Contemplation

So I have been away for a couple of days. Clairview has been the destination. Nestled between the highway and the beach, this semi tropical getaway has the makings of the perfect recharge for one run down mind body and soul.
It has been a while since I have posted anything of significance on this blog. When I travelled to China I was able to blog almost on a daily basis, but never leave it longer than a week. Strange how things change.
I sat down to watch Eat Pray Love last night. Yeah I can hear what a lot of you may be saying, “chick flick”. Well that would be where you are incorrect. It’s about self discovery and giving yourself a break. Not just a holiday but a break.
A break from everything that plagues our daily existences. The mundane chores, the rituals of life, the stresses of our western ways where making a career and a success of every detail of life can be all consuming. It is true that we can all get to the point where we lose ourselves to routine. Wake up, shower, work, come home,cook dinner, tv, read, bed. BORING! But reality. Occasionally we throw gym into the mix.
I have a plaque in my studio that says ” never live to work, but work to live” or something along those lines. I’m going to place this plaque in a prominent position so I remind myself every day of what I want my life to be. It is going to become my mantra.
The routine is inevitable I suppose, but it’s what we are working for that makes it enjoyable. Yes I want success but I don’t want to unbalance my life to get it. Success is more than money. It is in friendships, relationships, family, love and life.
I am fortunate to do what I love.
I am fortunate to have people in my life that care for me and I care for.
My vision of success is simple. Work enough to be comfortable, to enable myself to do the things that mean the most to me. Spending time enjoying my relationships, with my partner, family, friends, and pets. To take time out to calm the mind and relax the body and soothe the spirit.
By doing this I am more creative.
On this holiday I am traveling with our dog Sprocket. If there is anything in this world that can show you how to live your life, then it is a dog. Devotion is this dogs middle name. Devotion to me, to play, to food, to adventure and to sleep. His balance is right. He has a routine. Wake up, cuddles, breakfast, play, poop, play, cuddles, nap. It never really ventures outside of these parameters, but it is the enthusiasm he has. His curiosity for the world and everything in it is endless and his love for not just me, but everyone he comes in contact with is infectious. There is nothing like having a dog.
Nothing else matters to this creature but receiving love and attention, food and play, sleep and exercise.
So where is this leading?
My recent years have been a battle of trying to succeed in my business. Trying to make money to make a life. Living for work in the hope that I can live. I’ve had it all wrong. Liz (from eat pray love) realizes along the way that her fears of success in a prescribed life are unfounded. She has the power to change herself and only she can do it.

Food is for the soul. “God” lives in her. Allow yourself to love. Simple.

All the signs are there really. They have been standing in front of me all the time. It is not a matter of someone telling you what you need to know as most of us are not at the right point in our lives to accept it. We reach that point on our own and being told does not help. It just builds the resistance to acceptance.

This blog so far has been about my work, not my life. I now have a work blog that is separate and focuses on just that. To me, it is superficial in showing only one aspect of who I am. This blog states that it is about the trials and tribulations of an artist yet only shows you the successes and nothing else. It needs to change to make it align with who I am once more and become something more well rounded than just ambition and pride. It needs to show you the good, the bad and the ugly as well. Only then will you be able to understand the true creative process and enjoy the successes more.