As my life gets more and more complicated, simplifying feels like breathing room. 

A concious effort must be made to simplify anything - paperwork, household possesions, shopping, eating....every thing that piles up!

According to the dictionary -

: to make simple or simpler: as

a: to reduce to basic essentials
b: to diminish in scope or complexity : streamline <was urged to simplify management procedures>
c: to make more intelligible : clarify
 

 

‘In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.’ ~Henry David Thoreau

I N T E N T I O N

I have been away for awhile from my blogging as I have been taking painting workshops & traveling,



Tomales



 ...throwing special birthday parties for those I love.....



Calvin's place

and taking so many online classes that I can barely keep up with them (but wow they are so much fun!). Mostly it is because the "camera GOT me"!!  I received a new DSLR for Christmas from Mr. B and I have been exploring all of the joys of photography. 

 

Me and my new obsession



I am taking 3 online photo classes http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/ and one in a local camera shop.  I am also enrolled in Ali Edwards class "One Little Word" where you choose a word that you would like to explore for an entire year.  It is very inspiring to be around all of these incredibly creative people! And I almost forgot, I am taking a "texture" class from Kim Klassen which is teaching me all about Photoshop and texturing my photos. http://www.kimklassencafe.com/ 

My word for the year is "INTENTION" and for me it is about putting more thought and effort into each and every day, as well as setting goals and coming up with a gentle way of attaining them.



"And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."  --Anais Nin