Drawing to Dream

Since the beginning of October I have been going through lessons in The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards and the companion exercise workbook. Why am I reading and actively doing these exercises?

 I am doing these to bring back my imagination. Why? because I need imagination to be able to DREAM! I have found that over time in being in the adult world I have lost my ability to dream and imagine actively. I have not read many fairy tales, since childhood. I seem to have become very serious. This may because I had to grow up fast and accept many things that in my youth that others my own age seemed oblivious to. 

I love to read and read alot. The Work and the Glory by Lund, Harry Potter Series, Twilight Series, and currently The Divergent Series. These books are whenI need a break from all of the other serious (Scriptures, Complimentary health care modalities-herbs, Essential oils, energy work, Nutrition, Fitness, people skills,  Medscape CME articles, finance, leadership, farming, gardening, sewing, and learning new skills all over in general) books, but they are dystopian society (Society is at the fork int he road and has to choose freedom or Force Shift) type books. But I hit periods Where I can read 20 books in a month but then the next I will only read 5. Why? I get overwhelmed with life and my responsibilities in life. This is why I am so deadly serious at times. That is why I may not smile a lot. I appreciate those who say you need to smile because. In all truth I am happier than I have ever been . But that message obviously has not reached my face. Our move to the country has given me back the simple pleasures in life. We do not have cable or Sateleite TV. Netflix is DVDs on demand. We have the internet, yes we can acces those silly cat videos on you tube. We listen to a lot of audio subscription material (in the background) that I have downloaded to my iPod-This is our radio. We have chosen this over the radio itself, not because we do not like music. But because we want to be in control of what the input to is to our thinking i. What does this have to do with drawing?

My thinking has has everything to do with drawing. If I can draw what I see in my minds eye; If I can draw what I dream about each night...then I can make that dream come true. My dreams have to be so real I can feel, see, taste, smell, and hear it all right down to the most minute detail.

I will add some of my initlal drawings so you can see my progress. ***

The inspiration came to re-start the drawing journey to begin vividly visualizing the future and knowing that I must continue to learn. I loved to draw as a child. I still do. I use most of my drawing as a Personal Trainer to illustrate exercises, but you know what stick figures are ok, but not as good as muscle flexing movement in pictures. I use pictures to decipher and understand concepts that are not clear. The most recent one was "3 x 3 x 3 and you are free", became vividly clear as I drew it on the white board. Yes, we have white boards, I use them to draw out many things like our gardens. This allows me to play with it-taking in watering, lighting, etc. It allows me to take abstract ideas and make picture that my mind can understand. Because I want to be able to literally draw out what I see in my mind. I want to write my story in vivid detail with pictures from the beginning of time through all Eternity. Will you 'draw' your story with me?

 

*** I will add these later....

September Results

Last Month was a very good month. I was able to read 12 books and I have chosen aspects of each to apply in my life. Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy was a habit jogger, which was a prelude to the book that came down on system or monthly subscription. Get Er Done by Mike Martel this book teaches the basic planning habits taught in the Military. Many of the things he talks about I learned while I was in Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) at Brigham Young University. WE planned exercises or projects from what the goal was outlining the steps and what had to happen from the End to the beginning. Think Covey's Begin with the end in mind. A year later when  was a new enlisted soldier on active duty much of what I learned guided how I behaved. Later as I prepared to become a non commissioned officer (NCO) this planning process was taught and practiced in detail in primary leadership development course (PLDC). Those exacting standards and values at times caused me grief, but I knew I needed to act a certain way and I had to stay with my values. It was worth it. I knew I was not liked by all of those I served with but I was respected. That showed later on as I readied to leave the military and head back into Civilian and family life.

The basics are to answer the following questions:

1. What what have I accomplished in the end or what has my team been able to accomplish together?

2. What steps need to be completed in order to reach this goal?

3. When does each step need to done?

4. Who is involved and what tasks or assignments do they have?

5.

After we ask the following questions to evaluate and see how we can improve next time.

1. What was our goal or project?

2. Was it a success? or What did we do right?

3. What could we have done better?

4. Lessons and changes for the next time we participate in this activity.

Believe it or not my husband and I both having been in the Military actually do planning matrices. This simple activity has saved some heartache when it is carried out and followed. When choosing to just fly by the seat of our pants we do pay the price. Not fun and not recommended.

I hope by sharing that you will benefit and use it in your business and personal life.

Fruits of the Harvest Season

This year unlike the last one we were able to do some canning putting up some pear juice and tomato sauce. My children were able to participate as they are all old enough to know how to behave as to not get hurt. The boys will do the rest of the tomatoes while Dorothy and I are gone to Convention. Joseph is looking forward to eating the sauce and drinking juice. Now if only I could find some Banana squash and green beans to put up. I will pick up some smaller whole tomatoes after I get back specifically for me to can as pints. I prefer smaller ones for the solo meals I prep when I am sick or do not eat what the family is eating.  Whole tomatoes are so easy I figure 49 pints will be enough for me for the year. I can add cooked rice for Rice and tomato soup. I know that simple preparation makes everything easier and more doable.  WE are still eating peaches from a couple years ago. They taste really good and have NO added sugar. My sweet aunt taught me that by putting in a peach pit you can preserve the flavor of the peach as if it was just picked, and oh man she is so right. They still taste like the day we got them.

Dorothy is excited to go to convention for the first time, we all learn so much and it is good see friends we have not seen in years. We will get to connect to family as we are staying with them while there. We will bring our own food and have a great time really, we will be just sleeping there because there is so much to do at convention. WE are awaiting the new oils and products they are bringing out this year. I have saved money this time around to buy convention kits and tickets for next year.

We have been so blessed by the LIFE (Living Intentionally for Excellence) business. It has given me tools to help grow my Essential Oil business. It has taught me the corrections I need to make to have great relationships with my family and friends, plus everyone else I  associate with. It has had such a great impact on my life literally, helping to strengthen  our good marriage into a great marriage. The reading I have been doing has been, well eye opening (that list is updated-I am close to that 52 book goal) because I am thinking through things more carefully, before doing. I hope the changes I am choosing are showing through. I still have things I recognize that when used properly can be quite beneficial. I have learned to see people differently I am focusing on Jesus Christ and learning more of His Gospel. I am learning to be a servant leader. I learned many years ago in ROTC at BYU, that as an officer I was to serve those who I worked with and supervised. even Though I never went to to get a commission and served as an enlisted soldier. I carried that through my service, serving those below me in rank and those above me in rank. I have continued to do so, though not always with the same zeal-sometimes low and sometimes over zealous. I need to keep it even or people get scared off. Yes I am short and small but I know I have scared some really big dudes. I laughed about it when they told me. I do not mean to but when I am sure and have a definite direction I run with it.

All and all it has been a good day. I am so blessed with all I have a great family and wonderful neighbors. I have the desire to serve and help others, I hope to show His countenance in mine.