Daily Wisdom – Quote Of TheDay

Aristotle Quote – Google Images

The Wisdom Challenge felt right up my street when I decided to take part, Tuesday evening.  I thought, “put your best thought forward and give it a go!”  However, time eluded me, with work and everything else I had going on and I missed the submission date.  However, nevertheless, I thought post it anyway, so here it is:-)

So I considered the quote and what the reasons could have been that laid behind what Aristotle said? Who was it he saw or came into contact with that made him decide on these wise words? Someone, it seems had made such an impression, that he felt it was worthy to note.

Anyone who has ever tried to persevere against their own thoughts, impulses and desires will relate to the wisdom in this quote.

It takes an immense amount of discipline to control your own desires and impulses.  Many of use struggle with the evidence of our own, out of control excesses today. Over eating in carbs, sugar, salt, and calories. Over spending via store cards and credit cards, often not out of purchasing what we need but simply fulfilling our wants, etc.

To overcome your own desires requires a decision to put your own needs or wants aside for a bigger cause other than yourself at that current time.

I have heard it said by Brian Tracy in identifying 5 key steps to wealth and success – that being able to save for the long-term and being able to delay your gratification is pivotal to gaining wealth.  Most people who work, earn and spend their income continually, never truly saving.  This behaviour tends to be that of the majority –  around 98%, whilst the top rich live in the top 2%. It’s a bit of an eye opener that in spite of many years of working and service, very few people can say if they lost their job tomorrow they have sufficient savings to tide them over for 6 months or more.  I know this also sounds fanciful and like wishful thinking and we can all find the reasons why we don’t have and can never have. But whenever I have listened to the story or testimony of someone who has become wealthy/successful, they say how they took time and delayed their own gratification.  As they earned or gained money they didn’t spend every single penny immediately on clothes, or shoes etc. But instead, may have invested back into their business in order to expand, but they tend to put their own desires in check for the bigger picture of success.

Overcoming your own negative thoughts, impulses and self indulgences is extremely hard. You can be strong today but your emotions could get the better of you tomorrow. Simply because your desires know your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.  Your desires are internal and private. No one has to be privy to them. If you choose to deny them you can. But it is a brave person who owns up to their weaknesses and works hard to keep them under control, so they cannot dominate their lives.

By using the words Braver and Conquer you envisage a battle and the bravery it requires to overcome your enemy. Your desires can be as good as or equal to having a personal enemy, because they are not always in your best interest and they can be at your own expense.  I think that’s why when we see people who overcome huge issues in their lives we can react really emotionally. We may even refer to them as being strong and brave. We too become admirers of their courage, just as Aristotle did.

Blogging 101:The Creatives That I Love

Well today, I just wanted to share a few artists that I love.  I think their work is amazing and I would definitely have any of their pieces in my home, but for now the dream sits in my bucket wish list (prints mind you lol!). I am not art expert, I just know I love colour and I love art, photography and design.  I discovered these artists at different times but as soon as I discovered them, that was it, I was sold:-)

The first was a child prodigy called Akaine.  I watched a TV documentary about her life a good few years ago and at the time she was around 8 years old or so. No one taught her to draw or  paint she just had the most amazing and inspiring gift, that was at a level beyond her years. There are so many I love, but the one that first impacted me was ‘Wonder’ which she did at the age of 8. The Power Of Prayer, Regeneration, Found, The First, Young Sage, oh my word they are simply stunning!

This is her website for you to see for yourself.

https://akiane.com/

Another one for me is Ben Heine. Once again self taught his work just mesmerised me. I just find myself looking and looking. Pencil vs Camera and Digital Circlization are the ones. His use of perspectives just play with my head. Each to their own, but once again see for yourself.

http://www.benheine.com/index.php

My final joy is a photographer Peter Lik . I came across his work quite by accident really, but once again, his use of colour, perspective and his Black & White shots of Towns & Cities, are something else, and I just say wow when I look at them!

http://www.lik.com/

I find these artists inspiring. I love the gifts that they have.  For me they chased and honed their dreams into the incredible levels skill they now work in.  I think their work is time less and will continually grow in popularity, as more and more people discover them outside the rich and famous over the years.

 

Blogging 101: Prompts – Leveraging My Productivity!

