Friday, 30 October 2020

Confidence

Confidence is just the memory of success.
- Author Unknown 

Wednesday, 28 October 2020

Obsolete

You never change things by fighting the existing reality.  
To change something, build a new model 
that makes the existing model obsolete. 
 - R. Buckminster Fuller

Monday, 26 October 2020

Progress

Progress is impossible without change,
 and those who cannot change their minds
 cannot change anything. 
 - George Bernard Shaw

Friday, 23 October 2020

Direction

I find the great thing in this world
 is not so much where we stand 
as in what direction we are moving. 
 - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Done

The things we really want to do pretty much get done.  
And the things we do not want to do pretty much do not get done. 
 - Sam Bennett

Monday, 19 October 2020

Motion

A body in motion puts the mind in motion. 
 - Sam Bennett

Friday, 16 October 2020

October 16, 2020 Chautauqua



Beth's Ponderings

   I was recently listening to an online workshop for writers, and one of the tips they gave was that writers should “cross-train,” meaning that writers should take up dancing or painting or playing a musical instrument or other creative activity to help enrich their writing.

   My initial thought when I heard that was, 1. why do we need to label it cross-training, and 2. a good writer is usually very creative in other areas so shouldn’t need to be told to add more creativity to their lives.

   As a society we have swung the pendulum so far to the extreme that we not only have to label everything and everyone, but we have to “specialize” in whatever our interests are. 

   Now there are, hard to believe, people out there who love to be put in a specific box.  I think it’s because they then have a really good excuse for not trying anything new, or doing something that would cause them to feel like a beginner.  “Oh, I can’t paint, because I’m a writer.”  Or, “I’m sorry, I’m an artist, I don’t dance.”

   How silly!  We are humans, which means we’re curious, we’re attracted to new experiences (even if, or because, they are a bit scary), and we like to try/do lots of different things. 

   We all know how monotonous life can get if we have to do the same task over and over and over again.  So why do we think that our creative expressions have to be in only one form?

   Now, I am someone who resists labels and being put in a specific box.  I don’t even really like the labels multi-faceted or multi-disciplinary as they still are limiting people in a way.  I am a human with many interests, and many ways of expressing those interests - which shouldn’t make me different from the norm, but means I AM the norm, as that describes all of us.

   We’ve all, at some point, seen young children playing.  Unless, an adult interferes, they are all over the place - running, skipping, singing, drawing, acting, painting, exploring, and more.  We need to stop labelling ourselves and reclaim that child-like freedom of expression.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IAeUA1phijZ4hPbBKNfuG3jxHDbx59hE/view?usp=sharing

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

Freedom

Give me the discipline to get rid of the stuff that’s not important, 
the freedom to savor the stuff that gives me joy, 
and the patience not to worry about the stuff that’s messy 
but not hurting anybody.
 - Vinita Hampton Wright

Monday, 12 October 2020

Apples

Creative people create things the way apple trees make apples...
offered freely and without expectation of approval. 
 - Sam Bennett

Friday, 9 October 2020

Words

What comes out of your mouth comes into your life 
so choose your words wisely. 
 - Jen Sincero

Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Flow

Success comes from being in the flow, 
not forcing it till it breaks. 
 - Jen Sincero

Monday, 5 October 2020

Coincidence

So-called coincidence might then just be an
 alignment of forces fitting together in flawless harmony...
what catches our attention might be more than a coincidence. 
 - Wayne Dyer

Friday, 2 October 2020

October 2, 2020 Chautauqua



Beth's Ponderings

  I was not going to write about this, but it has been coming up more and more, especially in the past two weeks, among various people I am connected with, closely and distantly.

   The issue is being happy/joyful and celebrating during these “dark times” (aka COVID 2020). 

   Some people feel that it is shameful, and feel deep guilt, because they have had something good happen in their lives that they want to celebrate, or something that they are truly thankful for that brings them joy.  That is so wrong!

   I have been told by well-meaning people that we can’t celebrate because there is so much darkness in the world, and we have to let others know all about that darkness.

   I’m here to tell you, people ALREADY KNOW it’s dark as there is darkness, of some form, in everyone’s lives.  Now, the darkness I experience may not be the exact same darkness you experience, but we’re all experiencing darkness in some way.

   The most important thing to remember is that darkness does not go away by adding more darkness - ie figuratively turning off the lights.  That just creates darker darkness.  Being doom-and-gloomy, sad, guilty, shameful, scared, angry, or whatever mix of emotions may be brewing, is not doing anything to change the dark at all, except create more.

   Darkness can only be removed by adding light.  Even light as small as a match flame, a candle flame, a lighter flame, or a penlight can chase away the dark.

   So, we should be doing everything we can to add MORE LIGHT to the situation, and in particular, this year.  We should be celebrating as much as we can, and we should totally be focusing with gratitude on the moments and situations that bring us great joy. 

   Susan B. Warner penned the following in 1864, “Like a little candle burning in the night;/In this world of darkness, we must shine,/You in your small corner, and I in mine.”  A sentiment that is still true today.

   So be as joyful and grateful as you can, and share your light.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aa13H4GyV2U6i0Qk6bYVX2oePAvmOf4_/view?usp=sharing

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

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