Manifesting with the Law of Attraction

Creativity – according to Webster’s it means having the ability or power to create; characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative. Ok that sounds great, wouldn’t we all like to be more creative every day? Sometimes the hardest part to trying something new is the first step. Here are nine inspired steps to help you start living a creative way of life:

1. Be willing to try something new.

When was the last time you stepped out of your everyday routine and did something totally different? Taking a dance class, going to a concert to experience something different than what you normally listen to on the radio, or even picking up a pencil and sketching the trees in your own backyard is creative action. Creative thinking and creative action start with a new decision about how you’re going to spend your time.

2. Create something with your own hands on a regular basis.

There are plenty of opportunities to express your creative side. Even mundane tasks like setting the table allow you to try something new. For example, instead of buying new napkin holders, my daughter and I made our own out of some extra wire and brightly colored beads. They turned out awesome. We were both so proud of them and they are treasured pieces we will use for years.

3. Express yourself through visual, performing arts, or creative writing, music, or dance.

You can turn off the television and do some creative journaling every evening instead of tuning in and shutting down. Create a play with the kids. Try lip synching to a new video on television. Take turns creating a different ending to a familiar fairy tale. Use your imagination.

4. Make creativity a habit.

If you already dabble in creativity, make it a habit by scheduling time on your calendar for it. You’re more likely to live creatively if you actively write down your intentions. You don’t even have to sign up for a formal class. Try it for 30 minutes every week and increase the time spent on these activities from there.

5. Display something in your home and office that you made yourself.

Your surroundings reflect your ideas. What better way to inspire more creativity, charm, and character than to include objects that you have made? Hand-made objects give you more to talk about, more vivid memories, and provide richer experiences overall than buying something similar. Over time it is also a visual reminder of how far you’ve come since your first started creating.

6. Visit creative spaces

Museums, art shows, gallery exhibits, theatre, performances these places remind us of our own innate creative abilities. Plus they’re fun to visit.

7. Take time to find new inspiration

Inspiration can be found in a variety of different places. Ask people you’ve known for years what creative stuff they do – you may be pleasantly surprised. Research within your own family. I bet you’ll find someone in your family that is artistic and can be a source of inspiration for you.

8. Ask Questions

Stay involved with other creative people. Inspire others with questions about their progress in their own endeavors. Something they say to you could provide you with an idea that moves you in a new direction.

9. Provide a creative outlet for someone that is new to the idea of living creatively

Just when you’ve figured out some new ways to live creatively, share your knowledge. Give the information away to someone who is totally new to the ideas. They will undoubtedly have a twist on your information that allows you to learn something new and keep growing.

Resource Box: This article is courtesy of http://www.centerofcreativity.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.

Lise Richards is an Artistic Lifestylist, and owner of the Creativity Center, Inc., a creative arts education center and gallery. Her Aspiring Artist Program helps people develop their art and market it to a diverse audience. Visit the Creativity Center online at http://www.centerofcreativity.com.
director@centerofcreativity.com

Tags: creative life, creative thinking, creativity

There are three basic areas or modules of time that are most commonly referred to:

1)The Past
2)The Present
3)The Future

What I would like to do is have you work out where the “present” is though. In the time it has taken you to read just those last few words, that space in time that we might refer to as the present has gone. Gone where? Gone into the Past. The present then could be determined as not existing at all, or at the very best existing in a the merest speck of time imaginable. Every occuring event becomes a series of moments in the past almost instantaneously. Admittedly, not very far in the past, but in the past neverthless. The conclusion? The present – for all practical purposes, does not exist! This may seem like a very weird concept, but bear with me. As the present is so fleeting, the only way to “live in it” or handle it, is to look into the future, try to anticipate that which may occur during those moments, and prepare for it. Let’s look at the future. We will never catch up with the future. It is always ahead of us and we will never experience events within it.

So where on earth does that leave us? The easiest way of confronting the subject (and to get back to living in the now), is to turn away from time as we currently measure it and mentally change the units into events.We can do this because we know that events have occurred, do occur, and will continue to occur. At last we have a constant! Something we can work with. To “live in the now” then, is to deal with, or handle the event with which our minds are currently occupied. How do you do that? Plan for the now by projecting your thoughts into the future.

A very practical example of this can be seen in pension plans (okay, I know it`s a boring subject, but it illustrates the point nicely!).. No sooner do we leave school and get a job, than someone is presenting us with a whole bunch of information we would much rather not know about – money at retirement. Probably the only thing that really makes any sense to us at the time is the word “money”! The principle is right there in front of us though. We are being encouraged to carry out an event in the now, by projecting our thinking into the future.

The principle then, is not new. For some reason though, we tend to push the principle aside and thus constantly finding ourselves struggling to overcome the situations that we come up against. Of course, we cannot prepare for every event. We do tend to get taken by surprise quite often. The result? Impulse reactions often rule the day.

