Impeccable With Your Word

My best friend is reading the New York Times bestseller, The Four Agreements written by Don Miguel Ruiz right now. As I am already reading two books ((The Snowball (bio of Warren Buffet) and The Love of Reading by Robert Adams)), but I AM quite captivated by what I have heard about Ruiz, I have asked her to give me updates, and she is very kindly obliging my interest! The ideas the author promotes are said to be based on ancient Toltec teachings - teachings which allow us to eliminate patterns of self-sabotage and thus enjoy richer, more rewarding lives. So the ideas of personal empowerment and balanced living appealed greatly to me!

The Four
Also, as my mantra this year is EMERGENCE, any support that nudges me along my creative path is welcome. There is much more to the Ruiz book I am told, but for starters the four agreements are as follows, and they are to be repeated each day after the phrase "I choose to honour the Four Agreements".

1) Be impeccable with your word
2) Don't take anything personally
3) Don't make assumptions
4) Always do your best

I don't know about you, but if you have been disappointed enough in life and in business, number two will be the toughest area to re-train! ("number two" indeed! LOL). Particularly for creative people as we tend to pour every cell of our person into what we do each day.

Creation, Creation, Creation
The word EMERGENCE came to me in the last few hours of 2010 and immediately inspired images of a woman completely submerged in dark blue water swimming upward, toward the light. It was at once peaceful and exciting; quiet but with the buzzing anticipation of the surface-breaking splash and the raucous sounds of life above, in the sunshine.

For many years I wished that I could be different and felt quite guilty about my twin urges: to create art and to write. Society and even close family and friends are not always appreciative or understanding of artistic souls! The artist's vocation can be seen as low in value and frivolous/flaky.

In recent years, through the support of three dear girlfriends (Wendy, Gail and Carol - all wonderfully creative women!), I have come to appreciate that this is simply "who I am", and that the world needs people like me too - just like the world needs doctors, accountants, mechanics etc... (Thank you, my girlfriends, for loving me as I am and encouraging me simply to be and to enjoy my state of being!).

Vrooooooom!
So, needless to say, I am really revved up for a year of productivity relating to my art. Whatever inspires you, I hope you will trust in the path and follow it with great joy and an open spirit. We aren't meant to fight life all the time; life is truly for the living. To be continued :)