The important thing about gratitude is that it doesn’t matter how much you have. Gratitude is not dependent on whether it is a big car or a little car. Gratitude is not conditional or dependent on any of that. It can be a pebble that we see and we feel such gratitude for the joy that it brings us in that moment. So always remember that it doesn’t matter how much we have, that gratitude is a place that we go to that’s independent of size or monetary value. It is something that we simply feel from our heart. When you look at gratitude as a daily practice this is how you use it. Generally, during the day, you can be saying to yourself how often have I focused on gratitude? As compared to how often have I focused on worries? And that’s a very sobering question. I often ask myself,” Where has my focus been? Where has my attention been?” Because what we focus on expands. So it is very interesting for me if I’m aware that my focus has been more on a worry than it has on gratitude. So that’s one thing that you can do, that’s one practice that you can begin to do throughout the day.
05
2012
03
2012
The Creative You by Jennifer
Our guest writer this month is Jennifer. Jennifer shares her advice on how to bring out “The Creative You” through painting.
Hi! I started painting regularly a few years ago and I’m just getting to where it’s really really fun!!! That’s not true, it’s been fun all along the way (some moments and paintings more fun than others!) but now I’m feeling like a painter! Bev asked what advice I’d give to someone wanting to start out really enjoying a creative passion. First of all do it with a friend! My friend Monika and I signed up for painting classes and have gone through it all together. We build up and feed off of each other’s creative energy, exchanging ideas, opinions, links, going to shows together, and talking and laughing about it all over lots of cups of coffee and chai!! It seems easier to allow and honour that painting time when you’ve got a friend doing the same beside you. So second, give yourself time! A weekly class or painting time makes it happen, let’s you know that no matter what else is going on in life you have those few hours at least to let yourself paint and create.
And also give yourself time in that it’s going to take a while before you start painting things you like and finding your own style. It’s all good! And that leads to thirdly, go easy on yourself. I spent a year creating so-so paintings but nothing I ultimately wanted to hang on my wall. Had the feeling I was putting in worthwhile time ‘moving paint’ though, and suddenly things clicked and I started doing paintings I was happy with, and was able to start challenging myself other ways. I painted 
over the old yucky ones and leaped into trying new colours, sizes, brushstrokes, and subjects. Everything! It fills me up and makes me grin! Have fun with it!
Beverley Pugh
