Mojo Monday ~ Inspirational Odds & Ends

Where do you look to for inspiration?  

Even if you are feeling blue or overwhelmed have you
identified beacons of light that can
brighten up your day or offer a breath of fresh air?  

Do you turn to nature, art, uplifting quotes and words,
music, writers, websites, or perhaps a combination of all of the above?  

Do you subscribe to any inspirational magazines, newsletters or video feeds? 

Share in the comments some of your inspirational touchstones.

Here is a list with links and notes 
of those things that have inspired me or 
perhaps provoked feelings and thoughts recently.

The course Hello Soul Hello Mantras by Kelly Rae Roberts.

Kelly Rae is an artist I have written about before

or mentioned in posts here, here, here, here and also here
because I have felt a kinship with her social worker soul 
and her creative mixed media artistry.  Her class was something
I decided to treat myself too after simmering in the blues.
The on-line course kicked off on September 8th and I am feeling very inspired.

Are there any courses you are taking that you would recommend?

The art and designs of PAPAYA! which predominantly
features the art of Anahata Katkin.  

I visited the flagship store in
Ashland, Oregon in July and again at the end of August. 
The store fills the senses with scents, colors, texture, 
deep dark chocolate and so much beauty.
While one won't get to taste the chocolate, feel the fabrics 
or smell the perfumes and lotions one can visit their
website to explore the hundreds of inspirational images.

Are there any particular artists that inspire you?

My own Artist Room

I recently did some late summer cleaning in my artist room.  
Partly in preparation for the Hello Soul Hello Mantras course.  
It felt good to dust and do a little rearranging and clearing out.
Having a beautiful-to-me inspirational sacred space is important to me.

Have you created or found an inspirational space for yourself?

I receive via email every single day an uplifting and positive article
from the good folk at Daily Good ~ News that Inspires

Some articles I read that very day.  Others I read at a later time.  
The team that gathers the articles from near and far, 
as well as research and writes about the 
wide variety of topics and people, do an amazing job.  
I am impressed that it all began with a single person.

"DailyGood was born in 1998, when one college student 
started sharing inspiration with a half a dozen of his friends 
by sending them an enriching quote every day.

Today, DailyGood leverages the internet to promote 
positive and uplifting news around the world to more than 
100,000 subscribers through the daily and weekly newsletters. 
Readers receive a news story, an inspiring quote, and a suggested action 
that each person can take to make a difference 
in their own lives and the world around them."

Do you subscribe to a regular newsletter 
or email subscription that inspires you?

If you have yet to check out TED Talks
I encourage you to do so.

I receive regular email updates for their latest videos.
This week I was particularly moved 
by the video by Zak Ebrahim entitled
I am the son of a terrorist. Here's how I chose peace.

Are you already familiar with TED Talks?
If yes, do you have any favorites to recommend?

The last topic that has been on my mind has to do with the heart.

On Thursday I learned that one of my aunts was
to undergo heart surgery on Friday.
The good news is that the surgery appears to have been very successful
and she is recovering very well.
Then on Saturday I learned that a matriarch in my creative community
is also very unexpectedly scheduled to
undergo open heart surgery this week.

I have been sending prayers for healed hearts
and my inquisitive nature had me reading about the heart.

Did you know these very interesting facts about the heart?

Inspiration is swirling all around us.  
Sometimes when I am blue I can get tunnel vision.
Reminding myself of all the beauty and wonder 
in our world brings me back into the light.

Mojo Monday ~ I Want (p.s. Happy 4th Birthday to Mojo Monday)

I Want. I have not always been really good about expressing what I want.  It is also difficult to express what I want when it effects other people and I start to feel like I am asking something of others.  I tend to be a bit independent in taking care of myself. For example this weekend I really wanted our house to be less messy (our almost 8 year old twins had things and toys strewn and lying about in multiple ares of the house.)  I also wasn't feeling so inclined to do all the picking up and cleaning myself.  It wasn't so easy for me to mention to my hubby on Saturday night that it would be nice if the house could get straightened up.  It is difficult for me to explain to people who seem content in a less than neat house, how residing in chaos can make me physically start to feel all tense.  But my speaking up let my hubby know to be on board with kicking things into gear on Sunday and everyone helped out to make the house more organized and clean again. Ahhhh...soo nice.  Especially because my energy is seriously lagging.  My get up and go went somewhere else and I hadn't found her once I got home from grocery shopping and put everything away this morning.

