1. HANGING OUT WITH MY HUSBAND AND CATS
My husband and I are always discovering different ways to spend time together. Our latest project together has been photo shoots to be utilized in art projects. But in the past, it has been as simple as a nightly tea ritual where we would sit and have tea together and read the Taoism thought of the day.
2. CREATING ART
To me, creating art is a spiritual experience. It engages your entire soul, and if your heart isn’t into it, it shows, so lately, I have been diverting my attention to other projects until my muse returns once more to inspire me.
3. HANGING OUT WITH FELLOW ARTISTS
Whether on the web or in person, I love conversing with fellow artists. To me, it’s an inspirational experience. When you’re discussing the arts, something happens, one thought leads to another, and you’ve got another idea for a project.
4. GO TO THE BOOKSTORE
I don’t know about you, but walking into the bookstore is like walking into a candy store for me. All those idea just waiting to be read and experienced, often I don’t even have to buy anything to get inspired. Just the experience is enough to get the ideas flowing.
5. GARDEN
I have always had a passion for plants. Getting outside and working with the basic elements of life, there is just something about it. Often I can spend hours in the garden even when it is hot and humid.
6. TAKE A WALK
Walking has always been therapy for me, it doesn’t matter what the problem, a simple walk can fix it all. It helps blow off steam. It can often spark a solution to a problem. And if nothing else, it’s just good to do.
7. GO TO THE ART STORE
What artist doesn’t love to go to the art store and just walk down the aisles dreaming of all the things they could do with this or that?
8. LISTEN TO SOME GOOD MUSIC AND DANCE
When is the last time you heard a song that just made you wanna get up dance? Dance is an excellent way to raise your heartbeat and bring a smile to your face. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, just go with the flow and have fun.
9. ENGAGING IN SOMETHING SPIRITUAL
To me, the spiritual element is a very important piece of my life, and often simple rituals such as lighting a candle and saying a prayer are the best ones. You just gotta make it a habit, part of your daily routine and it becomes second nature.
10. CHAT WITH MY FAMILY
I am very close with my family often talking to them several times a week, time permitting.
11. TAKING PICTURES
While I don’t consider myself a photographer in any sense, I do love to take photographs as my husband, co-workers, and family especially my sister well knows. You can take me anywhere…downtown, the forest, the beach…and I’m in seventh heaven clicking away.
12. SCRAPBOOKING
A couple years ago, I officially discovered scrapbooking not realizing that I have been doing it all along. While it’s been awhile since I have had the time to scrapbook, I would like to get back into habit. So far, I have a backlog of photos from family vacations, our wedding not to mention the family heritage scrapbook that I would like to make.
13. JOURNALING
Writing has always played an important role in my life. As we joke around in our household, it helps keep sense of the madness, but it is also a very rewarding experience. When you take the time out of your day to reflect, to ponder, you see your world in a totally new light that if you just went about your day from activity by activity.
14. FUN FILLED DAYS
Back home, I created a catch phrase with my friends called “Fun Filled Days”. It represented those days where you just went with the flow and you did whatever fun event came up and you did a lot of it. That is, you wouldn’t just stop at one fun thing, you would go from one thing to another. A typical fun filled day could be as cheap as taking your camera out from place to place, stopping to eat, and then going back at it.
15. COLLAGE
Making collages is a favorite pastime, and in reading Collage Discovery Workshop, I’m discovering even more techniques to utilize in collage.
16. VISIT AN ART GALLERY
While I don’t do it as often as I like, I do enjoy going out to see local artists and their works of art.
17. GO TO THE BEACH
As a child, I spent most of my summers either at Lake Michigan or at the pool so I love hanging out at the beach. But I’m not the typical girl that can’t stand to get my hair wet. I’m quite the opposite and usually spend most of my time in the water snorkeling when we’re at the ocean or swimming if it’s a pool.
18. YOGA
Back when I first got sick with mono, I started to study yoga as a means to stay health since I always seemed to get sick, and through the years, it is something that I continue to do out of habit.
19. GET A MASSAGE
Back when I was a traveling consultant, I used to treat myself to professional massages, and my, what a treat that was! But now that I’m married, I’m blessed with a husband that gives me foot rubs almost every night!
20. GO TO THE THRIFT STORE OR FLEA MARKET
Even when my budget has been tight, the thrift store and flea market have been good places to check out when I get into shopping mode. And often, I discover something interesting and unique that you just couldn’t find anywhere else. One of my favorite things I found at the thrift store is this little blue pottery dish, and if it wasn’t for the flea market, I wouldn’t have started to grow orchids.