Tuesday, February 14, 2012

FEB 14th Happy VD & Other Stuff

Hi Journal & Friends,



Okay, don't holler at me for the title... I know what VD stands for in medical circles! But I saw Anne use that at Carb Tripper and it cracked me up, so I shamelessly stole it! LOL! Come to think of it, she often cracks me up. :-D 




On to the Other Stuff...

I recently stumbled upon a website created by Todd Henry called the Accidental Creative, and found it fascinating. Don't have a clue how I got there, but am glad I did. 

They have free podcasts and one was an interview he did with author Michael Bungay Stanier, who wrote Do More Great Work (Here). 

Now, here's what caught my curiosity. Before I listened to the interview, I had clicked to his website to see if I was interested. There, the description of the book was TOTALLY BORING!! Ugh... yet the podcast had promised oh-so-great things.

Daredevil that I am (yeah, right) I listened anyway. Surprise! I found the interview extremely fascinating. The author was... different. And interesting, in an odd sort of way. I liked him! (Here is the podcast interview) 

He got on to the topic of "failure", and how we perceive it. And he went on to say he regularly meditates, and that "I regularly fail to meditate with any capacity whatsoever..." He explained that he found it difficult to focus, and yet he didn't see this as a negative. He just accepted that he was learning, refocused his breathing and went on. 

I loved his relaxed attitude. He was not threatened by a "perceived" failure. He talked about having the willingness to come back to whatever it is we are trying to learn, and to just go on. To be willing to be resilient. 

This goes along with what I've been thinking lately... about not being afraid of failure. To not hold back, but to leap out there, to dare, to live and be bold.

To try things, and see what does and does not work. To experiment and play and explore.

Just last night I watched a short youtube video interview with Maurice Sendak, the author/illustrator of Where The Wild Things Are. I didn't know he was so... crusty! And opinionated, thoughtful, outspoken, feisty, and bold. 



And he said something that most creative people can identify with... in fact, anyone who is standing on a cliff edge, wondering if they dare take that leap of faith and try something new. It doesn't matter if it's in a creative area, or a new plan to health and fitness... I think the principle holds true:

"Artists have to take a dive, and either you hit your head on a rock and you split your skull and you die... OR... that blow to the head is so inspiring that you come up and do the best work that you ever did. BUT... you have to take the dive, and you do not know what the results will be."

There's that message again... boldness. Living fearlessy and boldly. Take the dive, take the risk.

Right now I'm involved with some art projects I've never done before, and sometimes when I "think" too much, I start to say "but I'm in over my head". So... I don't think about that. :-D 

Instead I'm gonna remember what Maurice Sendak said, and take that leap of faith!



From Dr Phil's book: "Be willing to get out of your comfort zone and require more of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and behaviorally."

My verse for today: "Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength; we will sing and praise your might."

My quote for today: "Let the wild rumpus start!" --Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta
=^..^=

DAY 911


22 comments:

mamajuliana said...

I'm gonna say it again...you always inspire me! I too often live in the safe zone, where I am comfortable and unchallenged. Thanks for the nudge...agani!

Leslie said...

Ahh - your quote for the day by dear Maurice Sendak is one of my favorites in all literature! If you haven't heard it, Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air did an interview with him late last year. You can go to NPR's website, then Fresh Air, and listen to the poscast. Worth the time! And you look so beautiful in your Dec. 2011 picture!

Niecy said...

Another fine post, Loretta. It's interesting because this same thing, sort of, has been on my mind. I am so quick to see my "failures," but need to realize how far I have come. I have learned so much and gone so far. And I did this while being afraid every day.

Happy VD, Loretta. Keep up the great work. You are beautiful!

Jules said...

oh...i needed to read this today...i am on the tippy toe edge of that cliff...in many areas but especially a very creative endeavor that has been held to close for too long...

and with all the fear flying around I KNOW its time to
BOLDY go...and JUMP!

YOU are an everyday inspiration! THANK YOU

'Yellow Rose' Jasmine said...

Awesome! Love it all. Thanks for sharing. Your blog has become such a positive place to be. :)

Nanette N. said...

Lovely... I will refer back to this around moving time. I'm heading out to New York from podunk Idaho. It's a big scary leap. But why should I FEAR a big scary leap. NY is a wonderful place... full of wonderful adventures and you don't get to have them if you don't TRY! :)

Karen Elizabeth Brown said...

I like what you said about taking the dive! You don't know what will happen until you do and either way, for me, I'm always learning! If I don't take the dive, I learn nothing and live in fear with the what ifs. I don't have time to live in fear anymore, it's time to take the plunge!

Joy said...

I have said many times that I feel like a race horse stuck at the gates. I'm aching to get out, but just too afraid to open the gate. Fearful and afraid of failure! I am so working on this. Taking chances.....ACK!

Thanks for this post!

Keep focused!

M Pax said...

That quote hits home. In order to learn to fly, we have to be willing to dare. So true. I like the idea of never seeing failure also. We're just still learning. I rather dive than wonder 'what if'. Funny, because I was just recently thinking about that--relating to some wrong decisions I made in my life. Husband said, "But if you had chosen differently would you be here in this place you love?" Probably not. I mulled it all over some more and decided it was better to go for it and make a wrong turn than to have done nothing at all and regretted not doing it.

debby said...

Dang Loretta! You always hit it right on the head for me. I was working on something new today, and I about gave up. I took a long break and went back at it, and although I don't think it'll be my next masterpiece, I sure feel better about myself for giving it one more try. I"ll have to check out those podcasts. Thanks for exploring the internets and giving us good reviews!

Anne H said...

YOU so funny!
I made a Toon Thursday - with thanks to you!!!
Come SHECK it out!

Retta said...

You're welcome, Juliana! We all need one now and then. :-)

Retta said...

Thank you, Leslie. (blush blush)

I wonder if that's interview I watched on Youtube... hmmm, I'll check it out. He quite the character.

Retta said...

Hi Niecy. Yes, you have come far. I was very moved by that list in your recent post of how things have changed for you now.

Retta said...

Oh, thank you, Jules. I feel the same way about you. :-)

Retta said...

YellowRoseJasmine: I appreciate you saying that, more than you can know. :-)

Retta said...

Wonderful adventures... yes!

I had to laugh... my husband was born in Kooskia, Idaho. Me, a Southern California big city girl. So when we moved to Medford, Oregon, it was the smallest town I'd ever lived in... and the largest town that HE had ever lived in! :-D

Retta said...

Hi Karen,
Wow, I could have written that comment! I especially loved the sentence: "I don't have time to live in fear anymore, it's time to take the plunge!"

Retta said...

Ooooh, I JUST read something this morning about fear of failure. It was on Coach Dayne's blog... here, I found it:
http://coachyourmind.blogspot.com/2012/02/never-cant-daddy-only-can.html

He said all those little scary thoughts we tell ourself are just our way of trying to protect ourself from failure. It was good stuff! I think you'd like it, Joy.

Retta said...

I've done that kind of mulling, too, Mary. About past choices... but then the same thing would happen. I'd realize I wouldn't have moved to Oregon, and wouldn't have met Jim... so yeah, I guess I have to take the thorns with the roses. :-D

Retta said...

Oh, Debby, you'd enjoy that interview! He has a point in there where he talks about every creative person reaching that point in a project where they HATE it, and almost quits, or thinks it stinks and they have no talent, etc etc. But to persevere and it comes back around in the end. Loved it!

Retta said...

I shecked it out... too too punny!

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