This idea of contemplating I Want was in part inspired by a post I saw weeks ago by artist and writer Kelly Rae Roberts.  Back on February 5th she shared a very sweet lists of wants in this post.

Dream Big In the Moonlight

(Signed/ Matted Print Available Here)

I made the above with True in mind, (a new little something for his new room in our new house) but I'm inspired to consider my own dreams as of late.........

I want to have a picnic or two. And read a book in the green summer grass.

I want to make a memory book, printing off photos regularly and documenting more of our everyday life. 

I want to stay authentic in business, making choices that continued to be tuned into my vision, mission, truth. 

I want to trust the journey and the abundance that exists at every turn (it's the small things).

I want to go to NYC and wander the streets with John.

I want to walk around my new hood, make new friends, put up a new little library.

I want to have more dinner parties. 

I want to make more collaborative paintings with True. 

I want to make more paintings for kids. 

I want to gather on the coast with new friends, old friends, and eat candy. 

I want to be still. 

Take it all in. 

Celebrate. 

Be grateful. 

I kept this particular post open on my iPhone and I visited it now and again.  There was such a sweetness and simplicity to her wishes that resonated with me. I have been asking myself, what do I want? Here are some of my thoughts.

I want to feel more relaxed.

I want to play with my children and hang with the family more.

I want to have less commitments.

I want less pressure and fewer deadlines.  

I want to spend more time gardening and hanging out in our yards.

I want to cuddle my 17 year old cat Bandito more.

I want to throw the Frisbee for 11 year old Shanti more too.

I want to paint more. 

I want to gently ease back into being in love with my book project.

I want to feel excited about the book and fleshing out a colorful vision for it.

I want more creative time.

I want more quality time with friends, not necessarily more quantity.

I want to say Yes to things that make my heart sing.

I want to say No to things that don't light me up.

I always want to hear great music.

What about you?  What do you want?  Did anything that Kelly Rae or I shared inspire you or resonate with you?

 P.S. May 1st is Mojo Mondays 4th Birthday.  Here is a little something to honor this special day.

May 1st is "The Day of Ironic Insight" according to the book The Secret Language of Birthdays by Gary Goldschneider and Joost Elffers.  While Mojo Monday is not a person it has had a life of its own for the past 4 years.  It was a bit entertaining to read about the predicted attributes of those born on May 1st, for that is the birthday of Mojo Monday back in 2010.  

Here are some more of the descriptions listed for those born May 1st:

"[They] have a talent for watching what goes on around them and communicating their ideas on what they see to others.  Their capacity to express these observations, which most frequently deal with people, is generally either verbal or written, but rarely both."

"...they also show an active interest in the events of the world around them.  Even the shyest take a stand within the family, business or social group of which they are a member.  Those born on this day are not everyone's cup of tea, nor do they particularly seek to please others.  They are, however, respected for their honesty and though outspoken on issues of importance to them are nonetheless venusian in their love of harmony and beauty."

Wielding the Healing Wand

Today in Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine
is my latest article called 

Wielding the Magic Wand

“At the end of your brush is the tip of your soul.”
~ Andrew Hamilton

Some of my mission here on planet mama earth is to shine a light on extending love and grace to ourselves.  I don’t have a magic wand that can heal others or make people love themselves.  My wand can only work on me.  The good news is that I am quite confident that everyone has such a wand.

Magic Wand photo by Michelle Fairchild

To read more come visit Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine.

Mystical Filament of the Heart

This month in Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine 

we have all been contemplating and writing 
about the term Community. 

Come read my latest article called Mystical Filament of the Heart

“…the capacity of the mystical filament of heart that if listened to,
will lead us beyond what we know into the
depth of our common humanity,
into that place where none of us are strangers.”

~ Mark Nepo

Red Thread Love by Michelle Fairchild

Mojo Monday ~ Personal Mission Statement

Last night while neck deep in writing my latest Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine article I came across something that made me pause and note it down in my journal.  I had been visiting the web site of artist and author Kelly Rae Roberts.  I have been an admirer of her art for several years now and I adored her book called Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques to give your Creative Spirit Wings.  I have one of her prints hanging in the living room and I have given many items from her art collection as gifts.  The thing that made me stop and pause was her simple, yet very powerful Mission Statement that was tucked into the side panel of her web page:

"My mission is to create beautiful,
meaningful artwork that tells the truth."

