{envie: Kate White}

Okay, today is a bright, sunshiny weekend, and weekend post should be inspiring, no? Getting inspired should be an effortless part of everyday life, and I'm in awe of inspiring women 'round the globe.

"Ideals are like stars", general and politician Carl Schurz once said, "you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the ocean desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny."

This weekend I'm all into Kate White, the editor-in-chief of Cosmpolitan, and bestselling author of both fiction and non-fiction books. How did she do all that! Doesn't she also have 'only' 24 hours a day, just like the rest of us?

Luckily Kate White offers her brilliant advices on her very own website. Advices that maybe, or I should probably, follow wholeheartedly, when it comes to nurturing this secret passion on writing, even if it's only for private journaling, or let's say, for this blog :-)

And by the way, have you seen Kate White's weekend home, featured on Country Living? Boy, how I love the vibrant colours she picked for the interior. I'm particularly drawn to the lemony, Provence-inspired dining room. Says Kate: "We wanted that spirit in our home--the beautiful smells, the great food, the sensuousness of that life." Ohw, moi je dis "I'm home".

{envie: Kim Ficaro}

I still have a dream to learn about prop styling - or rather a burning desire, actually, to be very honest. At least this weekend, when I came across Kim Ficaro's gallery. What I found there, how the flowers, fruit, food, interior, colors, are stylishly arranged, if only I could claim, is, oh so me...Sure I still have tons to learn! Happy weekend! :-)

[.more.about.journaling.]

This should have been posted right after my earlier post about end-of-year journaling, while also working on the graphics, I have always found that journaling is just so much fun. It’s like getting to know yourself in the journey, know what inspires you in the daily life, and since I incorporate creative journaling I’m sometimes amazed by the hidden talents I discovered along the way… talk about self esteem!

My journaling style, like everybody else’s I guess, continues to evolve day by day. Somehow, I have the tendency to repeat patterns, recreate pages and rewrite words that I like from previous journals. They make me feel good! So I have certainly the excuse for that :-)

So, when it comes to physical journals (with notebooks and collages inside), I would tear the pages I love from old journals and I would with no doubt destroy the remaining old stories. Ha! I confessed some old journals were filled with not-so-feel-good words, they were from the days I haven’t been yet aware of good-vibe creative journaling.



Now, I promised myself to, in daily basis:

- gather inspiration, notice good signs and coincidences and fascinating things around me ‘right now’ – and indeed, life is so fascinating. and be grateful.

This one is very interesting. and I think I will take the word ‘fascination’ as my theme for 2010. It occurred to me when one day I happened to be irritated by a situation, and instead of complaining, suddenly I just said to my friend that the situation was ‘fascinating’. As a consequence, my brain kind of automatically worked on some ways to find reasons why that particular situation was fascinating. It felt almost instantly lightened rather than stressful. So I know it works, hopefully I will be able to remember that all the time :-)

- write only ‘positive talk’ in my journal. this may mean writing one positive affirmation or interesting quote a day. with collage, cutouts of images from magazines, newspapers, or printouts from the internet. being grateful is the most positive talk of all!

- monitor the state of my spirit. list what happened before during the day / night and check those that boost my spirit and find a way to tweak the other situations. Pray-raining is currently my favorite that I learned from Jeannette Maw. It’s an enjoyable exercise to tell good stories, thus keeping your spirit high! be grateful.

- keep track of how I nourish and take care of my body. you are what you eat, they say. and I noticed I feel good when I eat well. I walk at least 1 hour a day (favorite exercise!), and while walking, listen to favorite pieces of music, walking meditation or audiobooks.

- write down my purchases, giveaways and things I receive during the day. they are signs of abundance. the very thing to be grateful for. so be grateful for them.

- find a unique theme, such as write one recipe a day, etc. I collect one or two leaves I found on the street a day (inspired by Linnaeus!). be grateful for each find.

- practice writing by re-writing interesting articles from magazine or lines from books. I’ve learned that my brain learns the fastest when my other senses take simultaneous supporting actions. I opt for articles from travel magazines. be grateful for finding this excellent way to learn.

- what else…oh yes, note the progress of a project. I think it’s a very famous advice to break down any big goal into small bits and take one step a day to tackle it. celebrate any progress, however small, with gratitude.

- remind myself that ‘when in doubt, just do it! we’ll learn along the way’ – and believe there’s always support from God, the Universe, you name it. be grateful.

