I am someone who tends to be very goal-oriented and as such tend to have a hard time living in the moment and enjoying the things that are in the "now." Often times my mind moves on the the next phase, the next thing, the next challenge, even before the current one is over. While this is not always a bad thing and has served me well at certain times in my life, I come to a juncture where I've had to work on training myself to remember that "now" only happens once and that I'll only have one "today" no matter what tomorrow does or doesn't contain.
In light of that mindset, I try to be more aware of the little joys in life, the things that make me smile or laugh "just because." This afternoon I experienced one such unexpected little joy. I came home this afternoon after some errands with a friend to a box at my front door. Now let's face it, I like to receive any kind of mail that's not junk mail or bills, but I was especially looking forward to this one as I knew it contained some music I had requested from my brother. However, upon opening the box the first thing my eye fell on was this note written in very familiar handwriting.
Now in my family, anywhere where "warm," "fuzzy," and "food" appear together, there's some serious chocolate nearby.:) I was not disappointed.
Admittedly, I don't totally understand the mashed potatoes. I'm sure there's a story behind them; there usually is behind these kinds of things.:) Regardless, this was a warm and fuzzy moment for me without even tasting anything! Thanks guys - you're awesome!
Almost everyone is familiar with that icebreaking question that we often use to get to know someone “What do you do?” Upon hearing my response, I cannot even begin to count the number of people who have either asked “why” or have looked at me askance. College professors have encouraged me to further my education, business people have encouraged me to shoot for the top and climb the corporate ladder, customers and friends have asked me what I want to do with my life, and most, if not all, are more than slightly perplexed by my choice of careers when “the world is at my fingertips.” What is it I do? I’m in retail sales and education; basically, I sell sewing machines and then teach people how to use them. But wait, don’t stop reading, because I have shared five reasons for my career choice which will perhaps shed some light on “what I do.”
Reason #1: I have CHOSEN this because I am a lifelong student. While many view me in the role of the instructor, in the time I have been teaching, I have found that I learn as much from the individuals I teach as they do from me. Each and every day I am surrounded by people I can learn from and who will challenge me. My life, my career is a journey. May it always challenge me to move forward, push to new levels, and grow to new heights.
Reason #2: I have CHOSEN this because I daily have the chance to express my own creative voice. Mine is an industry of art, and any art is a form of self-expression. Often, these art forms are relegated to “off-the-clock hours” or weekends when not at one’s day job. They become recreational activities that receive only the energy that’s left over after the day is done to relax and release. My choice is one in which I am surrounded by creative vision all the time and one in which I enjoy the freedom to express that vision.
Reason #3: I have CHOSEN this because it is filled with life and passion. Now, with the understanding that you do not have to do what I do in order to be filled with life and passion, it is still one of the top reasons for my choice. My industry is one that is filled with life and color. Dreams and inspirations dance like fairies in creative minds, waiting to come to life. Those of you who have gotten glimpses into my mind, know that it is very type A and very active; usually thinking much faster than my embroidery machine can even stitch. A creative space, a creative mind: neither should ever be sterile, but filled with life.
Reason #4: I have CHOSEN this because it allows me to share life and passion with others. Perhaps one of the two most profound reasons behind my choice, I am daily humbled by the privilege I have to share my passion with others. With each teaching experience, I have the opportunity to share laughter, creativity, energy, and joy. Are these not some of the most precious things in life we can share? If this were my only reason, it would be enough. Each day I have the opportunity to invite someone to come in, sit down, let go, and say “yes.” No, my invitation is not always accepted, but knowing that those who did accept have left happier than when they came is enough.