I loved the focus, the honesty and the sheer simplicity of it.  I had an article to keep writing, but I knew I wanted to return to this topic and this idea of writing a Personal Mission Statement.  Now, this isn't a new idea.  In fact if you do a search on-line for that very topic you will find all sort of cool articles, blog posts and creative artistic renditions of these intimate statements of purpose.  

If someone was to ask YOU, "What is your personal missions statement?"  Would you even know where to begin or would you very matter-of-factly proclaim it, because you just happen to know your mission by heart?  

by Courtney Mellinger

If you are still contemplating yours, consider following these step-by-step guidelines by Courtney Mellinger on her web site called BlogGraphicDesignPortfolio.

1. Create a list of words that describe you. These should be aspects of you that you’re proud of. They could relate to your personality, your relationships, your profession, your religion, etc. The great thing is, it’s all about you so you can focus on anything you want.
2. Use these words to craft a sentence (or two) that describes your mission in life. It should be a statement that is specific to you yet can be applied to any area or facet of your life.
3. Type it on your phone, write it down and put it on your desk or screen background or somewhere where you will see it everyday. (Mine is on a note in my phone and a post-it note on my computer.) Having this daily reminder of your overarching goal in life will help you focus more on what really matters to you and less on the trivial things you face.
4. When you’re faced with a difficult decision or a tough situation, refer back to this statement. If the result doesn’t align with your mission, it might not be the best use of your time and efforts. I’m not saying that every single thing you do from this point forward should revolve around your mission, but it can be a great tool to use down the road.

Go explore other personal mission statements, and consider looking at those of some businesses too.  The foster adoption agency where I have worked for over 9 years has this as the mission statement:  "To ensure a child's opportunity for permanence in a safe and nurturing family."  In addition they have selected a core set of values by which the agency is guided and these are: Vision, Integrity, Partnership, Excellence and Leadership.  Perhaps an outline of your own personal values will also assist you in formulating your mission statement.

Consider then the Mission of Cosmic Cowgirls:

Our Belief is that each of us has a Vision with a calling and a purpose to fulfill and we believe that, through collaboration with other women, manifestation of that Vision becomes more possible.

Our Structure is comprised of a revolutionary membership-based publishing media house owned by girls and women worldwide, headquartered in the United States. 

Our Purpose is to empower one another to live legendary lives.

Our Mission is to establish Cosmic Cowgirls as a powerful community and marketplace where women's creative offerings equal livelihood, abundance, and recognition.

Our Focus is the gathering of women’s collective wisdom to be shared through the collaborative creation of products such as: art, cards, music, DVDs, film, coloring books, journals, workbooks and workshops designed to inspire, inform, and illuminate the journey of a woman’s life.

Our Intention as a collective of visionary women and girls, is to publish media that will bring education, creativity, and our sacred wisdom to those in need of information, healing, and transformation.

More recently we have seen the birth of The Red Thread Nation, whose mission is to Nurture the Soul through Art and Education.  Here are several more examples for you to peruse:

By Donna Miller on Creative Musings

Lastly check out this energetic and creative video slideshow one young teen put together for her personal mission statement.

After some thought have you come up with your own personal mission statement?

Will you share it here?

Now how about taking it and turning it into an art project, maybe a paper altar, or perhaps you can capture it in a photo, or even a video?

Be-lated Mojo Monday - Artist Kelly Rae Roberts

Artist Kelly Rae Roberts is so very inspirational.  What I love most about her creations is the way she combines her beautiful images with inspirational words.  I am both an image and word gal and I just adore it when both of these worlds are brought together.

This week Kelly Rae celebrated her birthday and is also celebrating her working relationships with a company called Demdaco.  Each day she has been sharing about the creative process and all the people involved in the process of bringing her art to a greater audience.  

I recently purchased one of her sweet figurines called  Hopeful Spirit. Here is the message that appears in her dress:  "In our best moments, we understand that our vulnerabilities are what connect us, that there is beauty in every step of the journey, that we can love bravely, offer comfort to our younger, broken selves, and soar, always soar on the brightness of being alive."  This message so spoke to me.

I encourage you to visit her blog to learn more about this amazing artist: http://www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/. 

Also note that this week each day amazing gifts are being offered. All you have to do is check out what topic or question is being featured and leave one comment. They will announce winners next week.