Risk

Risk-taking - Creativity involves taking risks. Those who are truly creative may fail many times before succeeding. You have to be able to risk your ideas, put them on the line, and see where they take you. Sometimes you may be unhappy with the results. Sometimes you may be pleasantly surprised. Failure is not something to be feared, it is a gift. It is simply another step closer to success because you can modify your thinking and ideas to bring you closer to your goal - whether your first attempt at painting a portrait or the larger goal of building your dream home. A journey that is filled with many failures is a journey full of learning.

Material World

We live in a material world with all of its gadgets and technologies but this also brings opportunities. The Internet allows us to connect with others around the world, learning provides us with greater opportunities in career, and money is not 'evil' but instead it is a form of exchange that caters to the essentials but can also bring us certain freedoms, allowing us to do more things that bring us joy. Transportation also allows us to saves time on a daily basis. However, in all these things we must try to achieve a balance, treating our material items with respect and using them in moderation. We can also make these things work better for us.

Be not afraid of learning slowly, be afraid of standing still.

Left Brain-Right Brain

Society has become dominated by rigid, logical thinking where we've come to believe that there are particular ways of doing things - 'right ways'. We've learned to focus on left-brain thinking - the hemisphere of our brain that deals with logical, reasoning types of activity. It is systematic, analytical and is therefore the dominant side of the brain for language and mathematical thinking. The left hemisphere of the brain looks first to the little details and works to piece them together into the whole.In contrast, the right hemisphere of our brain is associated with visual and musical activity, emotional empathy and intuition. It takes risks and likes to think differently - divergently. It is often known as the artistic side of the brain. The right hemisphere of the brain looks first at the whole picture, then at the details. It is this side of the brain that has allowed the geniuses and inventors throughout history to move beyond the logical and expected, to new possibilities and creations.

Have You Ever......

I suppose we have all wished upon a star, but have you ever sat on a warm sultry night and looked up in wonderment at how far it goes, beyond stars, universe, way beyond to where? Have you ever laughed so hard your stomach hurts and tears stream from your eyes, or cried the same way? Have you ever sat and talked to God as if he were your best friend sitting next to you and listened while he answered. Have you ever heard a song and it took you back to a place i call "memory lane" and wish you could go there for just a while for those memories are so precious to me, and have someone to share those memories with that truly understands them and has been there with you. Have you ever seen a full circle rainbow from a helicopter with waterfalls as the background and wonder how God created something so beautiful. Have you ever made love with nature as your bed taking in the sights, smells and bliss of the scene around you. Have you ever watched a hummingbird build a nest, lay it's tiny eggs and watch them hatch and grow until they nervously leave there nest into the world unknown. Have you ever heard a sermon from a pastor that was so enthralling that you were left wanting to hear more of his wisdom? I have been fortunate to say "I HAVE"

A Shooting Star

A shooting star crossed the sky today in the early hours just before dawn I had asked for a sign, to guide me am I on the right path are my thoughts pure I asked for guidance, sometimes I am unsure no sooner had I spoken to God and yes He sent me the star a glittering ray projecting His Light I gave thanks and made a promise To keep going the way I am even if I have doubts I will always trust the universe I will always trust my inner voice because I know that the universe and the voice are God's speaking to me and anyone else who wants to listen Janette Nicoll

Things come and go

Consider the following. We humans are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities. For this reason it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others." Dalai Lama True happiness cannot be sought outside of yourself - not in your relationships with others, the groups you belong to, or in the things around you. Unless you can stand alone in your own shadow and feel happiness from within, true happiness may always elude you for external things come and go like the tide. The only 'constant' in your life is you. Things come and go as they may never have existed at all,,,,maybe they haven't.

Twins, DNA, Genetics

The fact that identical twins are two different people surprises a lot of people. There is a general assumption that because identical twins share the same DNA, they are carbon copies of each other. There is no such thing as identical. Identical twins share the same DNA – it’s not identical DNA, by the way - but once the egg splits, each twin develops on their own. Identical twins develop their own personalities, character, likes and dislikes, hobbies, and emotions just as any other siblings do. They may share some very similar traits, but each twin is their own individual person. It’s fun to watch our twin grandsons as they grow and develop. One likes broccoli, the other prefers green beans. And if you give them cheese and crackers – one will eat the cheese, the other the crackers. Do identical twins have identical fingerprints? No. While identical twins share the same DNA, no two sets of fingerprints are exactly alike – including twins. In fact, some mirror twins (identical twins with mirrored characteristics) have fingerprints where the swirls run in opposite directions from their twins’ fingerprints.Do they have a secret language? Absolutely. There is one theory that says that twin language is developed because of mispronunciation of words between twins. Having twins , and LISTENING to them, I call that theory bunk. I am among those who side with the experts – including twins themselves – that say a secret language is developed between twins, and it’s more than just mispronunciation of words. They "must" share the same bedroom, they "must" go togeather everywhere they can. The do not like being apart at all. They were allowed to go to kindergarten togeather, but it was decided that they would have to go to seperate class rooms in first grade, much to there dismay. So much alike but unique in there own way.

