Category Archives: art

Everyone wants an easy win.

Everyone wants an easy win.  Play the lottery and get a sh*tload of money, yet those who do, rarely hold on to the funds.  After a couple of years they are back to where they were before the win.

stackofmoneyIt’s definitely better to win in the game of life than to win a pile of dough.  Not that I wouldn’t be grateful–I would!  I like an easy win just as much as the next person.

Creating something from the core of your being is winning in the game of life.  What does that mean?  If everything was perfect, what would you love to do?  I’m sure you’ve heard that question many times in this age of law of attraction.

Have you ever truly sat down and tuned in how you really feel?  We forget to do that in the hustle and bustle of busy-ness.  The mindless clutter of life; it’s so seductive.

What would you love to do?

Aren’t you tired of the same ole, same ole?   I know I am. It takes great effort to move away from the status quo and explore new territories.  My little ego does not want to get out of the frigging box, but it’s the only way to grow.

And going inside to listen to the truth spoken there… Admitting you are lost.  The facade must come down.

What would you love to do?

And don’t say you don’t know.  Think back to your youth.  What really fired you up?  What lit up you before the dream was squashed by the system?

You know, THAT one.

Just sayin’.   Nothing changes unless we change, and it’s time when you’re so desperate and there is no other choice.  But why wait until then?   It’s not easy to change since we have to do the work.  No freebies raining from the sky.  Work is work, but the difference is that you feel great doing the work that you’re meant to do!

I will wait for no one.  I’ve got a fire in my belly again, and it feels great.  I even went and got a haircut today.  My hair  was long, and now it is short, and it feels liberating.

I’m liberated from old limitations, so the options are as wide as the sea, endless.  I will meet resistance head on, bust through it even if I’m not sure where I will end up.  I don’t have to see the entire road.

Once you hit upon that one thing, there’s no going back, and it’s never too late to live fully.   Now go do the work!  At least give it a fair shake.  It’s the honest thing to do.

Take a risk or two.

fireinthebelly

Because life happens NOW!

xo

Maria

P.S. If you’re inclined toward art, you can find out more about art journaling in my fab freebie ebook and mixed media tutorial.  Check it out HERE.

Never say die.

Never say die, said the little palm tree my neighbor carted home the other day.  She picked up a bunch of free plants and one of them was a small palm tree that grew in an ugly little container.

I wanted the palm tree, and we decided to plant it on the property line.   Someone had planted it in a cut off water drinking bottle, left it there until it was choked with roots, and then set it on top of the soil in the tiny planter.  When we got it, it was so choked in the bottle I had a really hard time cutting open the plastic.  I got a slit cut and then I had to use a pair of pliers to “roll” the plastic away from the roots.

Then came the effort of pulling it out of the pot.  It had somehow busted through the bottom of the plastic and sent roots into the pot.  I had to use all of my strength to pull it out (not kidding!)  The roots had been curled around the bottom, all thirty-six inches of them.  They were hanging on for dear life.  It took me another fifteen minutes to release the roots from the rest of the plastic.

I wonder if it would have busted through the plastic in the end.  It had been trying real hard.

This is a puny palm with two leaves.  To get it to stand straight in the ground I had to plant the root ball  sideways since it had been growing sideways out of the plastic.

The point of the story?  Never say die, no matter how difficult and constricted your situation may be.  Nature is a great example of resilience and purpose.  There is always that dandelion growing in the crack of the concrete sidewalk.   Where there is a path to light and rain, some greenery will always sprout.  People thrive when they pursue their heart’s desire.  What is YOUR heart’s desire?

I was amazed when I planted that palm  It has been a week, and it already has a new leaf coming up.

001

002

I have a feeling this palm tree will do great from now on.

Are you going to bust through your plastic bottle constraint?   I hope so; there’s a whole world out there to explore.

xo

Maria

P.S.  If you want some art inspiration, check out my e-courses at http://ecourses-mariagreene.org  Try something new today. 🙂

…because life is happening NOW!

Stop being that way!

Hey you,

Stop being that way!  I can feel all the frowns coming at me, but seriously, I have come across several people lately who complain about their lives, but they don’t want to do anything about it.  To change, we have to take some risks and explore new territory.  Why are there so few people willing to change?  You rather live in misery?  None of my business, right?  True, but I can’t help but say, hey, don’t complain if you don’t want to change your life.

The only ones willing to change are those who have been up against the wall with serious health problems or other stressful situations.  Why wait until crisis strikes?  Life is frigging short!

Fear is what holds people back, but being a coward never got you anywhere.  Fear of money, fear of other people’s opinions, fear of the boss, fear that you’re-not-good-enough.  Fear of taking one step toward change.

There is only one person like you, and you have gifts to share.

Why waste in on mind-numbing TV?

What is your passion right now?  What could you do that would light you up?  You know that old hobby you shoved to the back of the closet… that’s the one.  Or the classes you’ve been wanting to explore.  NOW is the time.

Stand stronger in who you really are every day and feel the fierceness and longing take hold and carry you onward to something so much more exciting.