Okay, so we have spent some time looking at the situatiion and coming up with a theory. What do we have as a result? What can we apply as a practical tool to help us “live in the now”? Firstly we need to recognise and accept that we cannot change that which has already occurred. That may sound obvious at first reading, but remember that those things that have already occurred include those that have occurred right up to the last split second. The logic follows then, that if we are to make any changes, they must be applied to those things or situations that are yet to fall upon us. How do we do that? We cannot travel into the future, so all that is left is to prepare for the instant in which they arrive. Every action and thought must kick into gear automatically. What thoughts? What actions? Different cakes call for different ingredients, but they often have a common theme. In the baking world what would that be? Flour perhaps?

In the world of self-preparedness, the common theme is simply you. That is, you the person; you the individual who is in control and ready to take on whatever lands upon you. A tall order? Perhaps in some areas of your life, it is right now, but step back and look at yourself from a distance. It is possibly true that there is room for improvement within you, but notice too, that in some areas, some abilities, you are strong and quite capable. Capable of climbing to a point from which we may progress. So often, we tend to look out at the issues in our lives rather like climbing out onto the platau of Table Top Mountain and looking out across the landscape and seeing it enmass. One vast area. In the same way that you could not possibly travass the entire area in one leap, you should consider preparing yourself for anything that lies ahead, step-by-step. Got a problem in your life? Break it down into manageble pieces and put those pieces into perspective. Having done that, look at what positive skills and abilities you do have, and apply them as a starting point. What’s that? YOU haven’t got any? Well, think again! One of the skills or tools you have at your disposal, you are making use of this very minute – you are building your positive intake! You have sufficient positive motivation to learn. You have at least some degree of thirst for knowledge and progress that will work for you. It will carry you forward to greater things. It is a springboard to greater heights and achievement. Sadly, there are people out there who really are not at all bothered about improving their ability to strengthen themselves that they may withstand the buffetings of life. Instead they would rather muddle through. It is just too hard for them to comprehend a new, brighter, self. There is a reason for this. A reason that you should be aware of – they are consist of two types of people:

1)The kind of person who cares about nothing and cares about no-one other than themselves 2)A person who is low in self-esteem and cries out for support and recognition through a “devil may care” attitude.

You need to be aware in order that you may look for ways in which to help such people, but also that you may prepare yourself so that you may communicate with them in a positive manner. They may perhaps consist of people that live with you, but they do not live for you. Both you and they are responsible for your own decisions. Indeed, you both have a right to make your own decisions.

The whole topic covered here, can be summed up in very few words. In order to be able to live in the now, we need to plan for both whatever future events may hold, and prepare yourselves to be a reliable and dependable resource.

So how do you go about that? How do you go about planning for things that you do not know are going to happen? What do you do? Thrust your hand into a bran tub and come up with an item to work on? Nothing so vague.

Certain things in a typical life span are pretty certain events. You are born, go to school, start dating, get a job, get married, have children, retire and so forth. This is a basic common plan and one which you plan for almost on autopilot. I`m not saying that these things do not involve planning or detailed attention. They certainly do, but as they are not the unexpected, they flow along life’s course.

No, it is the unexpected that you need to particularly plan for. In one of the “Pink Panther” films, Inspector Closeau (Peter Sellers) continues in the attempt to hone his hand-to-hand combat techniques with his assistant/servant (chinese), the inspector warns (chinese) to “expect the unexpected”. Now, you could stop reading right here and the lesson will have been taught, but my guess is that you might want to know what kind of things you need to prepare for. Obviously, I could not possibly list everything here, but here are a few ideas to ponder on in no particular order:

•Food shortages • Water shortages • Particular illnesses – (check what runs in the family) • How will you handle the news? • How will you manage the affairs on behalf of the sick person? • How will you tell others? • Death in the family • Accidents • General health problems – dental. optical, etc • Redundancy • Floods • Freak weather conditions • Children being born • Transport problems • Car breakdown • Public transport failure • Fuel shortages • Marriage • Children leaving home • Family pet problems • Major financial outlay • Burglary • Vandalism • Theft • New job/promotion • Windfall

So in summary then, how we go about living in the present is determined by how well we project our thoughts into the future. During the process of projecting such thoughts, we need to pay careful attention to the unexpected events that could potentially happen and prepare for them as thoroughly as possible. As we have determined that the “present” is so small a moment in time, then you had better start thinking about what you can do tomorrow to prepare for your future and always be one step ahead.

Resource Box: The author, Professional Life Coach, Doug Harvey, changes peoples lives by helping them discover self-worth and clearing away the fog of life that sometimes restricts their view. Doug particularly helps those who have reached a stage of uncertainty in their lives and need to take control. To download two FREE chapters from his latest ebook, “Take Control Of Your Life”, click here :-> http://www.lifesight.net

All the “sure” boats to success have seemingly gone down. On a daily basis I hear people muttering a new belief: “Success just isn’t possible right now.” The drive to achieve ones goals, dreams and aspirations have been chucked overboard as impossible rubbish and have been replaced with a new belief: “It’s a desperate time where the best one can hope for is to just make it through without losing everything.”

