There will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in their hour. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prompt:  What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?  (Author: Corbett Barr)

Self Messages 

Past:  Do the dreams.

Future:  Keep moving forward.

Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prompt:  What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue? Write it down. Also write down the obstacles in your way of reaching your goal. Finally, write down a tangible plan to overcome each obstacle.  The only thing left is to, you know, actually go make it happen.  What are you waiting for?  by Matt Cheuvront

Doubt or Do It

My major obstacle is my “doubt or do it gap.”  I’ve always wanted to merge my artistic talents with my strategic communications skills, but the doubt or do it gap has made that difficult.   Creative ideas, innovative thoughts and great plans too often settle in my mind or on a post-it waiting for me to release them.  Yet, many of my ideas, thoughts and plans begin and end where they started–in my mind.  When creating a concept mixing untested art with my proven communications abilities, doubt manages to overpower do it.   My art languishes on a canvas, computer or sketch pad while I search for the perfect concept for the perfect time.

Home Dreams

This year that approach changed.  I was ready to release my concept whether the world was ready to receive it. I erased my doubt.  I developed an idea for combining art and meaningful messages.  I designed some cards, put up a website and entered a huge product show to move my art beyond my mind, office and immediate circle of friends and family.  The responses proved that many were ready to accept a new concept while others didn’t “dare to be bold” enough to embrace the new.

My plan is to continue designing, releasing and spreading the products for six months before deciding what’s next.   My ideas crawled out of my mind, doubt stepped out of the way and I dared to move forward.   I’m not done doing.

Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Challenge: If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Author: Jonathan Mead

Living Now

"Forward" by Flo

To come alive I live now.  I get into the natural rhythm of life’s heartbeat.  I focus on the present.  I learn from the past, but don’t linger there.  I move toward the future, but don’t worry about it.  I do what I can.  I try doing without being afraid of failing.  At the end of the day, I’m done.  When the sun rises, I’m ready to do something once more.   My goal is to do more now and less later.