Reason #5: I have CHOSEN this because I LOVE it. No, this is not an “I’m in transition” thing. No, I’m not in this because it’s what I started in high school and haven’t moved on to a “real career” yet. No, I’m not doing this because it’s “what was available” or because it fell in my lap. I have CHOSEN (yes, chosen) this because I love what I do. The previous four reasons all combine (with many others as well) to lead me to this: I LOVE WHAT I DO! I love the challenge, the growth, the passion, the opportunity to share, and the creativity. With as much energy as a full-time job takes in one’s life, why not do something you love? “I’d rather be doing nothing at all, than do something I don’t love. (What happens in Vegas)” While most everyone who is taking the time to read this knows me well enough to know that I could never do nothing without going stark-raving mad, it is interesting to note that Hollywood gets this. We don’t all have the opportunity to make a career out of something we love, but we would be fools to pass up those opportunities when they present themselves.
What do I do? I daily try to touch the lives of others, however briefly, by presenting the opportunity for healthy self-expression, providing a safe creative space, and encouraging and allowing them to say “yes” to a creative vision. And, my life is equally touched by the shared creativity, growth, and passion. How could I resist a choice like that?
Please bear with me as my blog continues to be "under construction." My template doesn't seem to allow comments at this time, but we'll have it up and running to its full capacity as soon as possible.;-)
When one grows up in one country and then has to move to another country, they often experience culture shock. This is defined by the dictionary as: "a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment." However, I have found that one doesn't have to leave the country to have this experience.
So, what was the big culture shock when I came here to Iowa? College football. I remember once asking Dad "Who watches college football, anyway?" Now I know - Everybody in Iowa. After watching the fans, I finally asked someone about it. She said that it was such a big thing because they don't have a pro team. I asked a couple of other people and they all said the same thing. Hmmm.......we do have pro teams in CO and I never met any fans like the ones out here. Craziness.
I was telling this story briefly at a presentation I was doing at work, when my coworker and co-presenter pipes up and says "Now I know what to get you for Christmas - A foam finger!!!!" Yay, I'm so excited........but for which team..........?????
For those of you out there who have worked at quilt shows, you know that it is usually a good idea to wear comfortable shoes. Convention centers and fairground buildings typically have flooring that is just not that friendly on the feet. However, those of you who know me well also know that I'm not usually caught at work anytime not wearing dress shoes. Those of you who know me really well know that I have a pair of black heels that I wear constantly with slacks, skirts, or dresses. And, those of you who know me really, really well have seen me in tennis shoes a few times when I'm running. All that goes to say, I do alternate shoes sometimes if one pair starts to bother me, but I've been known to wear that one pair of black heels several days in a row, even at a show.
So true to form, the two days that I spent working out at a show this weekend, I wore my black shoes. I've lost count of how many comments I've gotten in the last few days about the shoes I wear. In fact, one of these days someone is going to go and buy me a pair of tennis shoes and bring them to work. It's not that I don't own tennis shoes, I just don't wear them often. I suppose most of that is because I don't dress for tennis shoes. However, more than that, those black shoes are more comfortable than most of my other shoes! Hmm....I might just have to think about giving the black shoes a rest.....just for everyone else's feet that start hurting when they look at them.:)
Sometimes, I just can't help but reflect on the myriad of twists and turns that our lives can take. If someone had told me two years ago that in the next two years I would get engaged, get walked out on, quit a job I loved, and move by myself out of the state I grew up in, I think I might have found a nice cozy basement to curl up in (with my sewing machine, of course). But in my reflection, I can't help but wonder who I would be without those experiences in my past. While I've never been one to readily embrace change and while some of the experiences I've had are certainly not things I'd care to relive, I know that each and every experience prepared me for something else in my life. If I have the insight and wisdom to learn from my circumstances rather than fighting against things that I can't change; those circumstances, though not easy, will help me grow and prepare for future situations I may face. May I never be so caught up in what is going on that I get shortsighted and forget to stretch, learn, and grow through whatever situation I find myself in.
