In this article, I am exploring the partnership of Inspiration and Motivation at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, CA where I live. I sat happily with my Kean coffee looking at the artists booths all around me that are filled with diverse art by very talented people. Festival of Arts has been home to the Pageant of the Masters since 1932 and attracts more than 250,000 people annually. The festival has a reputation for fine art, and is recognized worldwide. These 140 juried artists have to be very inspired and motivated to get into the festival, and to stay in the show from year to year. Each year approximately 25 new artists are added to the art show.
The first delightful artist I spoke with was Betty Haight of Cunningham/Haight. I asked Betty what motivated/inspired her and she told me, “Other people loving our art is what motivates me. Another factor is selling art. Our motto is “Art without commerce is a hobby.” There is a story tag on the back of each painting, and the wood frames are from scrap wood from old cottages. Betty is passionate and enthusiastic about her work, and it was a pleasure to visit her booth…I hope you will too!
I fell in love with Karin Worden’s beautiful jewelry. There is a gorgeous necklace in Karin’s booth that keeps pulling me back and enticing me! Her work is exquisite. It is obvious that Karin puts her heart and soul into her work, so I asked her what inspires/motivates her in regard to her craft. “I’m inspired by the life I see in natural forms. The gestures and textures speak to me. I also love my craft of goldsmithing. So I get inspired by something in nature, or even sometimes a picture of nature, and then I mix that in my studio with the fun and adventure of what the materials can do. I choose gemstones for their colors and then play with textures and techniques in silver and gold. I love the process of bringing an idea to life. A fleeting picture in my mind evolves into something tangible that can last just about forever. I’m also inspired and moved by the responses my pieces get from others. When someone falls in love with a piece and buys it, it begins a new life with them. Often, I’ll see a piece on someone two years later and it will look different – it has become part of the wearer and transformed in ways I could not have effected.”
Wandering around the festival grounds I met Bill Agee who was a commercial photographer for 30 years, and now teaches photography at Saddleback College. Bill’s art is abstract/expressionism in acrylic on canvas. As far as motivation, Bill said “Art makes me happy, I enjoy it. I work independently and have made my hobby my profession.” I viewed Bill’s photography from around the world on his website and it is stunning.
Next I spoke to Anne England who is a longtime Laguna resident and artist. Anne is a print-maker, who says “Art motivates art, and art motivates me. Art comes from my heart and soul, it speaks to me.” Anne spends part of the year teaching and creating new works on paper in Italy. I met Anne after one of her return trips from Italy and found her a joy to interact with.
While talking to Anne, I met Geraldine who directed me to her husband Gar Cropser, a gifted and passionate landscape photographer. Gar’s answer to being inspired and motivated was, “The love of the outdoors gives me a feeling of peace, awe and wonder that I want to share with others. My goal is to be able to capture, experience and share my work with the world.” Gar’s photography of Zion and Yosemite (two of my favorite places) were very moving because he captures light beautifully.
I thank each artist for taking the time to speak with me, and may you each be blessed with a prosperous festival season.
Use Courage to expand each and every day. Smile more often, be kind and loving to others, gossip less, let criticism of yourself and others go, be the joy you want to experience. Life WILL respond back to you. – Debra Oakland
What motivates us as humans? I was pondering this subject thinking about various things that motivate, such as courage, inspiration, encouragement, and all the great qualities of life. There are many forms of motivation, for example fear is one. It does not take much to scare people into action. When fear is the motivating factor, the results will be different than those motivated by love, yet it may be an important stepping stone to acting from a place of love.
I have been motivated by many things in my life, but it always comes back to the basics. Living an authentic life doing what my heart leads me to do. By trusting that motivation comes from life all around me and from inside my soul, I am able to determine my best path. Like everyone I have made decisions out of fear. Many of those decisions were not the best, but they taught me what I do want. That is the power of contrast, which is essential for growth and expansion.
What and who motivates you? Does it last, or are you motivated in the moment and quickly lose momentum? Think about what fires up your soul. Inspired passion for excellence is a key factor in motivation. Passion, creativity, inspiration and productivity keep us alive and vital. This video on the life of bamboo motivated me to remember to plant the seeds, water them, encourage them and be patient for the growth that can explode from being nurtured.
Pablo Casals the famous Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor said “Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and never will be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know who you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”
The children are our future, and what we teach them matters. By reminding children of who and what they are, we are teaching them to live from the inside out as the marvelous beings they each are. Sometimes we forget our uniqueness and the power in that individuality. Let’s all remind young children who they are, so they can pass it on for future generations who want to live in a marvelous world.
CHALLENGE “Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”
Recently “Life By Me” described me as a writer, joyful experiencer and courage advocate. I will take that and run with it! In the article I wrote for them I said “We’re incredibly powerful beings, and yet, as Sting sings, “how fragile we are.” There’s a bridge between being broken and living in power. We get to choose which side of the bridge to be on and who we’ll assist to the other side. It takes courage to believe in ourselves, to be our true authentic selves, never apologizing for who we are. If we can create a spiritual space inside ourselves, a place where we can overcome life’s biggest challenges, we’ll truly live in courage. By navigating the bumps in the road wisely, joy becomes a very good travel partner.” I truly believe this. We are fragile, powerful, courageous beings experiencing and expressing ourselves in a multitude of ways.
