You Are an Artist

Whether you realize it or not, guess what? You're an artist.

Really. I know that may sound unbelievable; especially if you consider yourself to be un-artistic, or perhaps, you may even resent or dislike anything "artsy." However, regardless of your preferences, the fact remains that, yes, you are an artist.

And more so, you life itself is the painting, or sculpture, or whatever form of art you'd like to conjure up here. Your very being is an expression of art; and, naturally, what you do in the world -- how you engage the world, how you relate to other people, how you appreciate your very self -- are just ways that you continue with your artistic creation.

So from now on, don't look at your life as merely "something to be lived." View it as a form of ART that is, at every moment, an expression of how you are creating it.

Life is an Invitation

Many people, perhaps most people, have an underlying, deep-rooted idea of what life is “supposed” to be. And as such, they continuously measure their personal life experiences and events against this “supposed” idea of life.

Of course, as we all deeply know, life is really beyond the intellectual grasp of any of us – no matter how smart we may think we are. As such, our model of how life is “supposed” to be is, really, doomed to be flawed. We are raindrops trying to understand the ocean.

Instead of imposing your idea of life onto reality – instead of trying to measure reality against your projection of how life should or should not be – try accepting it as an invitation; a possibility. Not to “fit” with your patterns of life, but something that allows you to experience more of your being.

Life is a Mystery

We're surrounded by so much science, so much technology, so much reason and logic, that we can easily forget the overwhelmingly fundamental "fact" that life is really and deeply an utterly mystery.

In fact, the very existence of life is so utterly mysterious -- so totally incomprehensible -- that if you simply reflect on this, you'll never think you really "know" anything ever again. And if you forget this -- if you start to think you've got it all figured out -- just glance at nature. Look at a bird's nest, or a spider's web, or how the clouds form, or how the sun shines...the list is endless.

Life is a mystery -- not a problem to be solved.

Grasping Uncertainty

Many of us tend to crave a kind of certainty about life; we want to know where we are, where we're going, and what life will "be like" when we get there. Indeed, the rather desperate attempt to acquire wealth -- I don't mean money, but I mean excess wealth -- is really, on the deepest and simplest level, a craving for certainty.

Unfortunately, certainty in life really doesn't exist. It's not that it "shouldn't" exist or "should" exist -- I'm not saying either of those things. It simply doesn't exist. Relative certainty, yes, at times does exist. But absolute certainty simply does not. We have no certainty that we will be here an hour from now; let alone next week or ten years from now. We have hopes and dreams and "best guesses," but none of that is absolute certainty.

Now, this may seem kind of depressing, right? Scary, too. But it's not meant to be. Life is an adventure, and a mystery that cannot be solved; because solving the mystery requires certainty, right?

And furthermore, what fun is a mystery if you know the answer? What fun is reading a book if you know the ending? The very flavor and depth of the experience -- of reading that book -- is the freshness of it; is the fact that, on every page, there isn't a little summary at the bottom that tells you how the book will end. It's an adventure; it's a mystery.

Let go of the need for certainty in a world where it does not exist. Instead, accept the fact that life is an adventure -- an invitation to experience. Sometimes it's energizing, sometimes it's depressing. Sometimes it has laughter; other times, tears. Sometimes silence, other times noise.

Accept it all, and embrace life as an adventure. Because that's what it is.

Circles

I don't have proof of this -- I don't think it can be proved, really -- but my gut feeling is that the universe's favorite shape is a circle. Not a triangle, not a square, not a rhombus (though that is a fun word to say...rhombus..), but a circle.

Have you noticed? Things happen in circles; in cycles. Both in the BIG sense -- such as historical cycles or business cycles -- but in the personal sense, too.

Take some time today and for the next little while paying attention to the circles and cycles in your life; don't judge them or evaluate them, just try and notice them. Are certain problems emerging with regularity? Are you reacting in a way that compels you to live in a kind of routine; one that you don't want?

Then the trick is to go into a different circle; one that leads you to inspiration, to compassion, and to peace (remember, if you are peaceful, you will make others peaceful as a by-product; if you aren't peaceful than you CANNOT make anyone peaceful, either -- you cannot give to others what you don't have, and if you don't have peace how can you make others peaceful?)

Notice your cycles; your patterns; your circles. And then create new ones!

Who's Game are You Playing?

While I enjoy posting on all kinds of different "self-help" things, today's post is, if I may say so myself, of particular value and so I'd encourage you to read it, re-read it, re-read it again, and share and discuss it with others. By all means, introduce your own interpretations and insights -- that is wonderful. But I'd really like to see the "idea" of today's post make it through to some people because, again, I feel that it's one of the most valuable that have appeared here so far.

It's about game playing.

Now, let's start by saying that when I use the word "game," I don't mean silly or immature -- I mean in the "cosmic playfulness" kind of way; in the sense that, yes, in many ways, life is a game -- and this is fine. There's nothing wrong with this, and it doesn't by any means detract or belittle the authentic sadness and suffering that many of us have felt and will feel again. I'm not diminishing any of these true, very human emotions by saying that life is a game. I'm simply suggesting that, much as how a game can invoke a wide spectrum of emotions -- from elation to despair -- so can life.

