Category Archives: inspirational

inspirational, life, motivational, writing

Discover your inner fire.

Discover your inner fire.  It’s not that hard, but we tend to live in the lies we tell ourselves.  We all have Ph.Ds. in excuses, like family and other things we have to attend to in this 3D-existence.  But there is always time if we make it.  We also tend to not listen to the inner urges, labeling them as woo-woo or generally uncomfortable or ridiculous, like dreams at night.  Ninety percent of all the women I meet live for and through their families, but what about THEM?  What is their own outlet of happiness?  Nothing wrong with being focused on family, but not to a point where that’s all there is.

I feel kind of blah today, not very fired up, but I know what makes me happy.  Every day I sit down to listen within and every time I find my true north.  Then it’s all about will to make stuff happen in accordance to my inner direction.

How do you tame your will?  You don’t.  Will is like a cat, contrary at best, or outright belligerent at worst. Cats know how to be motivated, especially at meal times, lol.  Cats are also super lazy and they don’t give a sh*t.  Sometimes I wish I was more like them because they truly act from supreme indifference and detachment.  That doesn’t mean they have no feelings, but everything is on their terms.  You know immediately about your transgression  when you take a wrong step, like taking them to the vet.

So basically, you have a cat in your head.

There is a way to tame cats, sort of.  You have to coax them along with something alluring, like tuna treats.  When you love something, it has a kind of golden allure.  Your passion is like that; that thing you keep putting off.   Throw some treats at it!

Once you allow yourself (with some coaxing) to attend to that passion, you feel great.  That feeling is the tuna treat.  Basically, the more you allow yourself to experience that special feeling, the easier it gets to choose to be a participant, not a sideline observer.

Step away from the sideline.  When you don’t feel like it, apply some discipline (which is also an acquired skill) to push yourself forward.  One whiff of that tuna will get your right in the mood to pursue.  I know it works for me.

For me the tuna is the joy of creativity.  Writing this fires me up, and seeing a pile of painting brushes in my studio gives me an inner smile.  If you don’t know what yours is, do some digging for gold inside that murky mine of yours.  “I can’t find it,” you say??  Frigging BS.  Don’t be lazy, dig deeper.

Just accept that there is a special path waiting for you; the one only you can find.  Don’t you want to go on adventure?  Don’t you want to find out?  Live your life as an adventurer, not like a predictable hamster running on its wheel.  I have to say I prefer cats to hamsters.

Don’t you want to have your tombstone say you lived with passion, that you inspired others?

The habits can get so ingrained it can be hard to break out of them, and most people don’t even try.  I speak to YOU who wants to find out, who knows there is no other way to live.

That the same ole, same ole is not good enough.

My inspiration today: take positive action, no matter how much the resistance says no.  Engage will and discipline and get into your life.  You won’t look back because you know it’s true.

I’m doing the action right beside you, so let’s go!

Because life happens NOW!

xo

Maria

fireinthebelly2

Google images captainkyso.com

P.S.  My e-course Visionary Art Journaling offers many exercises to go within to discover your inner truth.  We will be working with art and the six senses.  It’s a self paced e-course.  The link is HERE.

If you’d like to receive my newsletter, sign up HERE.

art, art journaling, inspirational, life, motivational

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.

art, ecourse, inspirational, life, motivational

Never say die.

2 Comments

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.

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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!

art, asskickery, inspirational, life, motivational

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.

 

art, inspirational, life, motivational

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

asskickery, inspirational, life, motivational

Is life kicking your ass?

 

asskick

It’s time to kick the hell back and set some perimeters of what is acceptable.  First of all, look around.  What do you see?  Either you see a world full of promise or one with lots of problems.  But it all starts with us as individuals.  What do you want to experience in life?  I, for on, like to feel peace inside, but I also like  some asskicking action to make me feel I’m interacting, inspiring, and exploring joy and purpose with the world.

For the most part we don’t live life on our terms.  We get our asses kicked by the system via fear and herd mentality.  There is false security when we rely on the system to take care of us.  That may alleviate some fear, but why give away LIFE for others to decide what you want to experience?   Where will you be when the rug is pulled from under you?

I could never enjoy the 9-5 rat race, and God knows, I’ve had many jobs and worked my butt off for others, but not for myself.  Well, that has ended.  I choose to support myself by stopping to abuse or treat myself like a third class citizen.

And we do!  We always give to others first. Don’t you kinda feel left out??

I can feel peace whenever I want by going within to meditate, but what is it that I put out into the world?  I need to put out there who I truly am.  It’s a journey of discovery, but I’m frigging tired of living according to other people’s ideas.

Who is the best judge of what is good for me?  I am.  Heeellllooooooo.

We, as humanity, have to lift the pillow cases from our heads and take a good look around.  Take a frigging good look around!  How happy are you as a sheep?

Not very.  I know.  I used to look at the clock all the time and wish the day was over.

Is this what I want to share with the world, more misery and unhappiness of every form, or do I want to stand up and be who I truly am and take charge of my life, get a buzz from living fully?   Yes absolutely!

Once you see the whole picture there is no going back to being a sheep again.  I want to live fully, not be a shadow of who I am.  As every action becomes inspired, I inspire others (hopefully) to take some inventory of their lives.

Habits are hard to break, yes, but a slow death while being alive is worse.  Life is an uncertainty, no matter how much we ignore that fact and live under false security.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave?  How do you want to feel?  I choose fulfillment and joy.  I know it’s an inside job, but it’s important how I show up in the world.

It’s hard work to develop yourself and your passion, but nothing is more rewarding in this physical life than doing something worthwhile and feel great in the process.

Everyone will have an opinion of what YOU SHOULD BE DOING, but don’t listen.  What does your heart tell you to do?  If you don’t know, just do one small thing that you have always wanted to do.  Record it in your journal (yes, get a journal going)  and the feeling you got while doing it, and keep doing more things like that.  Before you know it, a path opens up, one you didn’t know was there.

What do you long to do?  Take steps in that direction every day and burdens will be lifted and you’ll feel good about waking up every morning!  How about that?

You would rather think about it or find fault with my reasoning?  Go ahead, no skin off my nose.  It’s your life just cruising  by while you’re watching from the sidelines.

Now, go and kick someone else’s ass!  I’m going to make some art.   My art blog: http://greeneearthoriginals.blogspot.com

xo

Maria