Extraversion-Introversion

The terms have meanings quite different from how they are stereotypically understood. For example, the Extraversion–Introversion dimension is not about whether a person is loud at parties, or quiet and withdrawn. Rather, it describes how people derive their energy from the world. Extraverts “draw their energy from action and interaction with the external world. They work best with people around them as they talk their way through to new ideas and decisions.” Introverts “draw their energy from reflection and contemplation within the internal world of thoughts and ideas. Ideas and clarity develop most readily when the Introvert is being quietly contemplative.” The Sensing — Intuition dimension is how we take in information about the world, either with a preference for information immediately perceived by our senses, and on what “is,” or with a preference for drawing inferences from more or other, not immediately obvious sources, and on what “could be.” The Thinking — Feeling dimension is how we evaluate what is most important in coming to decisions, either with a preference for rational, objective, universally applicable criteria, or with a preference for subjective applications taking into account the impact of decisions on individuals and social harmony. Note: Feeling, as used here, must not be confused with “emotions.” The Judging – Perceiving dimension refers to an individual’s need for structure and closure. I sometimes describe it this way: a person with a Judging preference wants to solve the puzzle, while a person with a Perceiving preference wants to play with the puzzle. Excerpts from Carl Jung

When you talk, you repeat what you already know, when you listen, you often learn something.

Communication

Ever consider why millions of Americans haven’t mastered rudimentary communication skills? Please tell me the answer, because I’m baffled. All I know is that it’s become a tired and lazy theme. In Theory ,,,,Communication is the transfer of information from a source to a recipient. it is a two way process. The person who is sending the message is known as the encoder and decides the best means to send the message and the content of the message . Once the message is sent the recipient then decodes the message and then sends a reply. This reply is known as a feedback. The process must be two way for effective communication to take place as the sender of the message must then now reply to the feedback to continue the communication process. In everyday conversations though it seems to me that maybe one person may not a good listener, or "misunderstanding " the source. Is it that hard to revisit the question? Is it that hard to ask someone to repeat. Some my just pacify and keep the communication closed. Some may just not have the communication skills it takes to open up and "say what's on your mind". Frustrating for those of us that can. Communication is imperative for relationships, work, friends, family, spouses, just to name a few. Still baffles me!

Art

Learn to paint what you see, not what you think you see. Biologically speaking, all humans look at art in much the same way. Our genetic make up allows us to see a spectrum of colors. And our eyes, working together with our brains, are particularly attuned to color, shape and detail, and equipped to perceive depth and motion. While scientists understand how our eyes see the world, they know little about how our brains understand and create art. Making art depends on an inborn creative impulse as well as on skills learned and nurtured through culture. Making art shouldn't be a struggle. You're simply "thinking out loud" onto the page, photo-paper, or canvas. Creativity is exciting. If you're not judging while you're making. Nothing is "perfect". Anyone can make art as long as one has imagination and life experiences to draw on. Art is not about craftsmanship, it has to do with feelings and memories. ... A certain portion of art-making comes from the unconscious, that is, not on the conscious level, or premeditated. Personally I feel that the artist can do whatever they want - whatever works. That is one of the appealing things about making art.

Clouds, Sunsets, Stars.

Clouds are one of the most wonderful things God forms everyday; aside from the sunsets and the stars. It's a great artwork that changes every hour, if not every minute. And I wonder how other people can take that for granted.

How does a star die

The universe has massive clouds of hydrogen floating around. Sometimes, these clouds come together and form very dense and huge balls of hydrogen gas. As the clouds come close, their temperature increases. This is called a proto-star (original star). The increase in temperature triggers off nuclear reactions at the core of the star. Nuclear reactions inside the star occur when the nucleus of two hydrogen atoms fuse to produce a helium atom. This reaction which is actually the same as that inside a hydrogen bomb, release huge amounts of heat and light. This is what makes a star glow.Our sun is also a star and the heat and light we see is actually the burning of the hydrogen fuel in its heart.Like all things that are born, a star also dies. It dies when it runs out of fuel. It is a little like a car without petrol. But, the petrol tank in a car can be refilled. The star usually does not get a refill.And the death of a star is much more dramatic than a car without petrol. Everything that is born must die. Not only living beings, but inanimate objects like stars too. Ajay Dasgupta

