Creative ManiFestival Day 2

When I (Marney) sent a survey to about 200 creative people, asking them how they felt about their lives, there were several themes that ran consistently through the surveys like rivers in the rain: people wanted to have more creativity, more money, and more time.

One of the analogies I've been playing with is the idea that the universe is a big ATM machine, ripe and ready for our transactions. This universal ATM ("Art, Time, and Money") comes with a few instructions. I'm highlighting three of them here:

1. When we put something in, we get something out. I believe that the cycle of giving and receiving describes the physics of a fulfilling life. In order to give to others, we must first give to ourselves, freely and generously, otherwise our outward acts of giving are not as pure as they might be. What we tend to forget is that there are SO MANY ways to give and receive! We can give to ourselves by expressing our passions, by cultivating high levels of gratitude, and by experiencing ourselves as who we truly are.

From there, all kinds of ways are paved for making tangible contributions to others in physical, tangible, and EASY ways. This is where the "ATM" gets really fun to play with, as we can see time and time again the cyclical nature of "in" and "out."
2. Negative thinking "costs" us something. If you put a bank card in a machine that is sponsored by a different bank, you usually have a fee withdrawn. Think about times when your thoughts (the "in") didn't match up with what you really desired (the desired "out"). Have you ever had the sense that you are sabotaging yourself with negative thinking?

The bottom line is that negative thinking COSTS US, in terms of taking us backwards in our desired velocity of moving TOWARD what we want. For example, does it cost more to worry about money or not worry about money? What kinds of "bank fees" are we being charged that hold us back?

It's important to note that if we think negatively, we don't "doom" ourselves...we can STILL get the good stuff coming to us. But our wishes are coming to us more slowly because of all the fees being withdrawn!

3. Tapping into the true nature of who we are is the ultimate in convenience. When we are feeling at peace, worries about creativity, money, and time don't bother us. The great news is that just like a bank ATM, we can access our true nature ANYTIME, anywhere. At your nearest grocery store, on the street corner...anywhere you please! It's just a matter of knowing what works for YOU to get you there.

It's different for everyone, but whatever gets you to your true nature quickest...that's your ATM password!

TODAY'S MANIFESTIVAL:

What is YOUR password?

What is the quickest way that you can tap into the true nature of who you are?

Here are a few ideas. Place a checkmark next to any ideas that appeal to you, as possible "passwords" to try.

• Put on a piece of up-tempo music and dance around your room
• Make a delicious fruit salad
• Go for a run
• Punch a mound of clay
• Finger paint
• Write a haiku poem
• Visualize your perfect life
• Write an email to your best friend
• Sing in the shower
• Help someone in need
• Make a collage
• Read a chapter in an uplifting book
• Pray
• Drink a cup of tea
• Throw a party
• Hug someone
• Observe leaves, flowers, blades of grass
• Watch an inspiring movie
• Close your eyes and recall wonderful memories
• Look at childhood photographs
• Draw or paint
• Play an instrument
• Make a donation (even for $1) to a worthy cause
• Organize your environment
• Play with fabrics
• Rearrange a room
• Meditate
• Create new outfits from your closet
• Other
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Next, write down the top three "passwords". Which of these ideas (including ones you came up with, yourself) resonate as being the QUICKEST ways to helping you return to your true nature?

Create a very simple piece of art that highlights these three (i.e., a collage, painting, or drawing) and place it where you will see it often. You can create your piece on a small surface (like an index card) so that you can carry it with you...or on a large piece of poster board to hang on your wall or refrigerator.

Have fun!

Material copyrighted by Marney Makridakis of artellawordsandart.com. Used with permission by license.