Random Word Generator

 I wrote recently about The Creativity Cure. One of the exercises included in the book was using a random word generator to spark creativity. 

Basically you can use an online word generator or just open any book and randomly choose a word. 

Start with a problem you have been contemplating. I chose I feel a little stuck, and am not moving forward. My random word was pasture. 

I then asked the question, “How is being stuck like a pasture. Here is where the creativity comes into play. Just like brainstorming start making a list of as many ways as you can think of that address the idea of being stuck is like a pasture. 

The first thing that came immediately to mind was the cliche “Being put out to pasture.” This generally happens when you are no longer considered “in your prime.” I didn’t want to think of myself being relegated to the pasture just because of my age. I reflected on this and decided it should inspire, encourage, and motivate me to remain useful and productive.

I also thought of pastures as being a place to roam and graze. I’ve watched our cows curiously check out anything new in the pasture. To me this meant to keep moving, exploring, and to be curious. In other words continue to feed your mind, because of course the pasture also provides a food source to those cows. 

Pastures are generally fenced in to keep the animals safe. The metaphor here is not to be confined by the fences you have erected in your life. Although you may feel safe in the known of your pasture, this is a false sense of safety. The reality is that predators can make their way into the pasture through the fence. 

Leaving the pasture is probably the better way. In fact, recently we added a remote control gate on our property. Leaving the pasture is so much simpler now. No longer am I required to leave my car, manually unlock the gate, open it, drive through, get out of my car, close the gate, lock it again, and then return to my car. Leaving the pasture is now a piece of cake!

During the spring months often the pasture is filled with wild flowers. This is a reminder to “Stop and smell the roses.”  Looking for those opportunities right in front of us to make life more interesting. 

Of course, during the winter months the pasture is eaten down to the ground, and is not able to provide enough nourishment to the cows. During this time extra hay is brought in to provide food for the animals. Is my life pasture barren and needing supplementation to keep my creativity alive? What can be done to nourish my soul during these more barren times?

Also, the winter is a time of rest for the pasture. Rest is an important and vital component of creativity. Being able to just do nothing seems impossible as I am continually plugged in, never allowing my mind to just roam. Making time for rest needs to be a priority in order for creativity to bloom. 

The pasture is also a place where deer sometime come to feed. It is a temporary respite from their home in the woods nearby. It takes risk to leave the safety of the wooded area and come out into the open to look for food. Risk taking is a part of life, and is not something to be avoided at all costs. 

The pasture is a peaceful and beautiful sight to behold from the comfort of my front porch. Looking for beauty in the simple things is certainly the way to go. 

One of the downfalls of the pasture are the grass burrs. These wicked stickers are the bane of our existence. They are not easily removed from the bottom of your shoes or your hand. This goes to show you that in life there is both good and bad. Although, we do everything we can to eliminate them we will never be completely successful.  Life is like that as well, and the lesson is not to overly dwell on the grass burrs, and press on. 

In addition to the grass burrs are the grasshoppers which have been known to come in biblical proportions. Luckily, they generally jump away from you, but you’ll never know that unless you venture into the pasture. When I first discovered them I was terrified. Now I casually brush off the one rogue hopper who didn’t quite get the message to jump away from the human. 

For me the best part about the pasture is pasture rides. We load up the Mule with our grandkids and my dog Cooper, and head out for a glorious ride. The wind in our hair, the laughter abundant, and the splash of puddles is the perfect way to spend time with the ones you love. 

So what have I learned from the random generator exercise. Well first, it sure was a lot of fun to do, and a great outlet for my creativity. As I compared my life to pasture life it opened my eyes to not wanting to remain fenced in to the safety of the known. It helped me to appreciate the beauty already in my life, and that just like the deer to venture out.

Sweetgrass Baskets

 

Over a decade ago my mother-in-law and her sister traveled up the east coast while my mother-in-law had ALS. The two of them made quite a pair, and their love for each other was demonstrated daily. They were world travelers, and continued to travel together even after the ALS diagnosis. 

On this last trip they stopped in Charleston, South Carolina where my mother-in-law purchased a Sweetgrass basket for me. It was quite unique, and came with information about the artisans. Apparently they were descendants of slaves who were originally from West Africa. These handwoven baskets are made from a variety of grasses and were originally used to separate rice seed from the chaff, and to hold household goods. 

After the emancipation of the slaves the baskets became highly sought after by collectors. These baskets can be found in the Smithsonian, and even King Charles owns one. The technique used to create these beautiful baskets is a coiled weaving technique.  The grasses used are sweetgrass, palmetto, pine needles and bulrush. The weaving is done with dry grasses, and the technique can be very hard on the hands of the artisan. 

Earlier this week I stopped by my favorite resale shop in Dublin, Tx. I came across a basket that caught my eye. After closer examination I was pretty sure it had to be a Sweetgrass Basket. I purchased it for $4.00 and when I got home I compared it to my original basket. Although, there are no markings on either basket they are definitely related. 