Courage comes in many forms. I like to think of the everyday hero, like you and me. By making wise choices throughout the day, being the best ‘you’ is courageous, because you are making a conscious choice for good. Sometimes challenges are put in our pathway, not to discourage us, but to call up the qualities of courage that are required, to find the opportunity in the challenge. How you handle these challenges, and the choices you make determine how smooth or rough the experience will be. It takes courage to be harmless to yourself and others, to ask the question “Is the choice I am making in this moment for the highest and greatest good for myself and for all?” Life expresses out from us according to what is going on inside. Every cell of our body emanates what we are thinking, feeling and acting upon. You may be able to hide things from other people, but never from yourself. We all need ‘purpose and direction.’ Being true to yourself should be the first order of business, and that my friend takes great courage. You can grow and be strengthened by challenges. It is a choice, which can create a grand bridge to your joy.
In one of my quotes I say “Courage is required, down to the very fiber of our existence. Use your will, desire and persistence to develop the qualities you need to materialize your dreams, whether they be mental, physical, or spiritual.” You are more powerful than you realize. We all are. Step up to yourself, for yourself. Find your point of power and connect to it like your life depends upon it, and make courage your constant travel partner.
I think about what is going on in the world ‘outside’ of me. It seems very surreal out there. I grew up in a more peaceful world, or so it seemed. I have learned that the world ‘inside’ of me is the most important place for me to live, move and have my being-ness. It is also the best way I can contribute to the outer world. By remaining in peace and in my joy as much as possible, which can sometimes be challenging, I am making a difference. We are energy. What we give out, we get back. I refuse to live in fear, motivated by what the ‘outer world’ dictates. One by one, as we collectively take our power back, this world will shift. As you live from the ‘inside out’ from a place of peace and love, your personal world will shift, as well as your perspective on the world you live in.
I love my life. I am grateful for the joys and challenges that have made me who I am today. Although I have always wanted to help ‘fix’ things for certain people in my life, I now realize that is their responsibility. We each have our own path to travel, yet we can show up for others with loving support. My best contribution to the world is by being a living example of love, peace, joy, integrity, courage, really just by being my best ‘me.’ As we each hold a space of love for ourselves, each other and our world, we can be the change we want to see in the world. Think back to when you were very young. Remember the simple joy of just being you, the innocence, and wonder with which you viewed life.
I am honored to be featured in Life By Me this week. I would like to thank my wonderful friend Chris Cade for recommending me to Life By Me. Chris is featured on their site as a writer, speaker and empowerer. I am listed as writer, joyful experiencer and courage advocate. In fact I like the sound of courage advocate so much I think I will call myself “The Courage Advocate.”
Life By Me posts only one question “What is most meaningful to you?” Every day there is an original answer from all people such as Gary Zukov, Michael Beckwith, Judith Orloff, Dean Ornish, Leigh Taylor Young, Seth Godin, Marci Shimoff, Jack Canfield and many others. It is a wonderful space to get lost in…a real gem.
Click the link below to read my answer to the question “What is most meaningful to you?”
Through the power of your personal magnetism you are able to affect other people by being a living example. Have you ever been around someone who attracts people like moths to a flame? They seem to have an ability to magnetize people into their sphere of influence. They are almost irresistible because they have fascinating powers to create, persuade and attract anything they want into their lives.
Are you aware you have the capability for the same magnetism? You and I are magnetic by nature. This magnetic force can bring the unformed into form by the use of thoughts, feelings and actions. It is so exciting to know that we have the power to create, and that this power lives in each one of us. Our thoughts are ALL powerful. Feelings create movement and when combined with action can build momentum.
Think about falling in love. You can’t stop thinking about the person. You feel the love for them filling you. By taking action with a willing participant who shares your feelings, you move into a relationship. Movement and momentum carry the relationship forward. The cares of the world seem to drop away when you are with this person. Music sounds better, food tastes better, life is good. I can go on, but you get the picture. Your energetic field is vibrating at a higher frequency because you are happy. Happy = Fast. Unhappy = Slow.
Now think about a time when you were angry, hurt or fearful. The world seemed darker, less friendly, like your mood. Happy people irritated you, because you could not feel happy in those moments. You replayed the scene of your unhappiness, anger or fear over and over in your head like a movie. You may have even temporarily isolated yourself or become depressed over the situation. Your energetic field was vibrating at a lower frequency.
Which feels better? Of course, love always feels better than anger and the family of fear. You are a magnet who has the opportunity to react or respond to every situation. When you come from a place of love, you take the higher road. By making a conscious choice to respond from a place of love and kindness in every situation possible, this creates momentum which will magnetize good things into your life. Your potential is infinite. Your outer world reflects your inner world. The law of cause and effect.
