Stuck in a rut? We can all learn a few lessons from our children. Kids and even animals have a way of finding the beauty and fun in the everyday. Take Memphis here... he found a piece of plastic left by the builders who are building homes in our neighborhood and turned what adults would view as litter or trash into something beautiful and fun. We might look at that long piece of plastic on the ground and say to ourselves..."Geez...why can't people clean up after themselves, there are trash cans everywhere!!!" But not a child...they see this long piece of plastic on the ground, pick it up and go running, watching it fly in the air like a kite behind them, giggling and smiling along the way.
Imagine this photo without this piece of "litter". The photo wouldnt have that sense of discovery. You would think I had taken this photo on a beautiful open field. Nope. There are houses everywhere. Trashcans line the alley way. There is rope and development all around. I too looked at our landscape with new eyes. We didnt go to some majestic park, I simply layed down on the ground under the hill which created this effect.
So...how does this relate to being stuck in a rut?
I think the most important landscape we can look at is ourselves. Are you looking at yourself with the same ole eyes? Or are you looking at yourself with fresh, new eyes? How are you holding back? We all hold back in one way or another, this is normal. Is there something you have always wanted to do or try? Go do it. Is fear holding you back? Sometimes you have to say "screw fear, I'm taking a chance. I don't care what people will say!" I had no idea I could paint but I tried it and watched videos on Youtube and practice. Now I am selling paintings. I decided to give writing a try. I found a topic I felt passionate about so I submitted it to the magazine...
It's being published in the June issue of BellaGrace Magazine.
Talk to people, get their input. My good friend mentioned in stride me taking my pictures and scanning them into the computer, editing them then selling them as stationery. That very afternoon I researched how to do this and now I have stationery for sale and have sold two sets. No one is going to change your eyes for you. You have to change your perspective yourself.
Let me warn you...self-discovery is a very fun but not so easy task. You are going to have to put the effort into what you want. Do you want to lose weight? Then you will have to exercise and eat healthy. Do you want to be a painter? Then learn from those better than you, do the research and practice. Do you want to move up in your company? Then do what it takes. Give more, work harder. Do you want to have a better marriage? Then take courses together and learn to love the way your spouse needs to feel loved, not in what you choose to give. Look at the landscape of yourself and your life with new eyes. Life is meant to be lived. It is meant to be discovered. There is so much beauty and joy here.
You have to be brave, work hard and change your perspective.
Blessings to you all,
Emily