Photo – Alan Cleaver Flikr via Creative Commons

Prompts….never considered the word or the meaning before today’s challenge but once again, it has made me think differently about how to write. It has moved me outside of my comfortable and familiar box of how I think creatively, and brought me into a new space.

Prompts? “What are they for me?, “How can I?’ and “How will I use them?”

The word itself has a number of meanings depending on the context of how it’s used, but my focus is on the following definition of the word:-

• To move, to act; to spur; incite
• To give rise to; inspire
• To assist; To cue, To remind

www,freedictionary.com

Blogging 101 has certainly be ‘a spur’ in my writing,which has made such a difference. It has increased my productivity and in so doing raised the number of Followers and hits received.  This has, in fact been my most productive month in every way. Which has shown me that I can do more than I thought I could, even with a busy working day and all the other norms I have going on, making demands in my life at various levels. Just by being more flexible – waking up earlier and using my a.m. time differently or using my lunchtime not just for eating.  Makes me think of that wonderful bit of wisdom people throw out at times as an encouragement , which depending on its timing is either welcomed or frowned up.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

A prompt is anything you see it as for yourself, that cause you to do something.  It’s the ‘opportunity’ you see. The more prompts I see and recognise as a reason to respond back to in my writings, can only be a good thing. Because it widens the topics I can cover and broadens me as a person and a writer.

Prompts can apply to anything in your life really. “What would increase your productivity in work?” “In your business?”, etc.

The key is, that its inspiring. It takes you into something new, but as pointed out for blogging, you need to anchor it somehow, so you don’t go off in a tangent. Prompts are good, but don’t lose sight or focus of what’s fundamental to you. (Note to self 🙂

So now, I will be look at things differently for the purpose of my writing. If something jumps out at me, I will ask myself why? ‘What has it triggered in me? And instead of just leaving it there as a thought, I will explore the fact of writing something.

I hope you are encouraged as I am in my writing, exploring change and being the change you want to be in this world.

 

Until next time.

 

Aquene7

Blogging 101:’Boost The Signal – Yes I Will!’

Love this and such a great idea. It’s such a nice way of giving back to fellow bloggers. I am very pleased to have found your blog hope you don’t if I take up your example?

And so the inspiration begins!

Yesterday, I discovered a new blog called Pilcrow & Cedillas and the post that got my interest was entitled ‘Boost The Signal.’  I simply loved the idea because I thought ‘I can do that!’  How often have I read posts that have really resonated with me for all kinds of reasons and I have liked, commented on them and followed, but that’s it.  They may have many followers or they may be just starting their blogging journey, but there the knowledge share ends. Light is a wonderful thing because Light gives light. Inspiration is like a candle – I am sure there’s a wonderful analogy that goes something like  ‘the flame of one candle can light hundred or thousand candles’…well something along those lines, you get the picture?

In the post five blogs which have meant something to Dean that week are listed, with a short review to give you an idea of the blog and what he found interesting about it.  His comments a short but enough to peak you curiosity as a visiting reader. For him all credit belongs to the writers so he acts as an ‘Ambassador’ bringing them to your attention and providing their links so you can visit for yourself and make up your own mind.

Its everything today’s assignment is about.  I thought it was a wonderful way to step up in my recognition of other writers and a way to regularly give back. It fits so well into me, as my blog is all about encouragement!

Dean kindly, responded back to me and provided me with the blog where he was inspired by the idea ‘MuseHack’ and I have subscribed to that blog also:-)

Since I started Blogging 101 I have learnt so much to the point where I have created a ‘Creative Toolbox’ for myself. Its made up of links to blogs or web sites provided via 101 to enhance my blogging skills and help me grow as a blogger. Where would any student be without their favourite things like essential books, research sites and equipment to use in crafting their work?

I have yet to decide on what to call this category in my blog, but I may just keep the same title of ‘Boost the Signal’-  I kinda like it:-)

 

Photo from: https://creativecommons.org/

Blogging 101: The Horse Whisperers Of Life

As I read today’s challenge to consider your ‘dream reader’ real or fictitious, this title popped into my head. I think it was my creative voice at work:-) So keeping to the whole purpose of taking up this challenge and stepping out of my comfort zone I thought I would flow with it.  I would approach it with the attitude of a child –  in that I would take of my sensible hat where I over think things, and go into free flow without being over critical of myself and simply enjoy the journey of writing from head to pen or in this case, laptop!

