One Step Enough for Me

I was listening to the hymn 'Lead Kindly Light' a few weeks ago and one line seemed to jump put at me waving it's proverbial arms screaming "Notice me! Notice Me!" That line was:

This has become my mantra. I'm the type of person that likes to go at things at lightening speed and not really think things through from beginning to end. So now when I'm starting a new goal I have this hanging in my room to remind me to take it one step at a time, that is all I can do - one step is enough. And if I continue to take one step each day/week/month, whatever I have time for, I am that much closer to achieving my goal.

Does it frustrate me that I can't snap my fingers and have something completed. You betcha! But I am learning to be patient with myself and my limitations.

So my challenge to you is to write down a goal to achieve a more balanced life (just one goal-let's not get crazy), figure out small manageable steps that will bring you closer to that goal and let's make it happen.

You deserve it - No excuses.

Next time on Life in the Form of Art - Problem Solving the Creative Way.

What I Learned Friday: Wonderland

Disclaimer: I didn't get to see the play on Broadway before it closed it's doors :( but I absolutely love the music.

10 Things I've Learned from the music of Wonderland:

 

1. The definition of Home: (Love it!)

"Home is not place, an address you memorize... It's where you never feel lonely whenever you're alone. That's how you know you are home."

 

2. Who I am and who I'm not.

"Identity is a tricky trick business, you think your somebody till suddenly you're not. Your not your name and your not your address, cause the you who you remember is who you forgot."

 

3. You have to look past your own reflection to what can be.

"Through the looking glass we go risking everything for what might be. All the things you used to know when your heart was young enough to see. Through your own reflection past your imperfection."

 

4. "I am my own invention"

You have the power within you to create yourself through your thoughts and actions.

 

5. "Nothing can exist till you dream it first"

"not the way things are but how they should be, this is what is true, wish upon a star, close your eyes and see all that you can do"

 

6. "Together we're going to make it back home."

It takes us all to help each other find our way home.

 

7. Hold onto those you love

"The hours move the days go by we wait for heroes to fall from the sky. Don't wait to long to learn what's true. ... The future can't change the pas,t make every second last, for all we have is here and now"

 

8. Slow Down - Enjoy the moment

We move to fast. We miss so much. We seldom see all the miracles in front of us.

 

9. "Ordinary magic happens every single day"

 

10. "Wonderland is never far away"

"Finding Wonderland is taking time to see the child within whose always been there smiling back at me... Finding wonderland is finding who you are the child within has always been there like a shining star...Finding wonderland is going home again to feel the love another gives and giving back and then if you should lose your way reach out for someone's hand and you'll be finding Wonderland"

Moderation - The Key to Balance

I believe moderation is the key to a balanced life. Moderation is defined as "being within reasonable limits". I have learned to much (or to little) of anything can be a bad thing. Moderation applies to every aspect of our lives - from the food we eat to the clothes we wear to what we decide to do or not do with our time.

I have been taught:

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." (Mosiah 4:27)

Who would even think to run faster then they physically had the capacity to (except while being chased by bears, lions or zombies). It seems crazy. But all to often we do just that in our day to day lives. We schedule to many meetings or activities. We have every minute of every day planned out without a break. Who do we think we are - Superman/woman?

Moderation helps us do things "in wisdom and order". It helps us not become obsessive over one particular aspect of our lives. It helps us focus on the bigger picture. It keeps us from ever getting to that dreadful place called 'burn-out' where there is no energy to do anything we love.

Next week I'll share a saying that has really helped me when it comes to goal setting and doing things in moderation and I believe it will help you as well.

Are you Juggling while Riding a Unicycle?

I think we've all had those times in our lives when it feels like we are juggling ten balls in the air while riding a unicycle. It looks something like this:

and feels like we are a circus act. No Bueno.

When I get in times such as that I am reminded of a lesson I learned while painting in college. I was working on a painting to represent discord (ironic huh). To clarify art isn't something that has ever come naturally to me, I've had to work hard at it and push myself and this project was definitely pushing myself because I tend to run away from anything that could be described using the word 'discord'. I was struggling to find the balance of the painting, I kept adding more layers to bring balance to the work as a whole. My professor looked at it and told me to get my mat cutting blade out (we all had a generous supply of them). He then went to work and taught me a valuable lesson in art and life. "Sometimes it's not about adding something - it's about taking away." As we thoughtfully scrapped layers of paint away the piece became balanced.

Sometimes life cannot be balanced by adding another ball to the mix.

Sometimes the answer is simply to get off the unicycle.

What can you drop from your life (at least temporarily) to make it more balanced?

What I Learned Friday: DreamWorks Rise of the Guardians

So on Friday's I've decided to add a bit of randomness to the blog. We can't be serious all the time, right? Friday's I will share things I've learned from works of art, be it music, paintings, sculpture, movies, plays anything goes really. I may add a few other random series in on specific Friday's to mix things up a bit I'm still working on the details of those, ideas are percolating just have to get them moving forward. Here it goes.

5 Things I Learned from: DreamWorks Rise of the Guardians

 

1. Just because you can't see something doesn't make it any less real/true.

 

2. Once you find your center (what makes you, well you) you can battle anything with confidence.

I'll admit every time I think of this the line from Disney's Mulan sings through my head:

"Once you find your center you are sure to win"

 

3. Be true to your nature.

 

4. The Answer is in your memories.

 

5. Hope overpowers fear.

Pattern for Balance

In the Gospel of Luke we find a pattern for balancing life. Luke records: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52)
Here we find 4 areas that need balancing and that if balance properly will bring us joy.
Wisdom. Stature. Favor with God. Favor with man. Or in other words:

Mental. Physical. Spiritual. Social

As I work on maintaining a balance between these four areas of my life I find I feel more fulfilled and whole - if that makes sense. I believe there is significance to the order that Luke recorded them in, at least in the specific pairings. While taking care of ourselves physically is important, taking care of ourselves mentally and continuing to stretch our brain power to gain knowledge, I believe, is infinitely more important. Likewise, while being accepted and favored by our peers is necessary to our sense of well being, finding favor with God is vital to our eternal happiness.

When you are setting goals and establishing priorities it is essential to not overlook and neglect any of the areas of our lives.

How do you take care of yourself mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially?

Balance Requires a Strong Core

First and foremost let me apologize for being MIA...Life got CRAZY! But I'm back!

If there is one thing I learned from working out with a personal trainer it is this: Planks hurt and planks on a Bosu Ball are evil! For those of you not familiar with the little torture device it looks like this:

 

Innocent enough, right? Wrong! To do anything with this little monster takes a great deal of balance which requires a great deal of strength in the core muscles. I hated this piece of equipment - my trainer loved it, planks on it, push-ups on it, crunches on it she made me do them all. (obviously my core needs a little - okay a lot - of strengthening! I once observed a man standing on one foot with 20 lbs in each hand doing knee bends. Craziness but cool to watch and someday aspire to or not.)

 

So what does this have to do with balancing our lives? I have found that balancing my life takes a strong core as well. A core of principles, purpose and priorities. The 3 P's. Why would this be important? I don't know about you but life likes to give me options - to many options - of how to occupy my time. Without a strong sense of purpose, and principles by which I govern my life I'm not sure I would ever get anything done (besides reading).

 

In order to maintain a balanced life we must first figure out what principles we hold dear, what purposes we want to achieve and prioritize our time accordingly.

 

Here are a few of my core principles and purposes:

• As I put God first, He puts me first.
• Education is key to opportunity
• Work to live, live to play
• A little gratitude goes a long way
• Look beyond yourself and help others achieve greatness

What are your core principles and purposes and how does it effect how you spend your time?