Keeping With The Times

living, learning, and keeping with the times

Thank You!

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As 2016 draws to a close I want to say a huge thank you for visiting my blog in the past year(s).

Whether you left a comment, clicked the “like” button, or simply passed on through … I appreciate each and every visit!

My blog continues to evolve and I hope you’ll bear with me through some of the changes I have coming this year.

One of my intentions (in fact my main intention) is to provide authentic, helpful, and timely content to my readers.

As someone who is committed to lifelong learning, my blog is the place where I show up to prove it.

Lifelong learning” is a common term used in education today. Lifelong learning is the concept that “It’s never too soon or too late for learning”, a philosophy that has taken root in a whole host of different organizations. Lifelong learning is attitudinal; that one can and should be open to new ideas, decisions, skills or behaviours. Lifelong learning sees citizens provided with learning opportunities at all ages and in numerous contexts: at work, at home and through leisure activities, not just through formal channels such as school and higher education. Wikipedia

It is my hope that something I do may inspire you. Check my new and improved About page to learn more.

Have a fun, happy, and safe New Year’s Eve my friends, and see you in 2017!

xo

My First 5 Steps Toward Living an Artful Life

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I woke up feeling rested and happy this morning … so much better than yesterday where I woke up wired and tired.

And today I removed something from my life that was not serving me well, in fact it was making me forget who I am. So, out of this experience came my first 5 steps toward living an artful life.

I won’t go into detail because it was such a small thing (in the grand scale of things) like really, really small, but it was sucking the fun out of one of my greatest joys … photography. So after a particularly restless night, I decided to remove the offending “thing” from my life. I always knew it was toxic, but just wasn’t prepared for what it was doing to me … . anyway, it’s gone now, and I feel so much better.

I’ve also been reading my new book “Living Artfully” by Sandra Magsamen. I’m quite sure I’ll be quoting her often in the next year, as she writes so eloquently and seems to speak directly to me:

Living Artfully is about creating a life worth celebrating, worth remembering.

Sandra Magsamen

 

OK … did she say celebrating?

Goodness, I can’t seem to get away from that word! and indeed, why should I try? Looks like I’m going to have to keep it around, after all :)

Ways to live an artful life.I thought by making lists, it would help on my quest to live an artful life. So here are the first 5 steps I’ve chosen:

  1. Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. (Oscar Wilde)
  2. If something is not serving you well, remove it from your life.
  3. Be honest. Be honest with yourself.
  4. Create from the heart.
  5. Play. Experiment. Trust.

Know exactly what you want to focus on.

Ways to live an artful life.Day 5 of blogging every day in February.

Intentions for 2016

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It’s time to set my intentions for 2016.

I mean … January is almost over! How did that happen!? But not to worry, I’ve been puzzling over this for quite some time and I think I have some answers.

As I was reluctant to let go of my word for 2015 (which was “celebrate”) I became stuck. It was exactly what I needed at the time, but now it feels old.

So, my apologies “celebrate” I’m leaving you … and it’s not me, it’s you. Oh, and if it helps, I haven’t left you for another word, I’ve left you for a quote. A quote that’s been sticking in my head for a couple months and won’t go away. I wrote about it in November when I posted My Art is not Frivolous.

I want to live my life as artfully as possible, and I think it’s going to take me a full year to discover exactly what that means. Oh, I do love a challenge! and I think the possibilities are endless.

Today I’ll reveal some of my intentions. Others I’ll keep closer to my h(art.)

Intentions for 2016

Quote by Henry Miller

It all kind of came together when I created this image for the new class Be Still | One Year [Wiser] with Kim Klassen.

In December Kim and I had been discussing how much stuff we had and I was complaining about all the time I spent organizing it. As a still life photographer, props can take over your life (if you let them.) Now don’t get me wrong, I love my props. But added to all my usual props, I was hoarding many plants from summer that I couldn’t seem to let go. Ferns, succulents, ivy (which all need watering, pruning, and transplanting, as well as a sunny place to sit.)

Then I heard myself explaining how one day I was in Home Depot and I spied some unusual and perfect succulents, and I ended up buying four! When one would have been enough … or maybe none … especially in winter. What was I thinking? Well, I’d have to say I wasn’t.

I went on to divulge that I’d also been to Winners that day and had gone around gathering stuff … like there was no tomorrow (this is a bit embarrassing) but it was all so inspiring and tempting. New props, new photography opportunities.