I must admit the title intrigued me but I had to Google the term ‘ Horse Whisper’ to understand what it meant. This is what I read on Wiki :-

Natural horsemanship, colloquially known as horse whispering, is a collective term for a variety of horse training techniques which have seen rapid growth in popularity since the 1980’s. The techniques vary in their precise tenets but generally share principles of developing a rapport with horses, using communication techniques derived from observation of free-roaming horses, and rejecting abusive training methods.

Now the purest view is that Horse Whispering as nothing new, and in no-way am I here to debate it. But what I liked about the explanation above is highlighted in bold italic, because it was about building strong relationships, the importance of powerful communication, and great observational skills in order to understand and work in a way to bring out good or the best results in a horse without using abusive force.  I have no idea if this technique would be for horses with issues or not but I would like to think such techniques would work in either situation

So who are the Horse Whisperers of Life in my head? For ‘Your Life?’ and ‘My Life?’ Who were the people who were able to communicate and relate to your life, like no one else? Bringing out change, enabling you to overcome things that once were your mountains. Those who never gave up on you when others walked away.  Well only you will know that. Those who were your champions and often unrecognised heroes and heroines.

Some people do this on an immense scale  while others on a 1-2-1 basis . One of my favourite stories is ‘The Royal Knights of Harlem.  In this story the Tutor was for want of a better description – the Horse Whisperer to these teenagers that society or more precise people had written off.

So being able to bring out the best in people through building powerfully strong and trusting relationships. Being able to see people not as they are but as they could be always with potential and working to that end. My romantic view of people whose intervention into the lives of others brings out the best in them, and they are able to do it time and time again would be my dream reader to whom I would say do you write in WP it would be great to read your musings.

Until tomorrow:-)

Blogging 101: Hand-Me-Downs

Hand-Me-Downs is my third offering in my Blogging 101 challenge.  At first when I considered this and the many areas it could refer too, I found my self visiting loads of ideas in my head.  So I decided to narrow things down and streamline my thoughts in order to share a few examples from my life. So I set them into their own little categories, simply because it made things easier.

Practical Hand-Me-Downs

One example I immediately thought about were clothes and what I can only describe as a custom/principle my mother raised me and my sister up with as children. That was you had four categories of clothes your ‘Sunday Best,’ ‘School Clothes,’ ‘Everyday Clothes’ and ‘House Clothes.’ 

• Sunday Best  – Were brand new clothes and shoes
• School Clothes  –  Your uniform
• Everyday/General Clothes –  Clothes that were in a good or fairly good condition
• House Clothes  – Clothes to play in.  Clothes that weren’t in the greatest of condition so if they got torn or stained it really didn’t matter much.

All of these clothes worked on a sliding scale. They became Hand-Me-Downs.  If the condition of your clothes deteriorated rapidly through washing or simply because of everyday wear and tear – they inevitably moved into the arena of being Handed-down.  The normal trend would be either be from Sunday Best to Everyday wear or from Every day wear to House Clothes. However, if you outgrew any of the top three they would go to a sibling, in my case my Sister as she was younger than me. House Clothes once no longer viable got disposed of. Now, I must add my sister did get clothes purposely bought for her in her own right. By no means did she were everything I had because if they not everything suited her or fitted so things did go to the charity shop too as dress making was not my mums favourite thing.

Hand-Me-Down clothes made shrewd sense in my family as it did and still does to millions of family’s.   Because, it meant you tried to make the most out of your clothes as buying clothes on a weekly basis was something my parents couldn’t afford. As a child it taught me how to appreciate new things and take care of them.  It was something I ended up keeping for myself and I used it for raising my own kids.