So just as the person who attracts people like moths to a flame, you can create the life you dream of. Love, health, wealth, joy or any of the great qualities of life are in abundance, ready and willing to be magnetized to you. Choosing thoughts and feelings of a higher vibration can be challenging, but with persistence and vigilance it can be done. Over time your outer life will reflect your powers of magnetism, where you have ‘consciously’ become the master of your creations.
This is a very inspirational video of a football coach and his team. It is important to be a team player in life. When you are someone people look up to, there are certain things that are required of you. This applies to all areas of life, not just football or sports. Being a living example to others takes courage. Do you have what it takes?
A few qualities that come to mind are Kindness, Determination, Leadership, Mentor-ship, Tolerance, Wisdom, Passion, Vision, Integrity, Persistence, Courage and Commitment. What is important is to take a good look your self imposed limitations. How far you are willing to push yourself to be your best YOU? Are you willing to put on a blindfold to all your limitation and allow yourself to cross the finish line? This video exemplifies inspiration and encouragement.
This is a guest article from Alan Cohen – From the Heart – February 2011
Directions to Happy Lane
During my Life Coach Training seminar in Ojai, California, I took a walk in that picturesque town. As I strolled along a back road enjoying a striking mountain vista, a car pulled up beside me. A forlorn tourist rolled down his window and asked, “Can you direct me to Happy Lane?” I shrugged my shoulders and answered, “Sorry, I can’t help you. I don’t live around here.” As the motorist moved on, I recognized the humorous metaphor of the encounter: You can’t direct other people to Happy Lane unless you already know the town. You can’t help others find happiness unless you are happy. When you’re familiar with the area, it’s easy to show the way. If you’re not there, you can’t be of much help.
In February we celebrate Valentine’s Day, honoring lovers and relationships. While we tend to focus on the romantic aspects of relationships, ultimately they serve as powerful teaching tools. If a relationship helps you grow in self-awareness and take back the power you give to others to make you happy or unhappy, it has served you well. Your relationship partner serves as a mirror for your beliefs and attitudes about yourself. If you see beauty and love in your partner, that is what you see in yourself. If you see faults and problems, again you are meeting yourself. Wherever you go, there you are.
In the early days of motion pictures, a small group of cowboys in South Dakota got together to watch their first movie, projected onto a sheet on the wall of their bunkhouse. At one point in the film a band of war-painted Indians stormed over the top of a ridge, hooting and hollering, seemingly charging straight toward the audience of viewers. Suddenly one of the cowboys in the bunkhouse rose, drew his revolver, and fired six shots at the Indians. Moments later the lights in the room went on, the movie disappeared, and the audience laughed to find six bullet holes in the bunkhouse wall.
When you resent, resist, or attack your relationship partner, or anyone, you are firing holes in the screen. You are fighting an image in your mind. Rather than engaging in a war with a play of light on a screen, trace the image back to the film moving through the projector in your head. You made up a story and then dove into it. The issue is not about the other person. The issue is about you. With such a realization you are immensely empowered. You cannot change other people to meet your expectations, but you do have the power to change your mind. When you open, grow, and expand your consciousness, your relationship opens, grows, and expands. We see life not as it is. We see life as we are. Thus relationships are one of the best ways to facilitate self-healing and personal evolution.
This principle came to light when I coached an unhappy doctor in Japan. The fellow had been pushed into his career by demanding parents and he hated his job. Yet, due to rigid societal expectations and his parents’ continued pressure, he felt he was unable to leave. When I asked him if there was any other profession he would rather have, he lit up and answered, “I would love to be a party planner.” Stunned, I asked him, “Why would you prefer that over medicine?” “Sometimes I throw parties for my staff,” he explained, “and it gives me a great deal of pleasure to see them happy.” Suddenly the dynamic behind his dilemma became clear to me. I told him, “When you throw a party that makes your staff happy, in that moment you realize that you have the power to make someone happy. The someone you would really like to make happy is yourself. Now turn that power loose on yourself.” He and I explored ways he could take better care of himself and amplify his joy, and he left the session relieved and uplifted.
Likewise, a workshop participant told me, “I am angry with myself because when I was a child I vowed I would become President of the United States by the time I was 48 years old. Now that birthday has come and gone and I see no hope of me achieving my goal.”
“Why do you want to be President?” I asked.
“I would like to free the world of oppression,” he replied.
“Then perhaps you could begin by freeing yourself of the oppression of self-judgment,” I suggested.
This month as you consider your lover, or your desired lover, or any of your relationships, remember that to guide someone to well-being, you have to already be there. If you want more love from your partner, give it to yourself first. If you want more freedom, claim it. If you want more understanding, understand. Then, when someone comes to you looking for Happy Lane, you will be able to point them in the right direction.
Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the metaphysical thriller, Linden’s Last Life. Listen to Alan’s weekly radio show Get Real on Hay House Radio at www.hayhouseradio.com, and join him for Life Coach Training beginning in September. For more information about Alan’s books, programs, or his free daily inspirational quotes via email, visit www.alancohen.com, email info@alancohen.com, or phone 1-800-568-3079.
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