encouragement

Finding Purpose: Why I Blog

/ Jodi / 97 Comments

meaning-of-life-purpose-of-life

Everyone needs a purpose in life.

The older I get, and the more I experience new life (like the birth of my first grandchild), and the deaths of those I love (like the recent loss of my brother), the more I ponder my life’s purpose….  the legacy I might leave behind…  how people will remember me.

When I started this blog two and a half years ago on May 18, 2014 – just for fun and on the encouragement of my BFF’s daughter (my McHendy daughter, Jackie), I wasn’t sure what I was doing or what to expect.  I think I secretly thought I might be the next Ree Drummond or Rachel Ray and get rich and famous.  It was all about me.

But after posting daily for almost 1,000 days, it’s become something very different.  It hasn’t brought me the kind of fame or fortune I clandestinely fantasized about in the beginning.  But what it has become – is a purpose…  a personal mission of sorts…  a small way of giving to the world…  a place to encourage (and maybe even inspire) people to embrace the simple moments of life to cherish… especially those “in between” moments.

I have a very fulfilling career and full-time job I love that keeps me busy as the Director of Strategic Projects and Office of the CEO for a hospice and home health company.  I have a husband of almost 35 years, two grown sons, an amazing daughter-in-law and another soon-to-be, and a baby granddaugher that bring such joy to my life (and of course there is also Charlie!).  I have the most amazing BFFs a “girl” could ask for.

Yet, I still believe I need to have something that is my personal legacy, and that is what my blog has grown to be for me.  When I consider my few talents and gifts, I have often been told my greatest is that of an “encourager” or “influencer.”  I’ve taken many a DISC Personality Asssessment, and I am always an out-and-out straight High “I.”  I have taken “Spiritual Gift Assessments” that tell me I have the gift of “exhortation” or encouragement.  Hubby tells me I have the gift of “gab!”  So why not use that gift – one that comes so easily to me – to benefit others?

I have never had difficulty talking with strangers.  My goal in any situation, whether it be greeting the receptionist at an office, the UPS delivery person, the garbage collector, or a less-than-happy cashier at the grocery store, is to leave them smiling.  Not sure why it is important to me – but it is.

And that is my goal here too.  The goal of this blog is not to “show off” what I have or what I can do or to make you think my life is all peachy and perfect.  My life is not perfect.  That is not what I want people to think.  In fact, my life is far from perfect… like all of ours are!  I have an estranged relationship with my mother, I was separated from my birth father for 39 years until six and a half years ago, my brother struggled so severely with alcoholism that he took his own life by stepping in front of a train…  I struggle with my weight and have always been “chubby,” I’m not particularly attractive, I have no musical talent whatsoever….  the list could go on.  I tell you this not for pity or sympathy or for you to disagree.  I tell you this so that it might allow you to know that despite life’s challenges and adversity, we can still seek to find the joy.  We can still be kind.  We can still feel love.  There are still many, many moments to cherish…  And we must seek them, and we must appreciate them.

So no matter how busy my day, and knowing there is no monetary or fame reward or prize to be given for posting every day, I still make sure I do.  I spend a bit of time, often late at night, writing a post that might encourage you, that might make you smile, that might inspire you to bake or cook something new or paint something, or just look at something differently.  It might be a few words that will remind you of something that makes you happy.  Sometimes I am typing it at 11 pm with only one eye open.  Other times I get ahead by four or five posts and give myself a break.  But I still make it a personal goal to post something everyday (that appears at 6am EST) for my dear followers to either start their day (if they are living in my part of the world) or end their day (for my cherished blog follower friends in Latvia or Ireland or Australia or Japan).

So even on my toughest days, I seek to find something good and encouraging, because in encouraging you, I am rewarded in an even more profound way than could be achieved with fame or fortune.  I feel my life has a personal purpose.  I feel I am giving something of value to the world.  I feel I might be remembered… for being kind.  I might be creating my legacy.

Do you think about your life’s purpose?  Your legacy?  What you will be remembered for?

None of us know when our last year or day or breath will be, so my simple message is: Cherish the Moments!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Hope Thistle

/ Jodi / 61 Comments
Hope Thistle Watercolor

Thistle Watercolor

Hope Thistle bring a smile to your lips.

Hope Thistle bring joy to your day.

Hope Thistle help you see the beauty in nature.

Hope Thistle encourage you to create.

Hope Thistle brighten your day.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pink Zinnia Bluez

/ Jodi / 50 Comments

pink zinnia

Last week I posted a photo of a zinnia that seemed like it was just begging to be painted, and I couldn’t wait to give it a go!

One evening, I printed the photo and lightly drew it in pencil using my lightbox – a great tool for us beginners who so often struggle with the drawing part.  (Well – let’s face it – I often struggle with ALL the parts!)