I’ve never lived a conventional life. I can’t say it has been easy, but I could never conform, not for any length of time.  Truth to tell, I’m not a rebel at all, but I’m thoroughly sick and tired of the conventional world, the gossip and the chit-chat, the greed and the selfishness.  Activities that lead to nowhere.  Where is the meaning?

I spend a lot of time alone since it feeds my soul. I listen to the silence, and it’s enough for me.  That’s not me, you say.  What are you then?  Stop the numbness already.  Be or become that person who lives from within with passion and purpose.  It’s all in there.

Bring that gift to the world!  We need it.

That’s what I’m doing –to the best of my ability.

Rant over,

xo

Maria

P.S. If you’d like some FREE art inspiration, a whopping 37 page PDF, sign up for my newsletter HERE.

 

Stop everything!

Stop everything and check this out.  I created a 37-page art journaling manual and added my awesome Stargirl mixed media tutorial to the manual, so now you can download a double gift for FREE.   Sign up for my newsletter and it’s yours instantly.  If you have ever wanted to get into art journaling, this will help you to get started right away.

I have taken all the mystery out of it, and there is no reason to fear the dreaded white page.  In other words, there are no excuses why you can’t try it.

I really enjoy sharing my knowledge gathered over the years of art experimentation.

Fear is what stops us in our tracks, and we are procrastination experts, right?  I know I am, but I also have a drive inside that I listen to.  So, I challenge you to stop everything and check it out.

Today starts my 6-week Visionary Art Journaling e-course.  You could always join, hint, hint.  Go HERE and check it out.  It’s art created from the inside out.  Not your ordinary journal spread. I would love to see you there, and to see what you create.

Think about it!   Life doesn’t stop for anyone.

…because life is happening NOW!

015Sign up for my newsletter HERE or in the sidebar.

Talk with you soon, lovelies!

xo

Maria

Say Yes!

Hello lovelies,

Say yes to something today, maybe even life. What does that mean? It could mean something as simple as saying yes instead of no when someone offers a new experience.

It could be as life changing as saying yes to a job in a different state or country. It could be saying YES to life, wherever it takes us.

I believe in exploring. Sometimes it’s something small, like a wisp of a word that sounds intriguing, or some new online venue or tool, or as big as saying yes: I want to know what my life is about next.

We live in the small increment of now, and more often than not I walk through a tunnel with only a candle in my hand to light the way. It always shows me the next step, and that is all I need to know.

It’s so hard to let go of control, to think that I have to fix everything myself. In reality, I don’t keep my heart beating, something else does.

I know what I like, what I love to do, but that is not necessarily what is best for me. Eating ten donuts is never a good idea, for instance. I can choose to do something that is life affirming, like following my talents and do something with them.

And I do.  I make art to the best of my ability, but sometimes the pieces don’t look right and I get frustrated. BUT, I spent that time making art, and it moved my passion forward and I learned something. Passion is something that makes me feel excited to get up in the morning.

It makes sense to follow where passion leads. I want to feel good. Following my passion is not easy but I learn a lot, and the knowledge is priceless.

Today I woke up tired and feeling blah for no obvious reason. I only had one beer last night and I fell asleep in the middle of a Netflix movie.

I took a look at my studio through the open door and saw the mess of frenzied former activity there. It didn’t inspire, but after I write this, I will go there and I will make art. The siren is calling. If I clean the mess, good, if I don’t, who cares. I have no idea what I will make, but I’ll put pen to paper, or maybe a dab of paint on a canvas. I have several going. I have no idea what the canvases want to “say” but I paint a little here, a little there, and a theme starts emerging. Faith and patience go hand in hand.

What little thing can you do today toward your passion? One little step leads to another. When will your focus become a pinpoint laser that won’t stop for anything until it lights up its target–YOU!

The key to living a passionate life is to move forward every day, one step at a time. A small, but sometimes difficult permission since we don’t allow ourselves to do what we love. Duty calls first, and a day is lost in the fog of duty = possible misery.

Duty to others first. What would happen if you made the time to put yourself first? Maybe get up an hour earlier to draw something in your sketchbook, or write down what is on your mind? Swipe aside all the excuses and create a new life, increment by increment. It’s a great way to live! The world expands with every step, truly.

(Image from Google pictures.)

To get my free Stargirl mixed media tutorial, please sign up for my newsletter HERE.

Truly, take a step toward changing your life if it sucks.

My two cents.

xo

Maria

Discover something new today!

Calling all art lovers,

Discover something new today, step out of the comfort zone and try something you haven’t done before, like parachuting out of an airplane (only kidding.)  I’m afraid of heights, so that would be a very uncomfortable challenge for me, lol.  However, I have explored new horizons in my art, combining intuition with art journaling. How much fun is that!?

My e-course on the subject starts on Monday, June 15, so there is still time to join. You will get six meditations that tie into our six senses, and six art spreads as inspiration as you explore your own. Videos and bonuses. You can discover a new layer within yourself, and it’s exciting. To sign up for my e-course, go HERE.

To whet your appetite, here’s an art journal spread I made about “how an orange tastes.”  It’s not necessary to know how to paint faces in the course.  Anyone can join and your expression is as open as you like it to be! No rules, but I will inspire you.

001

If you haven’t signed up for my art newsletter, you can do so HERE.

I hope to see you in the e-course!

xo

Maria