Open Door Day

first day open at the studio...
I pulled my usual:
camera there.. then forgot to take pictures.
ggaaa.

got a few photos, but when it got busy (and it did get busy-yay)
then I was socializing and failed to take pics.
I didn't even get a pic of Valentine who has been SO supportive all this month
and she brought good eats and flowers...
Kate brought flowers too and I have no pic of her either!
and THEN I said I'd be open until 9:00 but due to the early arrival of my Little Visitor
I ended up leaving too soon and missed Autumn and Andrew who have been SO helpful.
sorry guys.

my Little Visitor

however I think it was a success. brought attention to people who didn't know I was there before.
people who have been "watching" the progression on facebook got to see it .
I was pleased with how much I got done, although there is still more to go.

now I can concentrate on creating and giving classes so others can create!!
see previous post for classes already in place:
Creativity Journals/ Journey Journals on Sunday evenings
and
FREE Open Studio (work on your own) and Individual Instruction on Monday evenings

Begin at the End

Quotes about beginning...


To be surprised, to wonder,
is to begin to understand.
- Jose Ortega Y Gasset

Failure is only the opportunity to
begin again more intelligently.
- Henry Ford

Having set a direction, begin - begin today.
Take action - take action every day.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Begin Again

Begin (Rebegin- Restart- Renew- Refresh)

   I allowed myself to become overwhelmed.
   I am taking back my Time.
   I will fill my brain with positive and happy thoughts-
   I will discontinue any negative thoughts that creep in.

   Meditation and Affirmation Reading in the morning.
   Thought and Positive Words in the evening.
   Working towards my Goals with less computer and more action,
   by limiting my time and setting a timer for sitting at the computer .
   (limiting-setting-sitting)
 

   Here we go! Times up for today!!

Begin Finishing

Commence: Conclude
Open: Shut
Enter: Exit
Start: Stop
Begin: Finish

I am a GREAT Idea Guy/Gal.
however
I don't tend to be the "follow through" kind of person.
I'm working on it though.
And I will say I have made great progress.
I made my usual list of tasks to complete today- and
I successfully crossed them ALL off.
Pretty darned exciting I must say.

My word for 2012 is "Finish" and, while I would have to admit I haven't progressed as far as I would have liked to- I have, at least, MADE progress. And that's a good thing.

"Work expands so as to fill the time available for it's completion."
C. Northcote Parkinson

Being Self-Secure

I try to take care of my Health needs: Eat Right, Exercise (well sort of), Sleep Enough.
I try and keep my Relationships healthy too: Spend Time with My Girls and Granddaughter, Contact my Son and Family way out East, Call my Mother often, try to Stay in Touch with my Siblings and Friends.
I try to make sure that I am a Good Employee, a Thoughtful Community Member, Neighbor, Shopper, etc.
I choose my Products with care- I don't eat meat, I won't eat cheese if it has rennet, I won't buy items that are tested on animals, I don't wear leather, I've even gotten to the point where my vitamin labels are scrutinized- and ya- they have a lot of animal by-products but luckily there are vegetarian vitamins now.

And yet- when it comes to taking care of my own Mental, Spiritual and Emotional Well-Being... well, I tend to skimp. Why is that? Why do I still feel guilty and selfish if I take time to make Myself Happy? Why do I still feel badly if I say "no" to a Request for my Time and Attention?  I do believe I'm getting better but I have a LONG way to go before I can Confidently say something like "Ya know, I realize you need my time but right now I need it more than you do."

I still look to others for their opinions and I still put those above my own. I'm getting better though. I am.

Years and years and oh, by the way, YEARS, of conditioning and habit that need to be changed-broken- tossed and replaced with something Stronger and Better and Healthier.  I'll get there. I will.

*"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time."  Anna Freud

New Beginnings

Quote for New Year's Day 2012:

"What we call the beginning is often the end. 
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from."
T.S. Eliot


Probably the Single Biggest Change I made in 2011 was Learning to Let Go.

Let Go of Expectations and Allow things to happen- to Unfold- the way they were intended;
and to Stop trying to Force the Issue (whatever that issue might be)

Let Go of Worrying about what Other People Think- I've been doing that for....well, my whole life.

Let Go of Feelings I've been hanging onto; feelings that were so wrapped around my heart that
they had become this huge mess. It took awhile to Untangle them.

Letting Go was my Journey last year. Of course , I'd been on that Journey for years previous and will continue to be on it for awhile longer, maybe even my entire Life, but I do feel that I made Huge Progress this year. And I'm Happy about that.

So my New Beginning for 2012 is.... Learning to Finish-Complete- End. Kind of ironic:
to Begin Being (the person I want to be)  I need to Learn to End.

Until I figure out how to put photos and information on my sidebar- here's the poster I made for Classes in January