Wow, isn’t journaling fascinating? And now I know I’m a big fan of creative, multi-media journaling too. I’m grateful for all those creative spirits who invented ways to teach us to live this fascinating life. We’re all fascinating work in progress. For that I’m grateful :-)



Favorite advice on journaling:

By Jill Badonsky the author of Awe-Manac, The Daily Dose of Wonder: "Love is a many splendored thing but, as your spell-check will tell you, “splendored” is not a word. And YOU can make up words too. Coffee is a many caffeinated thing, naps are a many enjoyabled thing, dark chocolate is a many essentialled thing, whatever. Moreover, also, and besides optional grammar is elective during the initial creative of processes."

[.how.to.create.a.powerful.morning.ritual.]

I read this on Christine Kane's newsletter and thought I had to re-post it on my blog!

See my friends, this blog is not only about graphics, but also about inspiration, journaling and feel-good things :-D

How to Create a Powerful Morning Ritual
by Christine Kane

It is said that your habits create your destiny.

I'd add that your habits also create your confidence, courage and even your creativity!

In other words, your daily choices, routines, and seemingly insignificant moments make all the difference in your results.

One of the best ways to generate great results is to create a morning ritual. A powerful morning ritual sets the tone for your entire day - and your entire year!

A ritual is personal. A ritual is creative. (Not reactive!) A ritual is what gets YOU on track to create your best day. (And subsequently, your best life!) It can be as simple as a 15-minute routine, or as intense as long-distance running. The important thing is that it becomes a HABIT.

My morning ritual combines a mixture of physical, mental and heart-centered activities to engage each of these human power centers!

Here are some ideas to help you create your own powerful morning ritual.

Hydrate First

Many Eastern health practitioners recommend chugging down at least a half-liter of filtered room-temperature water first thing. (Yes, before your coffee!)

Upon waking, your body has spent hours without hydration. Drinking pure water at this time triggers a series of physiological functions that keep your body super healthy. Some report that this one practice can actually heal many diseases. (I'm not a scientist – but I can attest to the amazing results!)

Get Moving

Exercise is called "The Number One Form of Preventive Medicine."

It is also a prescription for happiness and a cure for depression! Getting exercise first thing sets your day off right. You can do a simple stretching routine, yoga or an all-out heart-pounding hour at the gym. Pick something do-able and do it.

Meditate

Many people don't meditate because they find it intimidating. I say, start with just 5 minutes. Meditation connects you to your center, and to the deep silence that surpasses any drama that might be happening in the world of your personality. Don't worry about doing it right. Just allow yourself the time to BE.

Set Intention

"Intention rules the earth," says Oprah Winfrey.

It's true! Your intention is a powerful force to engage.

Remembering your intention puts you back on track. You become focused again.

Reflect for a moment on your Word of the Year. Read a goal you've written down for yourself. Remind yourself of a financial dream. (If you're one of my new students in Uplevel Your Business, read the intention you wrote down on the first day of the program!)

You don't have to know the HOW. You just need to set the intention so your inner GPS can stay on target!

Be Grateful

Before I get out of bed, I silently create a morning gratitude list. When I begin my day remembering my "gratitudes," (instead of my "anxieties") my heart fills with extreme joy and deep awareness. I then bring that energy into everything I do - and to everyone with whom I connect.

Use a Netty Pot

(This one's a little weird!)

For years, my acupuncturist told my husband and I to use a Netty Pot. We laughed at him. Then, in the face of acute sinus problems, my husband tried it and became a convert. He converted me.

A Netty Pot uses warm water and a special salt to cleanse your sinuses and clear your breathing. Google it, and let the idea sit with you for a while. (You might be a convert too!)

Eat Creative

Your choice of breakfast foods can set up your success with other meals as well. Start your day off in the healthiest way possible for you - and make it a ritual, not a chore.

Be Prepared: Create a Not-to-Do List

Everyone needs a "Not To Do" morning list.

Suggestions here include anything that brings up a "reactive" state: Turning on the local news. Checking email. Answering texts. Answering the phone.

Let these things wait until AFTER your ritual has been completed!

Your Assignment:

After reading this article, don't just think, "Wow. Those are some good ideas. I should try one or two."

Instead, deliberately create your morning ritual now. Take about 20 minutes to think about and write down what your ritual will be each morning. Start simple at first. Choose one or two items from this menu. Or come up with your own. Write out your Ritual in detail.

Begin first thing tomorrow morning, and let your habits create YOUR destiny starting now!



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Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 11,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine's blog - Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous - at ChristineKane.com/blog.