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5.28.2009

Inspiration, weeding the garden of your mind, gratitude


One night, when my son was just over a year old, I couldn't sleep. I got up and wrote in my diary that I wanted to become the woman I am inspired by. This is not any particular person, it's just who or what I feel inspired by at any given moment. I had watched "Iconoclasts" on the Sundance channel earlier in the evening with the pairing of Ruby Dee and Alicia Keys. I hadn't really ever seen either one of these talented women before, but I found myself thinking about them in the middle of the night, and feeling inspired by them both. "I want to be the woman whom I am inspired by," I wrote. what does this mean to me now? It's led me to be a more conscientious mother. To be more conscious of the choices I make and how they affect my life. To strive to feel good - that means taking care of myself. I'll be a much happier wife and mother if I'm eating healthy and exercising regularly (although the exercise part can be challenging to get to at times). If I'm having an abundance of creativity I feel very inspired. Creativity spawns inspiration and inspiration spawns creativity. It is a wonderful cycle to be in.

I read a short article in Body & Soul magazine from the July/August 2008 issue about a book called Plant, Seed, Pull Weed: Nurturing the Garden of Your Life by Geri Larkin. "Larkin takes readers into her vegetable and flower garden to teach them a few lessons about what our minds and spirits need to thrive. One of the most important tasks? Weeding. 'If you have a garden, you'll get weeds...If you have a mind, you'll get junky thinking.'...So how do you rid yourself of useless, unnecessary thoughts? 'We stop feeding them the fertilizer of attention. As a result, our minds calm down, and as they do, we watch our lives become lighter, happier, and surprisingly more interesting. When the weeds are gone, you'll be amazed at how quickly everything else takes over. Beauty is there, expanding by the minute.'" I snipped this article and posted it on my wall. It's currently above my desk and I look to it whenever my mind is bogged down with negative thinking. It provides the same lovely lift that a gratitude list does and it doesn't cost a cent. It also reminds me to take stock of my life and to stop doing something if it isn't working for me. I partially credit this idea of weeding the mind of junky thinking for all the creativity I've had lately. It's amazing what shows up when my mind isn't cluttered by useless thought. I'm still working on this though.

I feel that lately some of my posts have been less than optimal. I have been a very busy bee working in this little "room of my own" on a big project that I will be able to tell you about in the coming weeks. It is an exciting time for me here, but also a little bit stressful, and this little blog has been taking the backseat lately. I hope to return to it more fully soon, with fresh inspiration.

When I remember to be grateful, I am inspired. So here is my little list of gratitude:

~the feel of old, well-washed linen in my hand
~an organized desk
~a well-taken picture
~packages in the mail
~memories of our trip to Boston (what a lovely city)
~pictures of Tristan when he was a newborn, baby, toddler (it's amazing what can be forgotten. Thank goodness for pictures!)

7 comments:

Robbie S. Redmon, LPC said...

Hi Sista! Just stopping over from SITS. I love your post. Reflecting is wonderful. Come visit me. I post marital secrets for young wives and mothers.

Robbie S. Redmon, LPC said...

I'm Following you!

Anonymous said...

I'm still reading and loving what I read. I love the green and white pictures. Sharon

Anonymous said...

Hi Genny, love the bit you shared by Larkin - what a great analogy! Thank you for passing it along and good luck with the other project you are working on! Jodi

escapade said...

What a great reminder - I'm working on this myself. Far too often it's easy to be focused on what's not there instead of what is.
One thing I keep telling myself- "I have everything I need and most of what I want" - somehow whatever I'm pining away for doesn't seem so crucial.

Lesley said...

I love your list of gratitude...what wonderful things...thanks so much for coming over on my feature day...I'm so glad you did

Michelle said...

What a lovely post. Clearing out the cobwebs is something I need to do much more of. I find that it's the only way I can truly be present with my children.

There is a quote that I love by Dr. Wayne Dyer that came to my mind when reading your post; "As you think, so shall you be." Just by thinking of the woman you want to be, you are becoming her.

Really, beautiful space you have here!

~Michelle


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