8 Things + 2 About Me

I'm currently reading Quiet !mpact: How to be a Successful Introvert by Sylvia Loehken. She totally normalizes being an introvert and offers great strategies for different real life situations. One challenge I have as introvert is talking about myself and what I do in the world. The following list gives you a little glimpse about me.

8 Things + 2 About Me

1. I’m highly introverted so my ideal vacation is to go to an isolated island or a cabin in the woods by a lake and read or sketch
2. I’m fascinated by ideas, especially where they come from and their evolution
3. Numbers and patterns intrigue me and as an adult I discovered a new appreciation for math as a sacred language to explain nature
4. In university I prefered the Bronte sisters to Jane Austen.  Now I have a growing collection of books whose characters are based on Pride and Prejudice.  I think the BBC production with Colin Firth might have had something to do with this.
5. Together with my husband of almost 27 years, we have 3 beautiful, creative and talented daughters and a collection of pets
6. I live in my hometown of Parry Sound and co-own a marina on Georgian Bay.
7. I’ve always wanted to own a cottage.  There is something so relaxing about a cottage.
8. Although I am a 5 in numerology, a 4 on the Enneagram the number 8 plays a significant role in my life.  8 + 8 is the day of my birthday, 8 x 8 is the year of my birth and I was married on 08 08 88.  And this year my beloved border collie Saul turns 8.
9. Dragons, magical ponds and frogs have a habit of appearing in my life.
10. I consider life to be one big creative project and so everything from routine tasks to art exploration are an opportunity to be in the creative process.

Spring Showers and Shadows

Spring is a time for new flowers, warmer weather, renewal and new growth.

But first, the snow must melt and inevitable the skies turn grey as snow turns to rain.  The lack of sun on these days tends to make me feel gloomy and restless.  And this can lead to visits from my shadow side.

This March held some major disappointments as well as the anniversary of my father's death.  I did not deny the feelings these events brought, nor did I let them dictate my decisions.  Instead I acknowledged their shadowy presence.  I stood in the shadow and saw clearly that in one direction it got darker and murkier well in the opposite direction it's edge was defined by light.  When I was ready, I chose to move toward the light.

I'm choosing to use the feeling of disappointment as fuel.  And the situations as opportunities for learning and growth.

I have not always been able to do this.  What was different this year is my intention to live my life creatively.  The disappointment became a creative challenge, and I accepted that challenge.  Like any challenge it isn't easy but the shadow is fading and the spark of creativity within is casting a brighter light.

Another helpful tip that I received from my coach #DawnKotzer is to release expectations.  This was reinforced in the April 2016 #Mindfulmagazine by an article entitled Feeling Moody? Here's Why that quoted #YaelNiv of Princeton University explaining that, "Happiness depends not on how well things are going, but whether they are going better than expected."

How do you overcome disappointment?  What ways has creativity made your life brighter?  Comment below, I'd love to hear what your experience has been.