Now, the next step here is to make what I don't actually like making if I can help it: a sports analogy. I respect that some people have no interest in sports, and in fact, some people just plain dislike them. And so by making a sports analogy, I may risk alienating or offending those people. If you happen to resist sports analogies for any reason, I ask you to please just give me a few seconds. This isn't about sports, but sports is, I'm guessing, the widest possible experience that most people reading this will be able to access. And as you'll see, I won't even go into the details of any sport -- so even if you believe you "know nothing" about sports, you will still clearly understand the point.

Okay...

We realize that sports is a game. But there are "games within the game," and that is the type of game that each individual or team plays. Indeed, individuals -- say, tennis players -- have certain strengths; certain preferred ways to play and succeed. So do teams -- say, basketball teams.

For example, a tennis player who is gifted with tremendous stamina and strength will try and play a "game" of tennis that plays to those gifts; hence, the "game" played by that tennis player will be an aggressive, high-tempo, powerful game. On the other hand, a tennis player who is more of a methodical, finesse player will try and do the opposite: a slow, well-planned game that tries to "force" the opponent into playing a certain style.

As you can see, both these tennis players are playing a game -- called tennis. But within that game of tennis, each individual has his or her unique game -- and that game plays to their strengths, and avoids their weaknesses.

And if you dislike tennis, you can think of a team sport -- basketball is a good example (and is a popular sport, so hopefully you don't hate it!). A basketball team may be built for speed and hence the "game" it opts to play is one that races up and down the court and pretty much out-runs the opponent. On the other hand, a basketball team may be built for size, and may simply try and out-muscle another team.

As you can see (hopefully), there are always games within games and the individuals or teams that win are, almost always, the ones that "compel" the other individual/team to play their non-preferred game. Indeed, it's not always the case that player "A" was so much better than player "B". Both players may be wonderful in their own way. It's that player "A" compelled player "B" to play player "A"'s game.

Are you still with me? Good!

Life, we can say, is a game. Just like tennis or basketball.

And, again, like tennis and basketball, there are games within games.

YOU have a "preferred game" in your game of life. And other people that you meet have their preferred game.

Many times -- and I mean many times -- you will face a situation where someone wants you to play their game, because, just like a tennis player or basketball team, that is their strength. They want to pull you out of your game and into theirs.

And, indeed, we can all recall vivid examples where we've done this -- we've stepped out of our game -- and we've suffered immensely as a result. And in reflection, days, weeks or years later, we can only quietly say to ourselves: I wasn't being myself. And another way of saying this is simply that you weren't playing your game; you were playing someone else's.

If you want to walk on the self-help path, then yes, it's a game -- just like any other game. And there are rules of this game (again, like any other game). For example, you can't manipulate people. You can't abuse people (I don't mean "legally abuse" them which you can't do anyway, but I mean the legal kind -- the kind that you can justify and get away with). You can't lie. And you can't inspire and invoke fear in people for the sake of manipulating or controlling them.

Again, there are rules to self-help -- just like any other game.

Throughout your life, as you play the self-help game, people will want to make you play their game -- a game of needless conflict, of domination, of manipulation, of fear-mongering, of hatred, and maybe even of violence.

Your performance in your game will be determined by your ability to play your game and not to play someone else's -- someone who is pulling you off the path that you're on.

It's a lifelong effort, and you will be tested. But remember: if you're going to play the game of life, you might as well do it well, right?

Life is a How, not a What

Modern life tends to blur things together, such that we start to focus on particular events. The "stuff" between those events, therefore, tend to be reduced to nothing more than a means to that end.

For example, we may look at "the year ahead" and isolate 10 or so key dates -- dates which, in a way, shape that particular year. A baby may be due, a birthday may be imminent, a graduation, a performance review, a vacation, an operation...anything. And even if we shorten the time span -- say, to a month, a week or sometimes even a day -- we can tend to view the passage of time as nothing more than avenues that lead to a particular outcome; a "thing" on a list that needs to be crossed off.

This, we must admit, is good for efficiency. It gets "stuff done" (whether all of that stuff actually needs to get done is another question). But, without question, this "to-do list" or "event-centered" approach to life is rather efficient (especially compared to, say, an ostrich or zucchini; neither of which have to do lists or personal organizers and therefore never get anything really done).

However...

Life is not about to do lists. It's not an output-based phenomenon; it's a process. And that means that the how of what you do is more important than the what; because in the truest sense of the word: there is no what, there is only how. The "what" then becomes, simply, a way of seeing the "how."

So ask yourself: are you living a what or a how?

A ‘Secret’ message to a friend.

After a wonderful break over the Christmas, New Year period I am back on board and ready to start the new wonderful year ahead.

What better way than to start with a new video that we have just made.

Inspired by The Secret movie, my partner Anneli has designed some beautiful e-cards that you can use to send a message to your friends. Pass on your love, friendship, happiness or say thank you to a friend or loved one. Show them that you are inspired or motivated by them, or let them know that they really can achieve their dreams by following their heart.

These e-cards are free to use, please enjoy them.

Check out the video below and then go to Free Secret e-cards.

Make someone smile today.

Here's to an awesome 2008.

Richie.

A ‘Secret’ message to a friend.