Ever since painting “Hitch Up to Your Own Special Star” I’ve been collecting “tropes” about stars.

The painting feels like it belongs on the cover of a book of star stories.
Please let me know if you have one to share.

I’ve yet to write a successful star story — other than my own, and that one’s a work in progress. Still, I’m enjoying the collection process and am hopeful something fun will come of it.

Recently, I woke up with this in my head:
”Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.”

With that, I knew it was time to begin a new star painting.

I’ve long said I’m a “hearts and stars kind of gal,” meaning I like all things related to hearts and stars.

These iconic images are my personal symbols.

To begin, I sketched several stars on watercolor paper. Then I added texture and paint and let it dry.

Each painting is an experiment. I never, and I do mean NEVER know how it will turn out.

I have a keen awareness of color, which helps me keep them bright.

I learned how to design a page in my previous work life — another key component.

Color and Design are two essential elements I stress in ALL of the classes I teach.

This painting was created with the intention of turning it into a jigsaw puzzle.

That’s why I kept painting and painting and painting, finding more and more stars (and hearts) as I painted.

One of my very very good friends reminded me of a song this morning that illustrates why this kind of painting feels important to me.

On the surface, it’s a sweet little painting, a painting without much substance — different from some of my other paintings.

Please enjoy this version of “Accentuate the Positive,” music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Remember:
We’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
And don’t mess with Mr. In-between.

As adults, most of us are used to knowing what’s happening and what we can expect to happen next. Now we’re not so sure.

Now we’re not feeling so nimble and quick. Now we’re a bit more hesitant and if we’re honest, frightened.

“Journey” began with this image on a piece of paper left over from the under-painting of “Hitch Up to Your Own Special Star”

Now we’re in the “Uncomfort Zone” at a time when we expected to feel comfortable.

Maybe it’s time to “Get Curious!”

Stage one: paint is painted on 300# wet watercolor paper. Then we wait to see what happens.

Comfort and complacency shut curiosity down.

Curiosity offers new and different answers, complacency isn’t looking for new or different anything!

When we feel complacent, there’s no room for innovation, revolution, transition, or transformation.

When we’re complacent, we desire “same old/same old” to stay safe.

Now we’re finding out what happens when “same old/same old” isn’t “safe.”

The Journey begins with painting what “I know to paint.” I rely on the painting to show me.

Our cataclysmic shift began seemingly overnight. We’re still adjusting. Nothing has settled, and it could be some time before it does.

We’re being changed. We’re learning to adapt.

The degree of adaptation we’re enduring as adults is HUGE compared to the kinds of mini-adaptations we’ve been making throughout our lives.

The last time we had to adapt to anything remotely close to this level of change was when we were learning to walk, talk, or write.

Back then, we had help and the patience of elders guiding us along the way.

We have friends now and scary as it sounds, many of us are the elders.

I was expecting a volcano when suddenly a dragon appeared!

As elders, it’s time to tap into our inner wisdom so we can share it with those seeking comfort or wisdom.

We don’t have to be right all the time — or for everyone. What we think, say, and do does matter.

It’s time to open to the reality that although each of us is an individual, we share a common humanity, a common need for love and acceptance.

Everything that has happened to date, has done so one moment at a time.

We still take one breath at a time. We’re simply people doing the best that we can as we navigate this
strange new world.

Be kind. Be gentle, Be open, Be curious.
Be the love that you are, through and through.

We’re in a new phase of evolution right now. It’s time to trust our Inner Infinite Wise Selves. We all have one.

Journey: Looking Back, Moving Forward

Get in touch with your Inner Infinite Wise Self — and ask questions.

Change happens all the time. Often it changes back in a heartbeat.

Creating lasting change can happen with an “aha moment,”
yet it’s more likely to need a conscious mindset shift — and that takes time.

A dear friend of mine used to say, “anything worth doing, is worth doing badly.”
To this, you can add, “until it’s done better.”

For change to take root, it requires nurturing, and likely a change in our inner dialogue. That’s why it’s important to be aware of our ever-running self-talk.

The greater our awareness, the faster and more lasting the change we want to experience will occur.

Our thoughts are many-layered, like an onion.

Some of our oldest thoughts, those we picked up from our caregivers before we could form our own, are our “root or core” thoughts. We build upon these throughout our lives.

World views and opinions shift as we learn more about the way things work.
Some of the things we learn clash with our root thoughts.

Once we become aware of these root thoughts, we can “make friends” with them, “wave to them” when they pop up, and “thank them” for reminding us of how far we’ve come.

Replace all the pesky thoughts that no longer serve you.

Thoughts that we’re not “good enough,” “smart enough,” “whatever enough”
are no longer needed. Those thoughts are erroneously trying to keep us safe.

We need brave souls now, not safe souls! Brave up!

“Creation” — as creators and co-creators, its’ what we do every day.

When we change our thoughts, we change the world — one thought, one word, one action at a time.

When I take a walk, I take photos of the things that capture my attention. I’m amazed at all of the new things I see on the very same walk I take several times a week.

These photos are clues to what’s going on inside of me, just below the surface of my consciousness awareness.

This week, as I slogged through my days, I asked myself what I wanted to do — not what I had to do, but what I wanted to do.

It’s a true luxury to be able to ask these things.

While it’s not a luxury to be without the income I had when visitors were here buying my art, time is a true luxury.

As a result, I’ve been painting, writing, and reading more. The paintings have a new and different quality to them.

Thoughts of old creative ideas have bubbled up to the surface again, bringing joy with them.

I’ve begun to work on a Coloring Story Book that’s been languishing in the clouds for six years!

I’m glad I had as much of it done before I stopped. Now, with fresh eyes and renewed enthusiasm, I’m ready to play with it again.

Two other coloring or storybook ideas have jumped back into my life with an eagerness I wasn’t expecting.

The weird thing is that these ideas jump in whenever there’s a lull in my attention. Heck, they jump in whenever they want to. It’s up to me to take note before they jump back out of my awareness!

These are difficult times for all of us to varying degrees and for a variety of reasons.

The lean years, the tough times can either wear us down or build our resilience.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. You can begin with simply noticing what’s around you, what’s capturing your attention, and where your curiosity takes you.

This is the time to “Hitch Up to Your Own Special Star”.

We might have, in the past, tried to “Hitch Up” to someone else’s star, and while that might have been the right thing to do then (emphasis on the word might), it’s clear now that listening to our own inner wisdom is a much better idea.

We each have a guiding star within. Follow that star, Your Star.