Last night, my daughter, Ellie, brought me a beautiful blue, green, and yellow painting with a piece of chalk glued to the center. She’d painted the chalk blue and bedazzled the top of it with a star jewel, making it look like a mini fairy wand. Almost daily, Ellie showers me with these artistic goodies. She has a craving to create. It’s the activity she naturally gravitates toward every day. With the uncanny ability to see an object and imagine what it could be, Ellie creates and invents with ease. Intrigued by her inspiration for this recent masterpiece she’d just handed me, I asked her, “Ellie, how did you come up with the idea for this beautiful picture? Did you imagine what your creation was going to look like before you made it?”
I loved her response. She said, “I don’t think, I just do it. Then when I start making it, I think about it and I create it.”
I told her I thought what she shared was so important I had to write it down. She beamed as she saw me write her words into my notebook. In hearing Ellie voice her process for creation, I realized I use that same strategy when it comes to writing blog posts! I sit down and ask myself, What’s inspiring me lately? Then a story or a concept will appear in my mind, and I just get started and the rest comes to me through the process of writing.
Recently, I’ve felt stuck in the area of creating new opportunities to share my message. I’ve been procrastinating picking up the phone to ask for new opportunities to speak, even though I know the message is important and helpful, as others have shared this feedback with me. Ellie’s strategy for creating an art project is the exact advice I needed to hear to get out of my own way in order to create more opportunities to give. Suddenly, it became clear to me. I must make a list of who I want to contact each day, then get started by making the phone calls and trusting that on the other side of my fear lies an opportunity for growth and contribution. Instead of leading with fear and worry, I must lead with faith and action. If problems arise, I will remind myself I am resourceful enough to find solutions in order to keep moving forward.
What do you want to create? What’s keeping you from getting started? What’s the first step you must take? How would your life be better or different if you took the action you knew was necessary?
Please share in the comments on Facebook or in the blog. Looking forward to reading your thoughts!
For further inspiration, I’m leaving you with a few great quotes!
“Don’t wait until you are ready to take action. Instead take action to be ready.” – Jensen Siaw
“The future depends on what you do today.” – Ghandi
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
“Overthinking is often a product of underdoing.” – Yehuda Berg
Thank you for hanging out with me today! Hope you have a blessed day! Love and Blessings.
PS – If you’re looking to motivate, inspire, and encourage a group you are a part of, I would love to come share my message of how each and every one of us can transform our most challenging times into the most meaningful and purposeful path for our lives. Email me at [email protected].
PPS – Are you searching for new, fun, and meaningful ways to connect with a child in your life (or even know an adult who could use some inspiration)? Share the gift of building lifetime character lessons for each letter of the alphabet with The Ellie Project! To get your copy of The Ellie Project or The Ellie Project Stationery Set, click here!
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