Sentimental Hand-Me-Downs

My grandmother, played a pivotal part in my life and outside of the conversations we had, I have two things that belonged to her and marked different stages of her life. Both have hardly any monitory value but they are loaded with memories for me. The first is this:-

Now smile if you had one in your kitchen, they certainly don’t make them the same anymore:-) My grandmother loved baking and this little beauty was used regularly by her, from in the 70’s when she first purchased it. She would mix wedding cakes, all manner or sponges and buns even bread.  Just the sound of it whirring away takes me back. I inherited it when she passed away and I must admit for a number years it just sat idle in my kitchen because baking wasn’t my thing.  However, a few years ago I decided to put it to use.  With the wonderful support of Google and Youtube I started to whip up sponges, cup cakes and West Indian Black Cake for myself.  It’s still works and the sound still throws me back to my grandmother’s kitchen.

The other Hand-Me-Down is my grandmothers walking stick.  Not something I need to use at the moment:-) But once again it too oozes a lot of memories for me.  I think it’s because its wood. It’s very tactile and reminds me of the times where she was more frail and less able to move about and be in command of her life as she was in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

Quirky Hand-Me-Downs

Now it wasn’t only the clothes that could be referred to in my life as Hand-Me-Downs.  But just as I adopted and lived by the above principle from my mum, so it is with many things that I have learnt as a child and then used to shaped me as an adult.

Some things I can only describe as quirky because they are things that were at some point somebody else’s and I either learnt it or it influenced me so much I adopted it as my own.  Language is one area that comes to me.  I am quite the magpie when it comes to catch phrases and sillyisms (new word hehe!)  “Bear with!” I have gone through a raft of these through my life time.

Another is my handwriting.  You see, my parents are from Jamaica and it always fascinated me how similar the handwriting was for people of my mum, dad and grandmother’s generation. It was as if they were almost clones of each other. But when I was young handwriting or calligraphy lessons were a key element to my art class. We were taught to write in pencil and once we reached the required standard you were promoted to fountain pen. Writing in biro was band. There were strict rules on the size of your capital letters compared to lower case which was half the size, and each word hand to allow for the space of your little finger between it. The end result was a standardised and accepted way of writing.  Our assignments and text books were so uniformed and almost mirrors of each other.  Over the years once released from the beady eye of my art teacher I tweaked and adjusted my hand writing an over time. I broke out of the uniformity but neatness never left me. People often comment on my handwriting saying how lovely it is.  When I was 9 and 10 years old I must admit ‘Calligraphy class’ was not my favourite, but as I grew up and realised how rare a subject it was and how i have never heard it taught in any other schools I knew, I grew to appreciate  it very much.

Hand-Me-Downs,  where would we be without them?

Blogging 101: Who am I & Why Am I here?

So the question is “who am I and why am I here?”  Well I call myself Aquene7.  I started blogging October last year and thought I would start anonymously because I wanted to grow in my writing and thought that would be the best way.  However, around May or so this year I updated my blog with a picture of myself in order to put a face to the posts, but kept the name Aquene7 because of what it means and I really like the name:-)

I love encouraging people and seeing people strive, and personal development is something that has been somewhat of a life line to me all my life.  To tell the truth I just love learning and because of that I ended up through the kind nudge of a friend attending a 2 day Personal Development Coaching Workshop. It was a life changing experience and I became a certified Life Coach July this year. So the essence of my blog is encouragement combining my Coaching knowledge, faith and personal life experiences at times.

I love creativity and the blogging world is an amazing space to meet like minded people. So why am I here? Well its a challenge to myself really.  I have never posted daily and I think this will stretch me in more ways than one. Discipline I think is definitely one way.  So, I am hoping to learn a lot from the experience whilst meeting new bloggers.  I also hope this will filter into my posts and develop my blog page going forward.

Why should readers read my blog?  For encouragement really, in making changes in their life.  It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by your own negative voice sometimes and get discouraged with yourself. So I hope when others read my post something positive resonates with them.

When I first started to write I knew I wanted it to be from a personal space. More of a conversation rather than from a business perspective. But I don’t know if I have the balance right. So feedback on how to improve would be good?

I am not one for writing lots simply because I don’t want to ramble on and its easy to lose the consistency in to long a post so I said I wouldn’t write more than 1000 words and I think the majority of my posts are under that.

Who would I like to connect too?  Well I know people collaborate with other bloggers and write posts as guest bloggers or join communities.  I have no idea how to go about this so that would be good to learn about and do eventually.

Well that’s my introduction, first step taken:-)

Aquene7 = Peace