Photography by Shari Kingston Adams
Today I set aside some time to be creative without any agenda or purpose. How often do we get lost in our own creativity? For me that's very rare. Today I went out in nature to enjoy the changing of the seasons and savor my love of photography. How nourishing it can be to do something with no purpose in mind, except to enjoy yourself and explore your own creativity.
This week take time to savor something you love, with no thought or care about "how" it will benefit you...just explore it. Many times it's in those moments that you rediscover your Truu North or become clear about which way to start moving. Letting our "goal" oriented mind take a day off or even an hour off allows us to "hear" what our inner being is trying to tell us.
Ohhhh, the surprises you'll find!
While I was enjoying my afternoon I found some painters tucked in the grass capturing the colors of Fall and getting lost in their own creativity. They were taking time away from the "hustle" of the world to just be in there "own" moment. We don't need a whole day to do this....sometimes we just need a couple of hours. These moments aren't always convenient but I've found most of the good stuff isn't convenient anyways.
Our Peeling Paint Makes Us Interesting
In the midst of admiring the Fall colors I discovered an old barn in the hills near my home. A barn that I could tell had some stories to tell if only I could go back in time to see all the days its' already lived. Kind of like some of us? It's OK to stop and honor the days that have pasted, even when you're knee deep in trying to create your future. I think it's necessary to never forget days passed because it reminds us that we ALL have a story worth telling--even if our paint is peeling and our hinges are a little squeaky.
The finer details of fall is what I saw today...actually I experienced the finer details of life. If even for a couple hours I slowed time down for me and relished in the spaces around me. I went "off" schedule and found myself in between my hectic daily schedule and the unknown spaces we find when we follow our "gut" instead of our calendar--even if just for a few moments.
Feeding your soul isn't about a planned "day".
It's about moments that you let go. It's about moments that you lay down your agendas and hopes to "gain" something. There's a time for hustling and being productive and there's also a time for exploration, just being and no sense of needing to accomplish something. Both "states of being" are necessary for living the Truu North life and embracing your whole being.
Ideas on how to push pause for your life:
* The amount of time isn't as important as the amount of joy you get from what you're doing and your ability to let go of accomplishing something during your "paused" moments.
* Getting outside is a great place to begin because our modern way of life has taken us captive "inside" with computers, TV and our work. Nature is where we can easily reconnect with God so spend more time there.
* Don't try to take on too much. Set aside one hour to begin because you want to create a pattern that's easy to maintain and you look forward to. Choose something you love or just do something on a "whim", it doesn't matter. Listen to your heart and do that.