Well, I came home from church today to a note that there was pancake batter ready in the fridge. Ok, so I put the pan on the stove and turn it on. I waited for the pan to heat up and pour the batter in.....not hot enough. Okay, so I poured the batter back into the bowl, turned up the heat, and waited again. I repoured the batter and it's still not very hot, but I just went with it. So, I walk away (and I swear I wasn't away very long) and the next thing I know, the smoke alarm is going off. Sure enough, I walk into the kitchen and there is smoke pouring out of around the pancake. Yeah. So, I took it off and dropped the pancake in the sink.
Now....how to turn off the smoke alarm. I thought that maybe if you hit the button it would turn off (that's the way ours was at home), but no, that would be too easy. Ok, maybe if you press the button and hold it.....nope. Ok, maybe if you hit it with a sledgehammer - alright so I didn't really test that method. I finally gave up and pulled out the battery. The whole time I was just envisioning the residents of the entire building showing up at the door to make sure that something wasn't burning down or to tell me they had called the fire department. But, that didn't happen and I got the smoke alarm off.
Next I had to open the windows and turn on fans to do my very best to clear the smoke. Once that was clearing, I still needed something to eat - I was looking for an excuse to eat a slice of cherry cheesecake for lunch anyway.:)
I recently took a road trip during which “inspiration” seemed to be the theme. I thought on it much of the twelve hour drive out, much while I was there, and more while I was driving back. So what is inspiration? Where does it come from? These are some of my thoughts from my trip.
What is inspiration? A dictionary definition of “inspire” includes, “to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence; to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.; to influence or impel.” A dictionary definition of “inspiration” includes, “something inspired, as an idea; a thing or person that inspires.” So, inspiration is an idea or thought that is aroused or ignited by something or someone that is motivating in some way.
Where does inspiration come from? In my industry, some of the more common places to find inspiration are from books, patterns, sewing stores, and quilt shops. However, in any creative endeavor there are an infinite number of sources for inspiration. Something I’ve always enjoyed is hearing/reading the stories about the inspiration behind a creative work. One may be inspired by a person who encourages an idea or pushes creative thinking. One could be inspired by something they see, such as a beautiful landscape, or something they see only in their mind’s eye. One may also be inspired by an idea; something that is not tangible but exerts strong influence. Lastly, one may be inspired by a combination of these, or something that doesn’t quite fit into any of these categories. I personally have been inspired by everything from pictures I’ve seen, to the abstract concept of the coming of Spring after Winter.
As somewhat of a side note, I would greatly encourage the recording of inspiration. I have only recently begun doing this and I advocate it now for several reasons.
1) Sometimes something inspires us and yet we do not have the time to act on the inspiration right that second. If you capture that moment, record those thoughts, etc., you will be able to revisit those inspirations when the right time comes.
2) Often, what begins as our inspiration will change and evolve throughout the creative process. That’s okay. Let it. But, record those changes and document how a piece came to life. As I said, this has only recently become a habit I try (and fail sometimes) to practice and honestly we all have pieces that we just do with little to no inspiration driving us. But, I have not regretted a single one of my “Inspiration Journal” entries simply because they each document a creative journey.
3) This may cause a few of you to chuckle, but it is one of the more practical applications. Inevitably, artists are often asked questions like, “What was your inspiration for this piece?” and “How long did this piece take?” I personally have been asked questions like this so many times. While we, as the artists, can often remember most of the major points about a piece, I know that many times I’ve been asked a question that I simply can’t remember the answer to and it’s my own work for goodness sake! So, I have found that the act of documenting the journey really cements those details and I have an even greater appreciation for the finished product.
So, why do I bother to share these rather lengthy thoughts? In spite of the fact that we are all surrounded by sources of inspiration each and every day, I know from firsthand experience that we sometimes allow ourselves to get so caught up in our daily lives that we miss them. My goal is to take the time to notice that sources of inspiration are all around me and to encourage you to look for them as well. Make a point to notice the colors in a sunset or a single flower, to talk to those who can inspire you, and to allow a pattern printed on a piece of fabric to take you where it will. Inspiration starts as a spark and turns into a journey. Enjoy each and every minute of it.
