Gratitude brings inspiration, not the weather!

Winter can be just as inspiring as any other season

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard others, even artists, groan on about how uninspired they are in the winter months. They then go on to talk about a lack of sun and energy which is responsible for their sluggish, unproductive habits. I was one of them up until about 5 years ago!

I want to share with you that being inspired is something that happens within us and not something that comes from the outside. Inspiration is a state of mind and of being.  Inspiration is not something that has to have specific temperatures, weather conditions and objects to occur. The only element that is needed to have inspiration is gratitude. If we are not feeling inspired, it is most likely because in some way we are not recognizing our blessings!

Here are some of the things that I am grateful for and drawing inspiration from this January afternoon.

The ability to feel the wind on my skin, my thick mane of hair, my mittens coat and scarf, my job which I have the day off from to spend time with my family which paid for the mittens coat and scarf, my boss who allows me to grow and who grows with me, my friends who are going to be reading this, my friends who will not read this, my cocker spaniel who is sleeping on my left foot right now, my little girl who is making a card for my husband for when he gets up from his midday nap…my beautiful husband who is comfortable and content enough to be sleeping on the couch, the teddy bear tucked behind my left shoulder which my little girl placed there to keep me company while I work, the blanket on my lap which was my grandmas blanket, I am thankful and inspired by my grandmother who owned this blanket and slept under it until the day she passed away, life, I am thankful for my life and health, my youth and my strength, I am thankful for my spiritual awakening and my ability to hear them, I am thankful to spirit for allowing me to be individual and still connected, I am thankful for the march of time and its pace guiding me forward…..

I could go on and on here, the point is, looking back through the list there are many paintings, poems, songs or stories that could be realized here….we didn’t even get into the beauty of snow, bark or nature but I do want to add that I am thankful for the fall of the leaves so that I can better see the owls and animals which are most often hidden in our wise old trees!

So get a piece of paper and start making a list of what you are thankful for right now at this moment…find true gratitude and then inspiration will come!

Everyone is Creative!

Remember the joy and excitement of being a young person and being given a new box of crayons? How about dancing, making up your own songs or writing poems? And who didn’t love spending the day in the forest building a fort or pretending you were cowboys and Indians?

Think back now, do you recall your last box of new crayons or the last fort you built? If you are like most of us those years and memories are faded to a collage of fond dream like visions. Our creative selves have given way to our need to mature and with the business of adulthood have become all but lost and forgotten. How can it be that most of us move from being art filled children into adults no longer in touch with the creative forces within?

As human beings we are hardwired to be creative.  Having a creative outlet is essential to our wellbeing. Truth is everyone is creative. True, not everyone chooses the path of a sculptor, painter, or dancer as a life career path but creativity is a life trait our species must express to thrive. Some say art (in all its forms) is an expression of the soul, others say that artistic outlets are vital for times when there are no words to express what we are feeling and many people believe that art is one of our strongest tools available to move beyond the ego and connect with our true selves.

There are innumerable articles written about the many benefits of having a creative outlet ranging from increasing early childhood development, cures for depression and mental illness to having physical healing properties. There is also the idea of creating art simply because it is fun. In the case of drawing or painting as an outlet it can feel really rewarding to transform a vision or feeling that has been on your mind or buried in your memory and bring it to light to share with the world or to simply release it from your heart.

Creativity can take many shapes. Look into your life today and see where your creativity is waiting to take shape. Spending an hour or two of creative time a week you could dramatically improve the relationship you have with yourself. When we are happy with self we are able to be happy with others. I thank god for my beautiful, messy, creative life and I wish the same for yours!