Great Thoughts

Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.

Benjamin Disraeli

Today I am really digging in to Flying Lessons, an online course about growing a creative business by Kelly Rae Roberts.  Funny...all this talk about potential and dreaming big has stirred up a lot of insecurity in me.  Isn't that always the way of things?  We commit, we take a leap of faith, and almost instantly the voices start up...reminding us of all the fears that kept us from taking that leap in the first place. 

So I'm arming myself against the fear with sticky notes!

I love looking up and seeing reminders of all the little "aha" moments I've had lately.  If I continue stepping out of my comfort zone this cabinet will be covered in no time!  In fact, I think I'll just start leaving little notes all over the house.  I used to do that a lot when the kids were younger.

There is so much power in words, written or spoken.  I hope your day is filled with good and noble thoughts...that the voice of Truth makes its way into your heart and that you are very much encouraged in your own walk.

Ten, Nine, Eight...

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.  Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”  - Goethe

Every action we choose starts a ripple effect in our own lives and in the lives of others.  Every word we communicate changes the world for better or worse.  I want to be someone who makes things better, who shares hope and peace.  I believe this is why we were given the gift of creativity in the first place: to help the world remember that whatever else is true, beauty is all around us if we only have eyes to see.

I'm counting the minutes to the beginning of a grand new adventure...today is the day I begin my first ever e-course, Flying Lessons with Kelly Rae Roberts.  (I will head to class as soon as I click the "publish" button here!)  Among many other things, in the weeks to come I will learn more about communicating and interacting with a bigger audience.  A bigger platform means more responsibility.  What I communicate with my words and my art is crucial.

If you are one of my new friends from Flying Lessons, welcome!  I am so looking forward to making this journey with you!  If you're not signed up for the course but think you might want to join us, click on the link above or the button to the right to learn more about it.  This is the last time Kelly plans offer Flying Lessons, so hurry and jump on board!

Ready?

The challenge, posed in the form of a question, is this:

"What would happen in your business and life if you set aside the question, “Am I ready for that yet?” and instead followed your creative impulses and your heart’s desires?"

(Read the full article, 3 Big Lies That Could Be Holding Back Your Business by Tara Sophia Mohr, on designsponge.com*)

Well, ouch... and yikes!  How many times have I heard myself say, "I'm not ready yet", not just in my small business but in my artwork and in many other areas of my life?

Maybe I am ready...and maybe you are, too.  Maybe that's what scares us so much.

*designsponge.com spotlights ingenious and innovative products and ideas.  Each Tuesday the site features Biz Ladies, a series of posts written to encourage and inform small business owners.