Monday Post ~ October 24, 2011
“This now is it. Your deepest need and desire
is satisfied by this moment’s energy
here in your hand.”
~Rumi
What are your plans for creative practice this week? Given the specifics of your schedule, decide on a realistic goal or a milestone to reach for. A goal as simple as “I will be creative for 10 minutes every day” or “I will gesso three canvases” is what it’s all about. Share your goal(s) as a comment to this post, and let us know how things went with your creative plans for last week, if you posted to last week’s Monday Post.
Suggestion: When you’re deciding on your creative intentions, it’s a good idea to think about WHEN you’re going to write those 2,000 words or paint that canvas. Try to schedule the time slots in your calendar (if you keep one), understanding that flexibility may be required. If things don’t happen when you wanted them to, that’s OK. Give yourself a gentle push with one hand, but pat yourself kindly on the shoulder with the other if you don’t reach your goal for a given week. Sometimes it’s easier, sometimes it’s harder. Ride whatever you’ve got.
It’s also useful to have a sense of your minimum requirements (come hell or high water I’m going to write 100 words) while keeping a lookout for sudden opportunities to do more. You know, the day that the baby takes a monster nap or your partner takes the kids out to run errands and you find yourself with an unexpected “extra” half hour. Grab that time for yourself. You can catch up on the dishes and the laundry later. If you keep something creative in the back of your mind for those sudden opportunities, you’ll be more likely to use them to your advantage — rather than squandering your precious bonus moments on Facebook or vacuuming out the sofa cushions.
Studio Mothers: Life & Art 
last week’s goals:
commit to editing manuscript everyday with the goal in mind to finish by friday. (but not stress if i don’t) ~a bust, extra mayhem, a few of them, school issues for for my aspie, 3yo burned herself on the toaster one morning i scheduled to write, pediatrician. and my respiratory allergy blew up, i’ve been hopped up on steroids since fri morning.
more landscaping during the week, really need to get business done out front. ~ see above.
appreciate the colors around me as the season begins its change, my favorite! ~yes, that’s an easy one. 🙂
but i did move my blog from blogger to wordpress after tech difficulties. musingsinmayhem.wordpress,com. come on by!
i hate to sound so full of excuses,this was all big real life stuff.
this week: main thing: get back to normal activity, carefully. my 2x/mo tues writing group postponed to thurs. definitely writing there, will try during preschool hours, too throughout the week, i have a ton of laundry to do, too.
Last week my goals were:
-write three blog posts {YES!}
-make significant progress on my Right-Brain Business Plan {YES! Did the work-intensive parts of Ch 3 and started a new collage}
-practice yoga for 30-or-more minutes three times {Did one 30-min-or-more, and then did THREE 15-20 min as well…I call this a win}
-thoroughly enjoy time with friends and family {YES!}
YAY!
This week my goals are:
-write 3 blog posts
-keep working through the RBBP at a pace that feels right
-Yoga 15-20 min 5 times
-dance twice
-do some Halloween crafts with Xander
Yay, Meg! How’s it going with the RBBP??
AWESOME! I’m almost done Chapter 3 now…and I just scheduled tomorrow’s post, which is all about the work I’ve been doing on it. The process is amazing…I am SO loving it! 😀
How goes it, Meg? Share an update this week! xo
Last week I didn’t post even though I had a lovely time at Miranda’s Creative Open House. Thank you Miranda! I did finish the handout for the Yoga for Triathletes workshop and the workshop went well on Sunday. There’s a copy of the talk I gave on my blog at http://deborahsyogablog.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/thank-you-aim-team.
1. Daily home maintenance to maintain sanity! I fell way behind on this last week and it shows. 15 minute declutter, 15 minutes of paperwork/ finances, 1 load of laundry WDF
2. Begin planning for a new project- one panel a month from November through June, which will give me 8 panels in total and a chance to reevaluate my goals next summer. I’m not sure what size yet, but it’s to be a series of yoga poses, not necessarily the sun salutation but it could be. Each panel can incorporate layers of collage, transfer, monoprints, etc. I think it’s important at this point to take risks and chances and not worry so much about the end product. But hopefully I’ll come up with some visuals for my blog.
3. Noticed another yogi has the same worpress template as my blog. Worse, her blog is abrasive! So I need to at least personalize mine more. Also, I’d like to post more artwork with the posts. This week- one post with a preliminary drawing for a panel. So I’ll need to pick the first pose!
4. One painting day with kids to just have fun. Haven’t done this in a while although I keep meaning to.
5. Finish stenciling the girl’s bookcase.
6. Daily journaling
I loved reading your presentation, Deborah, and getting to know you a little bit. Wow. And it felt especially good to read your piece just hours after a nicely intense yoga class, I must say. Especially that bit about yoga keeping us young and fabulous!! 🙂
Ohh…last week? I don’t think I had any goals.
BUT, this week I have a renewed sense of purpose. 🙂
Exercise 3x this week
blog posts: Medieval Glassworker, Studio Mothers
torch time: 2x this week
Halloween costuming by Friday
Meditation time outside at least once this week
Carve pumpkins, do Halloween stuff with kids
And I think that’s probably plenty. 🙂
Would love to know, Christine, what accounts for the renewed sense of purpose! Any ideas?
Christine! We miss you…give us an update this week if you have the time.
Last week:
– Run 2X [YES]
– Yoga 1X [NO]
– A.M. time w/ son 2X [YES]
– Immunity Kit: Make herbal lozenges with kids [NO]
– Decluttering 2X [YES]
– Halloween: work on costumes for kids [YES – almost done!]
– Homework for Minerva Project class [YES]
This week:
– Run 2X
– A.M. time w/ son 2X
– Make herbal lozenges or clay-oak-leaf-felted-acorns project w/ kids
– Decluttering 2X
– Halloween: finish costumes for kids
– Homework for Minerva Project class
– Email best friends
– Call someone
Saturday I had an entire day to myself. It was *sublime*. This is what I did: http://cultivatejlcm.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/left-to-my-own-devices/
I know it’s a big fat homebody geek out session, but it’s what I love!
The last two “to-dos” on my list seem may seem odd, but I am trying to make a concerted effort to connect with my loved ones. I never make the time to call people and I think it’s important that I start doing that – especially considering all of my family and two dear friends live far far away.
Jane
What a treasure, that blog post of yours. Print out and keep somewhere for moments of discouragement??
I love the last two things on your list above. OK, well the last THREE things.
🙂
I’m in a vortex of sorts — won’t be able to keep up this pace forever. A mound of client work this week and so many other things going on that I’m not always sure which way is up. It’s only temporary: breathe in, breathe out….
Last week’s goals:
* Preparations for second workshop Sunday [YES]
* CCA homework for one class plus reading [YES]
* Journaling daily [YES]
* Yoga x 2 [YES]
This week’s goals:
* Preparations for third workshop Sunday [ongoing]
* CCA homework for one class plus reading [Th]
* Draft newsletter [Th/F]
* Write guest post for Bliss Habits [F?]
* Journaling [daily target]
* Begin promoting holiday workshop [Sat?]
* Yoga x 3