Somewhere, sometime earlier in the year (while I was enjoying the summer sunshine) I remember sitting down and setting  goals and created a plan for my life this year, as I saw (thought) it was goind to unfold.  It’s called visualisation.  Some say dreaming.  Others will know it as motivation.

Which ever term you are comfortable with, hey, that’s fine by me.  My thought for this continued subject is how did I progress to today, and according to my year plan, how much have I actually achieved to date?  What can I tick of my list as completed and what have I yet to acheive?

A wake up call by the name of Jeanette came to me today.  My mother in law from a previous life re entered my life – (much to my absolute delight).  Technology provided the method of communication – but what understanding one gets from the power of words, and what emotion the power of those words can evoke. 

PASSION! 

Passion for life, for continuing to fulfill dreams and reach peaks set years prior to today are still apparent in her written voice.  She had achieved more than she set out to when we shared so much, I am humbled and proud for and by her zest for life.  But I ask myself, how did she do it? What led to her success and fulfilment so far?

Stamina - In my opinion that’s what lies in her success.  Stamina on top of motivation and intention.  The endless ability to persue, follow, manage time, push aside doubt, create and achieve – EVERY DAY, and then rise the next morning full of anticipation of fulfilling those same necessities that ensure your individual success. 

I see a lack of committment in my life covering this area.  I plan, I start, I enthuse and seek the means – then I let something interferre and put my idea on hold….I have lots of starts – but in reality not a lot of actual completions.  So wake up call! 

I am now into a different frame of mind and will revisit one aspect of the whole plan and persue it to a natural completion for it’s purpose.  I will ensure I put changes into place that will increase my stamina to persue my own life goals, within my lifetime.  We cannot borrow, beg or steal more time from anywhere – it is what it is, and once it has passed cannot be regained or in anyway relived.

How many times have I said that statement to my students – but not listened to it myself?  More times that I will admit.

My future is in my hands and I need to take ownership of it.  Steps require action on a daily basis and most importantly my goals need to be set in front of me once again to be revisited in terms of importance and relevance.  Then I will move on and relish in the passion to live the life I know I will love. 

I am now in serious training to fulfil the rest of my life – I will build the stamina to a level where I can complete the marathon that is my life and my future.

I looked into the Collins Concise Dictionary and Thesaurus for what their well known meaning of the words were.  The dictionary came up with the usual imaginative, inventive…..but it was the thesaurus that caught my eye with words like “fertility, productive, cleverness, talent, originality”.  So what’s the big deal you ask?  My eyes wandered to the word directly beneath “creator” to which the following words were given space….”architect, author, begetter, initiator, framer, God, maker, father, originator”. 

Without creating a huge uproar from men everywhere – since when did the men only take role of creator without the mother?  When did the creation of making another human life become a “one man band” (excuse the pun )?  Have I missed something in the last few months?? Has there been a startling revelation that men can indeed become hermaphrodites?   I’ll leave that one with you for awhile…I feel another tangent coming on……

My point exactly is – who gets to say what is creative and what is not?  Who gets to determine what is art and what is not?  On who’s authority do they get to choose above everyone else?  Who has the best intentions in their words when they tell a young child their creative attempts have been for nought – that in the world of adults they are not considered to be “creative”?

Why do we take it upon ourselves to be experts in all fields?  Who, and from what background of any form of creative process are we to judge others in a different field? And even more scary – who are we to set our children on a path of non exploration, a path of self destruction and doubt by not really appreciating the time and thought that they put into their little lives every day?

I sounds a little trivial – but I believe that in order for our true intentions to create to become apparent to even ourselves, we need to push aside other peoples interpretations of colour combinations, their need to have so called art created with specific media, even their ideas for subject intentions erased.  Art for Arts sake! 

Some of my most memorable artistic times were in Play-centres surrounded by children who painted me from head to toe with finger paints of their own making. (white overalls)  Their ability to look beyond what I as an adult knew as painting was amazing.  They not only painted me – they decorated their world as they saw it.  With wild abandon they rushed around and gathered their needs, sand, dirt, crayons, leaves, twigs, dish-washing liquid for coloured bubbles (they even taught me that one!).  The revelled in their own knowing of what they wanted to do at that moment.  There was no standing back to ensure it was covered evenly, that the colours didn’t clash or that they’d used just the right shade.

So I go back to the question.  Who’s opinion are we trying to gain and for what purpose?  what are we trying to prove and who to?  Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of art, freedom of music – they are all forms of creativity, expressions of people, places and personalities, harsh realities of life, joy and feelings…..who really is entitled to judge?………

But how many of you actualy think about why a person is smiling.  How do we tell whether it’s a genuine smile as opposed to a “I want them to spend some money” smile?  An “hey it’s great to see you” smile – or “I’m hurting inside, but I’m too proud to let it show?” smile.

Over the last couple of days I have had the experience of feeling a little hurt at words written about how I like to help people in their struggles through everyday life.  Hurt not because I intend taking it personally…hurt because these  people can’t have a lot of positive thoughts to engage their energy or curiosity away from me.  It just made me wonder what was behind their smile.

We all have obstacles placed in our way.  We all have challenges and struggles, hurdles and brush fences to crash into or through.  Surely we are intended to learn from these in some shape or form.  Isn’t life about experiences, lessons learned from experiences past, as well as experiences yet to be actualised?  What stops a person from identifying with life enough to make this connection?