Brilliant Or Insane

High intelligence and insanity have walked hand and hand through the ages. Society has long thought that brilliance comes with an increased risk of insanity. This common perception has yet to be totally disproved, but what has been discovered is that the highly creative, intelligent mind is more similar, than dissimilar to the disabled mind. The difference is how the individual deals with the same stimuli reaching their brain. For many, high intelligence saves the individual from insanity. So I wonder if it is not the type of an intelligence a person has that either results in a creative, high functioning individual or someone who suffers from mental illness. An interesting question that I do not know the answer to. Brilliance and insanity are closer than you think. For instance, I have a very sweet neighbor, she is a little "quirky", and has a lot of fears, her reasoning is somewhat unusual, "but" she is highly intelligent in math. She can go to the store and tell me without hesitation what the cost of a roll of paper towels are in a package of 24 is, taking her to Costco is a treat in it's self, bulk items are a snap for her to figure out the price singly ,she can calculate things like this without even seeming to think about it. I bet she could tell me how many kernels of corn in a can to make 16 ounces, It's the common sense things that boggles her mind. I don't feel she is insane, but "quirky"

Friends

There are freinds and then there are "friends". People come and go in our lives, some fleeting friendships, some everlasting friends. People that make an impact on our lives as true friends can never be replaced, each "kind" of friend is unique. I had a friend that has passed on way to early for her time. Every now and then she comes to mind. It makes me laugh at the "way we were", but sadness comes from missing her. Today was one of those days she came to mind, and i came across this poem and decided to write it down as a "letter", thinking this should make me feel better. My Bestest Friend by Pauline Hamblin The distance between you and I Is only a heartbeat away, For you and I dwell in each other's heart - There forever we will stay. You know all my emotions, Many they may be. You know when to be gentle, And when to chastise me. Two gentle souls deeply connected, Thoughts not spoken, There is no need - For the other knows what one is thinking Even before they speak. So with all the love I have In my heart today, I want to express to you These feelings I want to stay.

Passion

Discover your passions by looking back over your life for those sweet-spot moments where you have had ‘Yes! experiences. String those together, and you will begin to see new possibilities for your life. Nothing gives the day greater joy than a good wallop of passion that comes from doing something from the soul. I have come to the conclusion that I am passionate about so many different things, that it would be impossible for me to put all of my energy into just one. The world is full of vibrant color. Don’t let it lose an ounce of its luster. Assume this day is going to be good, and it will. God made it so.

Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it's dark.

Daydreams And Night Dreams

Daydreams are a pleasant, dreamlike thinking or wishing; reverie. A pleasing but visionary notion or scheme. Fantasies can be included in daydreams, but fantasies tend to be more intense, deliberate and conscious. There are no hard-and-fast definitions,fantasies and daydreams can be interchangeable, but daydreams are usually something we just slip into.Daydreaming is not only the mind's way of zoning out when reality is less than thrilling, psychologists say, it is also a necessary part of life. And like night dreams, they tell us about our inner workings.Daydreaming is essential, a profound and highly significant human function. Like night dreams, daydreams are expressions of something we are processing--a wish, a dread, or a rehearsal, we let our imagination write the script.Sometimes the Brain Just Wanders Away. Night dreams to me are involuntary. They just come with no control over the outcome. They may be from a fear that has been on your mind or stress that needs to be dealt with, which sometime causes nightmares. You may have a recurring dream, what does that mean? If you have ever had a dream that kept coming back you were experiencing what is known as a recurring dream. This experience is actually fairly common. These dreams are communications from the inner self to the outer self as is the case with all dreams. What makes these unique is that the same events, the same theme or even a series of episodes that occur much like a soap opera, are experienced by the dreamer.Flying is a common dream that often recurs. Many people can recall flying around the countryside swooping down over treetops and houses. When this occurs the dreamer is recognizing the mental and spiritual freedom that truly exists for all mankind. While the physical body has certain limitations, the mind is capable of imagining the tiniest particle of an atom or the depths of the cosmos and beyond. This awareness in the inner levels of consciousness is true freedom.Daydreams can be brought on by just plain boredom, like vacuuming is a boring job, so your mind wonders off into a more pleasant place, a place that you can select. Sitting in the quiet of a warm night outside on the patio is a perfect place for daydreaming at night time. Nothing to disturb this peaceful place of mind, no phones, no one but just you and your thoughts, unlike daytime when the many things can interrupt this blissfulness. On the other hand while you are on a destination, driving for instance and you start daydreaming and thoughts are running ramped from one thing to another then,,, maybe this is not daydreaming at all but "brain overload" trying to sort out some inner feelings or a busy day in which things are not going just right. So, is night time for dreaming? "I wonder"