I was more than thrilled to find this gem. After a search on Etsy I found that these baskets can sell well into the hundreds, although to me mine was priceless in value. I guess now that I officially own two I’m considered a collector!

The Creativity Cure

 “I am creative. I am an artist. I am creating my life.”  Jacob Nordby

You may not know this about me, but I’m basically obsessed with any kind of book about creativity. My bookshelves are overflowing with this genre, and I am always on the hunt for another creativity tome. 

Recently I read, The Creativity Cure by Jacob Norby. His premise is that as we grew up we left behind that innate creativity that was part of our childhood. We “traded” it as he says for predictability and responsibility. 

He places a lot of the blame on our educational system which initially was  formed to create good little factory workers. The need for factory workers today may not be as great, but our allegiance to standardized testing pretty much ends with the same result. 

Perhaps it was some adult in your past that pointed out your failings in things like music, art or dance? For me it was the B in art class in Jr. High which kept me off the A honor roll. Sadly, I never took another art class in my public school career again. 

It wasn’t until I reached college when I was required to take art for my elementary education degree, that I remembered how much I loved it. Between Art Appreciation, Design, an art methods class, and then a class that included cartooning I was in my element. 

Being an elementary school teacher always gave me the opportunity to be creative, and to encourage my students to do the same. I really miss having that impact on those budding young creatives. 

Norby states that the three enemies of creativity are “socialization, traumatic experience, and rejection.” Definitely for me the fear of criticism, aka rejection, often held me back from really stretching my creativity wings. What if my art work, singing voice, or writing were not up to par? What would others think?

Luckily, according to Norby this innate creativity is never really lost. It’s just buried below years of denial. He even states that creativity is actually your birthright.

He emphasizes joy as the route to recapture this long forgotten birthright. “Joy and creativity go together. Joy is your guide and creativity is the method by which you travel.”

Norby encourages pursuing joy to help determine what really matters to you. Just like that well known geometrical principle of the shortest distance between two lines, joy takes you from where you are to where you want to go.

The Creativity Cure includes several exercise to spark creativity. From setting limits to welcoming randomness each idea allows your imagination to roam free. 

He includes Julia Cameron’s Artist Dates (I have included a whole list of ideas in the prior blog post.), not allowing should and shouldn’ts to get in the way, and encourages you to become the ‘author of your own life.” 

Norby’s cure is full of all kinds of creative activities that will allow you to unearth your true creative self. 

“Joy arises from the expression of our true nature.” Jacob Norby

Artist Date Ideas

Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way encourages taking time out from you week to spend on an Artist’s Date. These simple excursions or experiences are all ways to peak your curiosity and creativity. I’ve collected a series of Artist Dates that I’ve found on Pinterest, and wanted to archive for future reference. 

Last week I made a point to stop by an antique mall in Stephenville that I have been passing by for almost three years. I learned that it is only open a few days a week so I think my reluctance to stop by had to do with a confusion of whether it was still even in business. 

I was glad that I took the time to check it out as I was able to find a new piece for my budding new collection of small vintage planters made in Japan. I now have three, and am always delighted when I happen upon a new one. I’ve found that there are not too many of them in the local thrift and antique shops, so they are a real treasure when discovered. 

Artist Date Ideas

Explore a college campus-art museum, library, photo opportunities 

Scour an art museum- larger metroplex museums have art exhibits of famous artists 

Visit an antique store

Complete a walking trail-take plenty of photos

Mini-retreat at home- Check Pinterest for ideas

Schedule a mini-road trip

Go tech free for a day- read, draw, bake, art project

Visit an art supply store- Hobby Lobby, Michael’s

Spend some time outdoors- journey or sketch

Go for a walk in your town- document your experience through photos

Stop by the library 

Watch an Oscar nominated movie or classic movie

Grab a stack of magazines and create an inspiration board

Support the local arts scene- festival, music event, art show, play, museum exhibit

Plant something- flowers, herbs, micro-greens

Visit a thrift store with a $5.00 budget to find something to create with 

Spend an afternoon pursuing through your own personal library

Write a letter in long hand on pretty stationery to a friend

Go sit by a pond with your journal or sketchbook

Sit on your porch swing

Send a care package to your best friend or family member-take time and care to put loving thoughtful things into it

Choose a fantasy mentor- read their books, watch their videos, learn about their life as an artist, let them inspire you