I gave it a light water wash and first glaze of pink before quitting for the evening, as I am trying to learn patience and allowing drying time to achieve more complex watercolor paintings.

When my friend, Janet was over one evening, she asked to see what art I’ve been up to.  When she saw the beginning of the zinnia, she said it would be a great post to show progress photos of the steps I go through.

Yes – great idea, Jan….   but I haven’t really figured out what steps I go through really!

Anyway – Charlie and I arose early the next morning – around 5:30am – and I decided to give my zinnia another coat.  Well – that led to another, and then a disaster, followed by another disaster and a third disaster.

I kept re-trying to reproduce with watercolor what I had envisioned in my head.

Now I am one to promote that it is all about the journey – all about the process – but sometimes I just want to do it perfect – do it right – do it beautiful —- and alas, it wasn’t happening with this beautiful pink zinnia.

This was my fifth effort of it, and I got to where I gave up.  It is not even close to what I had envisioned, though somewhat pleasing…  at least compared to the first four efforts!  I tried wet on wet, wet on dry, sketch first, sketch after, no sketching…

But WHY can I not reproduce on paper what is in my head?!

This is where I call out for support and advice from my artist friends.

Please offer your wisdom.

I obviously tend to “overwork” it.

Watercolor is something I’ve just had this urging to pursue.  I’ve watched a few YouTube videos, perused a few books, and follow some amazing bloggers, but I have no formal training and no artistic experience.

I would so appreciate anyone who would be willing to offer their top advice for a wannabee watercolorist!

I am writing this a few days ahead of when it will post, so who knows where my head will be when this posts.  But I so look forward to your tips and advice, and hope to be feeling a little better about my watercolor journey by the time you read this.

Can the encourager seek some encouragement this time please?   😉

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Discovering the FUN in Art

/ Jodi / 59 Comments

watercolor 2 tulip 040415

Can you tell what it is?

This is Watercolor #2 on my journey to learn watercolor painting.

So I have to admit……   I found myself struggling to post this….  Not feeling it is good enough…..  Starting to take this “art” business much much much too serious!  And then one of my sweet bloggie friends, Laura at CreateArtEveryDay, inquired about how my painting was coming.  I told her I was struggling with whether to post or not… what everyone would think…. not wanting people to feel obligated to “Like” or comment….  Wondering if it was “better” than my first  (hubby said yes – son said he liked first better…) Oiy Vay!  Then I worried – Does anyone care about my “art?”  Will they stop visiting my blog if I share less than lovely art work?  Sheesh!

Then wise, sweet Laura encouraged me.  She said (and she gave me permission to share):

If I let those feelings stop me, my blog would be private. I think the point here is encouragement and support and FUN, not perfection. I’ve done all of that second-guessing, but part of making something every day is really forcing me to not worry about what anyone thinks and just post it. Your first flower was really good, I thought. You definitely have talent. It just takes lots of practice to be happy with watercolor paintings (in my experience) and I’m still not there yet. I’ve come to the point that it’s about fun. FUN. And Relaxation. And DE-stressing. Forget everything else. If you painted it and you enjoyed it, that’s all that counts. Your followers love you and they want to share in your experiences and experimentation. At least, that’s how I see it. Otherwise, I’d post nothing, ever.

It’s all about fun. I just want to see you have fun with whatever you do. No one would expect to sit down at the piano and play Beethoven, but people put such high standards on their artwork. (I’m preaching to myself too, believe me.) But for me, this is about growth and happiness and relaxation and healing, more than anything else. So I just can’t take it seriously. I won’t. And I really hope you don’t either. If it’s not fun, it’s not worth it. I really hope you fly and just set yourself free, Jodi! 🙂

How lovely is that?!

Thank you, Laura!

And then I remembered WHY I started this blog…. not for “likes” (though I certainly LOVE your LIKES!)….

Not to “prove” anything….

It is a hobby…. It is my space to share the stuff I love to do at life in between!

So I’m posting it – and you know what?  It was FUN to do!  Fun to watch water and paint create something on paper.

Gallery worthy?  No!

Fun?  Yes 🙂

So last week for my first watercolor, I drew the flower with a pencil first.  For this one, I just “drew” the basic shape with water and paintbrush.  This was another tutorial by Lindsay at The Frugal Crafter.  Lindsay makes it look so simple!  She just whips these up in about 5 or 10 minutes while chatting away and being funny and relaxed and silly.

Wonder if I’ll ever be able to get so free and loose and relaxed while doing this?   I’m a bit “heavy handed” with the paint.   I want to just touch the paper with the brush and watch it “move.”   This watercolor stuff is HARDER than it looks!  (FUN Jodi – FUN!)     I have a new appreciation for some of the talented artists I know that do this now!

Thanks for sharing the journey with me my friends!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

P.S.  Hope you’ll visit Laura’s blog too – she shares a fun new creative experiment every day @ CreateArtEveryday