I paid for everything, watched the clerk wrap it carefully, and carried several bags out to my car. When I got home, rather than making a simple cup of tea and sitting for a moment, I had to unwrap it all and then find a place for everything. That for me is the worst part. Finding a place for everything. I suddenly felt overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion. Really, Christmas was coming and I had more important things to be doing. I decided right then and there that I had to turn this around. I packed everything up, made sure I had my receipt, and returned it all the next day.

As I was explaining this to Kim, she was flabbergasted, since she had been feeling the same way. So, to make a long story a bit shorter ;) we made a pact to avoid Winners for the entire month of January, and so far I haven’t been in one since that fateful day in December. I extended my vow to include any and all similar stores (and I know the ones.)

So what does this have to do with my intentions for 2016? Well, here are a few:

  • I will avoid Winners completely until the end of February. Baby steps. If I say I’ll never go back, well … you know … .
  • I will carefully consider where and when I spend my money and my energy.
  • If I bring something home, something has to go.
  • I will live my life artfully. I’m not 100% sure what that means but I am going to find out.

I’m finally coming back to life after the Christmas holidays, a very busy January, and a bout with the flu.

I suddenly feel revitalized, and am excited about 2016 and all that it may bring. To start with, I have a small blogging announcement (in my next newsletter.)

I hope you stay with me this year as I go about discovering how to “make living itself an art” and reveal more of my intentions.

 

My Word for 2015

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My word for 2015 is “celebrate” and I’m already celebrating the fact that a word even came to me this year. Most of the time I struggle for a few weeks trying to think of something, and then give up because I’m simply not feeling it. Strangely, this year, I was out and about and it just popped into my head. Life has been good and I feel excited and hopeful about 2015. I feel like I should celebrate!

However, almost immediately the doubts crept in … my inner cynic … quite frankly there are some things about this world that just do not deserve to be celebrated. So how could I make this work?

I thought maybe a quote would help, so I started searching for something that I could relate to, something that would give me “permission” to celebrate, and I found this by Tom Peters:

celebrate what you want to see more of

Oh yes … that works for me!  I can do that! I grabbed a pen and started writing: my life, good health, family, friends, a safe home, good food, peace … I’m going to celebrate my accomplishments (big and small), my passions (blogging, photography, scrapping), everyday moments … I do this anyway, so why not make it my word?

My Word for 2015I’ll be reaching a pretty big milestone birthday this year, and rather than bemoan the fact that I’m getting older, I’m going to celebrate. I’m still here … I have interests and goals that wake me up in the morning … eager to start the day, and I have the time and the means to indulge in them. I’m looking forward to 2015, it promises to be an exciting and fulfilling year and I’m going to meet it with open arms!

Do you like the word art in the above image? I love to work with words and I’m in the process of creating a Photoshop brush for my fabulous newsletter subscribers. The download link will be in the next newsletter in January. Not on the subscriber list? Check out the form on the sidebar if you’d like to sign up! I’d love to have you!

So, what’s your word for 2015?

 

the more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate

~oprah~

My word for 2013

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I have new and exciting opportunities brewing in my world and it’s going to take a lot of discipline and hard work if I want to succeed.

That is why I’ve chosen the word “WORK”. Just having that in my head has sent me to my computer every morning this year with the intention of getting down to business. No Pinterest, no reading blogs, no fun, until I have put in several hours of work.

For me, this is the best word for 2013.

The power of intention

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Bug Yoga?

In yoga, our instructor would begin by telling us to set our intention. What did we want from this class this evening? She said it was the single most important exercise we would do all night.

“When you set an intention and then act on it to demonstrate your commitment, amazing things occur.

  • Get clear about something you want and write it down.
  • Share your intention with someone in a way that will hold you accountable to taking action.
  • Do something today to demonstrate your commitment to your intention.
  • Acknowledge that you did what you said you would and then, take the next step.

By setting an intention, you make it clear to yourself and others, just what you plan to do. Set an intention to redefine what it means to be serious about your dreams.”

*Marcia Wieder – “The Power of Intention
 

I have experienced the amazing things that can happen when I write down my intentions. Sometimes I write it on paper and sometimes I blog about it. Yes, I just put it out there. Suddenly I find that I’m taking a few baby steps toward my goal. Then, out of the blue something will happen that will send me full-tilt in the direction I was wanting to go! Things that make you go hmmmm . . .

My intention right now is to go cut the grass. I think there is a pretty good chance of that happening. After that? I intend to clean up, eat a light lunch, and have a nap. It doesn’t have to be complicated.