“Human knowledge and human ability (or human power) come together, because it is ignorance of cause that robs us of success.  For we only take power over nature by giving way to  it, and what appears as the cause when we observe, should serve as a rule when we implement.”  Francis Bacon 1561 – 1626

He may have lived a very long time ago, but his study of life and humans is still very pertinent today.  “Knowledge is Power” was what we would call today a catch phrase.  I agree with Bacon on this, but I will admit to also recognising that aboslute power can corrupt.

Where is this leading?  Intimidation, coersion, brow-beat, frighten or dispirit – it is all intended to gain power over another person to make oneself feel good.  But it is still old fashioned bullying. 

Everyone is different.  We look different, we speak different, we wear different clothes, we eat different foods, we like doing different acitivites………we have different thoughts.  Why in that case, are we so hell bent on trying to make everyone think the way we do?  Why don’t we listen intently to what other people have to say?  It may be really interesting or enlightening, educational or motivational – I believe everyone has something to offer the world.

If only we would keep our own counsel and actively listen….. we might find the real reason behind every smile………that’s what this writer would call REAL motivation………..

Think about it and get back to me…….I’m all ears…

Perhaps it’s a personal need to fulfil a part of life experience not yet attempted.  Maybe the persuit of excellence in a field, or just plain “want” instead of “need”. 

It is well researched in educational institutions that motivation is at the forefront of student success in all areas.  Reading and writing is one area that our primary schools are trying to lift  success rates in.  It seems the enthusiasm I felt when going to school for the first day is not common in many new entrants in this century.  Which begs the question “Where do we ‘find’ this motivation?  Is it learned or is it taught?

The Journal of Educational Research, 11/1/2006. Through the perspective of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2002; Ryan & Deci, 2000), the authors explore motivation to read in an urban middle school. Self-determination theory (SDT) provides a research-based perspective of motivation, especially motivation related to school.  http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-155404006.html

So once we have researched the why, who, where, and how theories, then how do we begin to justify the findings in relation to the apathy and procrastination of high school and adult students? 

My point is that, the sooner we stop instilling a generalisation of education onto our young (future), surely the creativity will return.  Does it not follow that then the individual will grow in the areas of their known strenghts, and will they not then aspire to an excellence in their “chosen” field – rather than half a schooling life trying to avoid subjects they are doomed to fail in and indeed are knowledge killers?

It may be a strong point of view – but how many reading this actually received the education of their choice?  How many came out of secondary education enthused and motivated to be the best they could possibly be as a plumber?  Or were they just pointed in the direction of physical labour due to their lack of “knowledge” as the academics saw it?  Who inspires these absolutely necessary people in society to be the best plumber in the world?  To actively become involved the trade to explore new trends, become a leader to others following, to be taken seriously as a career person?

This writer thinks the motivation is only ‘taught’ to those that mainstream considers ‘worthy’.

Think on it and give your own view.

I look for the new flower that has emerged overnight, the fresh dew on the grass the sparkles in the early morning sunshine….I even write using expressive words and create pictures in people’s minds. I’m sure I have been put on this earth for a purpose!

Who wants to wake up every morning and look outside only to see the clouds and rain?  Who seriously does not enjoy that first cup of coffee or tea in the morning after the nights fast? Who doesn’t like the pay check at the end of the week?  Think about it.  Give a thought to how the world looks to you and try to ascertain why it looks this way?  Once you actually give thought to something other than grey , perhaps the beginning of a lifetime of change will happen.  You might notice something bright red!

Happy is contagious.  Feel the feeling that takes place when a smile extends your face and the gurglings of laughter rise from your lungs.  The warmth that envlopes feels similar to standing in the sunshine on a crisp autumn morning, the warmth permeates right through to the bones.  The body responds with a small shiver before it relaxes and a small sigh escapes your lips.

Little things.  That’s all it takes.  One small step at a time.  Think happy be happy act happy.  Smile, laugh, be spontaneous, live life loud if you want to – it’s your life to live.

The ability to feel happy is within everyone’s grasp.  It only takes a moment to change a thought, it only takes a thought to change an action, it only takes an action to change the intention and it only takes an intention to change an opinion.  Once the opinion has changed a friend might be noticed.

Look outside your window tomorrow morning, where ever you are, find something to smile at. Remember it only takes a moment….and you are allowed to feel happy…in fact, I recommend it!

I mean, to choose  a particular path for your life? 

There is so much written about how to live your life – where the best place to live your life is and who you should live your life with…..BUT…..( isn’t there always a but?) who keeps you motivated and inspired to live the life you choose?

Do you do what you love to do?  Because if you don’t love what you do, the chances are you are not putting enough effort into it to be really, really good at what you are doing.  Most of us are taught skills in school or by parents, family and friends. Most of us naturally do not like to do things we aren’t really good at.  This leaves us wide open to comment or even ridicule from others.  So we give it up.  We tell ourselves that we really aren’t good enough to continue – we didn’t want to do it anyway. 

What we really lack when we give up is the desire to be good.  The desire to challenge and deliberately face the practise that will make us better, faster, proficient.

Try it, use the power within yourself – yes – your strength, your desire, to deliberately practise the areas of your life you want to improve.  Each day you will feel more practised, more confident, therefore will want to improve even more. 

Make a point of Loving your New Life!  Who ever said ‘Life is not a Practise Run’ was only half wrong.  The other half is where we learn to love what what we do, and get what we want, from the life we choose to love.  Think about it….then get back to me.