Make peace with where you are.

The midst of a battlefield is no place to find peace

If you don’t have something nice to say — you already know the rest.

We are all connected — collectively (in our groups, tribes, countries, and throughout the world) and individually (the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, etc.).

When one part of us is in pain, either physical or psychic, it’s hard to keep the rest of us on an even keel.

We know we’re supposed to focus on what we want and ignore the pain associated with what we don’t want.

That’s hard — that’s why it’s called work.

Most things worthwhile require focus, time, and effort (mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual).

Start right where you are. What will help you feel better right now?

Venting might feel good in the short term, but it won’t take you very far.

Truth, when it’s a truth we don’t want or like, doesn’t take us down the path of feeling good either.

Both collectively and individually, we must find ways to distract ourselves from the pain long enough to find our good and our common ground.

Demonizing or Deifying does us no favors.

Ostrich-like behavior won’t last forever, but if "sticking your head in the sand" helps to you find a calm center, go find a beach and chill out!

Take care of YOU. Do what it takes (speaking to myself too) to feel better.

The paths to happiness, peace, and love all begin with one step and require millions more to follow.

A few steps may stray off the path from time to time; course correction will get us where we want to go.

Be vigilant. Stay focused on what you want. Trust that you are on your way and take one more step.

The pendulum always swings — sometimes it’s got a long arc.

I paint the negative spaces to enhance the positive. Even when I’m focused on the positive, I am aware of the impact the negative spaces have.

We can’t paint one thing without impacting another.

Darker darks create lighter lights.

Go paint! Even if you don’t feel like it or don’t know what to paint, go paint! Go enhance the light.

Attitude follows Action.

What are you waiting for?

Go paint!

Communication is tricky. Even when you know what you want to say, and you think you’re being clear, you can be misunderstood.

It’s harder when you’re not exactly sure what you’re trying to say.

Imagine trying to say something with pictures alone.

Can you feel the level of difficulty mounting?

Such is the case of my latest imagery, the BlockHeads.

The BlockHeads came to me in a dream. They woke me up and got me out of bed so I could sketch them.

On my way back to bed, I thought, “there is NO way I would have forgotten what they look like. I did NOT have to get out of bed for this!”

By morning, I’d completely forgotten them.

Three days later, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them peering at me from my midnight drawing.

I was smitten, but had no idea of what to do with them or why they’d chosen me as their artist. They don’t feel silly and frivolous, but what are they trying to tell me?

Two days before the entry date of the Hawaii Watercolor Society's Open Exhibit, I awoke “knowing" I was to create a 3-D pyramid featuring the BlockHeads.

I was psyched! I’d never thought of painting anything 3-D before and this was the first time I could enter something 3-D into an HWS Exhibit without breaking rules.

It took two days for me to finish and photograph it for entry.

To hedge my bets on getting something into the show, I entered two additional, paintings: “Anuenue Ali`i Wahine”, and a portrait of my artist friend Ron Kent titled, “Whole World”.

I was surprised when the pyramid was the only painting accepted.

Yes, it's a bit crude, yet it feels fresh and alive.

But what do the BlockHeads mean?

And why do they have six eyes?

I believe the BlockHeads represent all of us. When all of the eyes are all looking in the same direction, we are Hyper-focused on the task at hand.

Omni-focus happens when we’re “out of focus”, or focusing on more than one thing. This happens to all of us. We might be brushing our teeth, going to the bathroom, or even sleeping, when suddenly an idea pops into our head.

My artist friend Holly says the top set of eyes is for looking up to the heavens for guidance, the middle set of eyes sees this plane of existence, and the bottom set of eyes is for introspection.

Whatever their initial reason for entering my dreams, the BlockHeads are here to stay. They insert themselves into my journal and dreams weekly.

Please let me know if they show up in yours!

Most paintings have a story to tell. Sometimes we know those stores at the outset. Other times we learn the stories as the paintings progress.

My inspiration for Anuenue Ali`i Wahine came to me in a dream which I recorded in my journal.

Learning the stories behind the painting requires the art of listening.

Listening to what?

Listening to that still small voice within us all — the one that we don’t always hear, but that is always there.

Listen to your paintings.

Yes, it’s perfectly okay to ask your painting for direction. And when you do, be sure to listen for the answers — and then follow the directions given.

This is the "under painting" of Anuenue (rainbow) Ali`i (royalty or goddes) Wahine (woman) —right after the texture has been removed.

Yes, it's okay to NOT follow the directions too.

Think of painting as a co-creative act. You are not alone at your easel or table. You are working with the forces of creation that surround us at all times.

Getting closer, but not yet complete.

Painting is an interactive sport. Smile while you paint and when asking your questions. Be playful about your painting. Make it a game.

If you’ve ever watched someone start a painting, you have an inkling of what it means to really want to paint something.

Did you know that you are the most important tool in your toolbox?

Your painting comes through you: through your eyes, through your hands, through the filter that is YOU.

You cannot get it wrong.

Each brush stroke informs the next. You learn and relearn as you paint.

When one stroke or subject becomes easy (and it will), challenge yourself to do something different. Change your strokes or your subject matter.

I added more layers of "rainbow",  more dark hair, and gave her skin more highlights & depth before considering her complete. Anuenue Ali`i Wahine (Royal Rainbow Woman in Hawaiian)

When you're out in nature, look more closely at the world around you. What colors do you see?

If you squint your eyes, does your vision change?

Can you see red-violets in the shadows of the leaves, or orange in the dying parts of the red plants?

While the colors fade as the leaves and flowers whither and die, we can still see the beauty they once held for us. We just need look more slowly.

Beauty surrounds us when we look through our eyes with LOVE.

Good habits are golden! It takes 21–28 consecutive days to “deeply root” a habit into our psyche. If you’ve been doing something for 20 days and then you skip a day, you have to start over at day one!

I skipped two days of a new habit I’d hoped to make permanent this week. Darn it! 

I’d gotten into the habit of waking up at five a.m. and doing my deep writing and inner work before going to the gym or starting my day. 

I was so excited about this new habit that I even coaxed myself out of bed one day last week when I really wanted to stay put.

And then yesterday, I just couldn’t do it. 

Keanu and I had both worked so hard over the weekend at the Art Fest at Lanikuhonua in Ko`Olina that I needed the rest.

While it’s true, we did work hard, and I did need the rest, I’m still disappointed that I wasn’t able to push myself out of bed yesterday … or today.

To keep my newly restarted “wake-up-n-at-em” habit, I either have to change my wake-up time to six (which is easier) or start over at day one and wake up at five tomorrow.

I haven’t yet decided which option will win.

Two other thoughts are vying for my attention this morning:
“Do Less and Imagine More” and
“Intention is an Action Word”

Those thoughts are connected, and both are worthy of consideration.

When I fully intend to get myself up at five, it’s easier to do so. It’s also easy to imagine myself getting up at five and having the quiet house all to myself.

The house is still quiet at six and getting up then is easier.

The issue isn’t really when I get up, it’s more about what I do with my time once I’m up.

It’s about Clarity of Purpose and Singularity of Focus! Again! (Yay, I’m still on track!)

Setting an intention for the day, and then imagining yourself living your intention, is a great habit to start, no matter what time of day you arise.

When we set an intention and imagine ourselves acting on our intention, we pave the way for it to happen. We put ourselves on alert to see new paths or doors that open to help us accomplish what we’ve set out to do. 

Deeply Rooted, Rising Higher — Good habits, firmly in place, create a solid foundation and set us up for success!

What’s your intention for this glorious day ahead?