The truth is that everyone still wants to achieve success today more than ever. And, it is not only possible but achievable! Our hopes, dreams and goals are still residing inside of us waiting to be unleashed but most people have lost their courage to trust themselves and to act upon their own instincts. We, the people are waiting for our World Leaders and experts to figure it out for us. We stand by waiting for them to deliver a “new way” to get us out of this rut when the power to bring about change is within each of us. The truth is that the world leaders, experts and we, the members of society cannot exist without each other. We have a shared and collective co-responsibility and ability to bring about positive change.

The one irrevocable truth that has emerged during this time of tumultuous “change” is that a new set of rules of engagement is required to bring us back home to hope, inspiration, motivation and success once again.

In my practice as a Sustainable Success coach, I have successfully assisted many people to continuously create success during this current economic and emotional time by using my “New Rules of Engagement” for a new era of commerce for sustainable success. Take a look at the “old way” versus the new way and give them a try. Many, including myself, are achieving new and continued successes in spite of what many perceive as the worst economic times of our lifetime.

OLD RULES OF ENGAGEMENT/COUNTERPRODUCTIVE:

1. Defensive Strategies: This creates antagonism, adversarialism and perceived “bad faith” efforts. Using defensive tactics is a fear-based strategy that creates opponents rather than partners for lasting wealth and well-being.

2. Negotiating Using Right vs. Wrong: Creates conflict and prevents harmony where mutual benefit and gain can emerge resulting in successful outcomes.

3. Power-Over Advantage: No longer do we see survival of the fittest based upon sheer strength. It is the determined and open-minded who are willing to negotiate from peace rather than fear that will produce long term gains for all concerned.

4. Non-Transparency: Breeds fear and lack of trust. No longer does non-transparency work to produce a sustainable bottom line or future wealth and well-being economy for individuals, corporations or relationships.

5. Competitive Take-Over: Working from a primary model of competitive elimination creates a lack of opportunity between individuals and entities that can gain benefit from each other’s strengths and abilities.

NEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT/PRODUCTIVE

1. Neutralizing Strategies: Examining, expressing and striving for the middle ground. Remember that each person’s “position” or “pole” is the variation of the same thing. For example: A coin has two sides: a head and a tail. But the coin cannot be a coin without each side. Do not attempt to disprove the other’s “side”; but recognize that each side has validity and strive to bring them together in harmony rather than insisting only one side is valid. This avoids chaos and creates stabilization and harmony.

2. Negotiate Through Open-Minded Information Sharing: There is no such thing as right or wrong. There is interpretation of facts and figures. Be willing to hear, ponder and understand the other side’s interpretation of facts, figures, information etc. Understanding their mindset and sharing yours is the bridge to creating shared resolutions and successful outcomes.

3. Relationship Building: Achieve a neutral position and condition of mutual benefit for long-term gain for all concerned by looking at every interaction, negotiation, situation and event as a long-term prospect. Approaching situations from a relationship building attitude creates cooperation rather than opposition that will not provide sustainable success for any of the parties directly or indirectly involved.

4. Diplomatic Transparency: Transparency is having the courage to own your own truth and then have the willingness to share it. Truth is the opposite of fear which is the only pathway to sustainable success be it financial or relationship. Withholding truth breeds fear and lack of trust. Having the courage to share your truth is the beginning of true self-trust, intimacy and sustainable success. Diplomatic Transparency is knowing what, when and how to share your truth with compassion.

5. Non-Monism Commerce: Understand and work from a mind-set of knowing that there is not any one sole source from which positive growth, expansion and success can come from. Too many of us lock onto one prospect or source as “the one” and hold onto it so tightly that potentially superior alternative opportunities are missed. Keep working the “deal” in front of you, but continue to cast your net wide and far, opening yourself to other prospects. Have confidence in your offering and know when to pass on an opportunity that isn’t unfolding according to your values. Trust that there is always an abundance of opportunity that can fill the space that you’ve just opened.

The successful 21st Century entrepreneur is one who understands what the new “sure thing” is: It is acting upon the TRUTH of your own values and having the courage, conviction, persistence and integrity to hold onto that truth. From your position of passionate integrity you will achieve the seemingly “impossible” and will be a significant mover in bringing forth the new 21st century model of commerce. The model which is built upon: integrity of self-trust and truth, faith rather than fear, strategic alliance rather than hostile competitiveness and, finally, the certainty that there exists in life a naturally occurring constant state of opportunity for the achievement of sustainable wealth and well-being.

“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”
- Roy Disney

© 2009, Linda Zander. All rights reserved. Reprints welcomed so long as article and byline are printed intact and all links made live.

Resource Box: Linda Zander, well-known as the “SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS COACH” is an accomplished entrepreneur, professional speaker and athlete. To obtain her cutting-edge strategies for achieving lasting and fulfilling success go to her website at http://www.lindazander.com and join her e-zine. You will receive her personal strategies that have worked during every life circumstance including today’s turbulent economic times. New e-zine readers will receive her free tipsheet “Beyond The Secret… Eight Tips For Sustainable Success”.

Tags: abundance, defensive strategies, goals, Life, success, sustainable success, tumultuous change, wealth