Go cloud watching

Spend time browsing Etsy or Pinterest

Take yourself on a culinary artist date and try a new cuisine

Write a poem-haiku 

Write a letter to the person you plan to be in ten years

Check a book out from the library on a topic you are unfamiliar with

Go to an estate sale or yard sale

Make a list of 100 things that make you happy

Find a new blog to follow

Color a Mandela

Make a Bucket List

Lie in a hammock

Read a children’s book

Read poetry out loud to yourself

Visit a garden center

Drive aimlessly

Give yourself $5.00 to spend on an art project from the dollar store

Walk through a historical part of your town. Don’t forget to take pictures

Picnic in the park

Read an old journal of yours

Watch a documentary of your favorite artist

Finger paint

Buy a box of 64 crayons and a coloring book

Visit an old cemetery

Play at the park

Be a tourist in your own town

Visit a pet store

Try your hand at a new kind of art- You Tube

Visit a local farmer’s market

Spend a couple of hours at a local coffee shop

Visit a second-hand bookstore

Write down 10 things you’d like to experience before your next birthday

Have a paint and sip night-You Tube

Listen to a favorite album

Watch a Ted Talk

Go through old photos 

Paint Rocks

Start a journal of favorite quotes

Hone your photography skills

Create a bullet journal

Start a blog

Live like a fictional character

Stretch or try yoga or tai chi

Visit a State Park

Stargaze with a telescope

Create an Ideas journal

Spend time around the fire pit- make s’mores 

Watch a sunrise or sunset

Walk barefoot in the grass

Try a new cafe

Read an inspirational book

Dance in the rain

Visit a new library or independent bookstore

Learn hand-lettering

Sit on the porch while it rains

Do a directed drawing on You Tube

Picking Up Trash

Who knew that the simple act of picking up trash that had blown into our pasture could be so much fun. 

The other day while Chuck was busy clearing some limbs and bringing them to the burn pile the two older grandsons and I decided to take a pasture ride in our Mule. 

Chuck had pointed out that some debris had blown into the pasture, and asked if we would we mind picking it up. We live off of a highway so this isn’t uncommon. Since we run cows on the property it’s not a good idea to leave trash for them to investigate.  In case you didn’t know, cows are extremely curious creatures. 

As we made our way down to the front pasture I spied a large styrofoam drink cup. I hopped out to pick it up when I heard my 8 year old grandson yell, “Don’t touch it.” It was then I realized that he might have an affinity for germs. 

He reached in the back of the Mule and got the “grabber.” Apparently I like to live on the edge because I picked the cup up with my bare hands and threw it in the back of the Mule. 

We continued on with each boy taking turns retrieving trash using the “grabber.” Suddenly I heard one of the boys say, “Eeew a mouse!” I immediately responded with, “A dead mouse?”

My 6 year old grandson piped up with, “No a computer mouse.” I immediately burst into laughter. Picking up trash with these boys had been absolutely delightful. I hadn’t l laughed that hard in ages. 

Sometimes I envy the innocence of childhood and the ability to find joy in the simple things. 

“It is that sense of mystery and wonder and intense focus and fascination we lose as we age, that we need to recover, reclaim, own, cherish and share.”   Patti Digh  Life is a Verb

Respond vs React

 

Continuing with the Stoic teaching of control one thing to consider is response vs reaction.

Do you respond to what happens or do you react?

According to an article published by  SoulSalt entitled, How to Take Control of Your Life With 11 Small Shifts the following definitions are:

Reaction- “A reaction happens immediately in the unconscious without thinking. It is survival oriented and often a defense mechanism.”

Response- “When you process your initial emotional reaction before taking action. You observe your instant reaction, then ensure your actions remain in line with your core values.”

Although it is perfectly normal to have emotions, allowing them to take the lead is not always the best way to go. Taking a few moments to process those emotions or to “sit with them” allows you to respond more calmly.

I have a tendency to do all things quickly, including reacting negatively to things that come my way. Rather than taking a moment  to think about what I want to say,  words often come blurting out of my mouth. Most of the time this is not helpful In the long run.

I wish I could say that just knowing the difference between the two would help you to easily navigate life’s circumstances. However, for me responding instead of reacting is not an easy task.

I do believe, though, that awareness is a first step to making changes. I want to be more aware of my emotions, but at the same time give myself the opportunity to respond in a more constructive manor. 

Control

“People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” Epictetus

Epictetus, a first century Roman slave, and philosopher practiced a school of thought called Stoicism. One of the tenants of Stoicism has to do with control.

In other words, what do you have control over and what do you not? 

Sadly, many of us, myself included, spend way too much time concerned about what we can’t control. Epictetus believed that we could control our own attitudes though, regardless of the circumstances. 

It’s not always easy, but although you can’t control other people’s views you  do have the ability to control how you respond to them. 

Similarly, thoughts may pop into your brain that you may not like, but again you do have control over what you do with those thoughts. 

Learning to respond to emotions that may overtake you in the moment, can result in a much happier life. Stop focusing on the uncontrollable aspects of life, and put your efforts into what you do have control over. 

Is this always easy? Certainly not, but the discipline of choosing and controlling how you view life is definitely something to work toward.