Not in Your Own Strength or Your Own Power

As creative people, we are fueled by our creative energy. There are so many things we want to do and master. Many of us are perfectionists and are absorbed with every little detail.

There comes a time when all of our strength, our resources, and even our knowledge is exhausted. We must realize that these times do in fact occur. There are some things we can't just get done on our own. We demand too much of ourselves and add extra pressure that shouldn't even be there.

There will come times when we have to surrender. There will always be circumstances beyond our control. In those times, it is okay to surrender, to surrender to a God much higher than ourselves who can help us and give us strength. It's not a sign of weakness but wisdom. This is important because it speaks of your health-mental, physical, and spiritual stability. Balance is key. You need this for you and those around you. What good are you to yourself, your friends, family and co-workers if you are mentally exhausted and worn out? Forget the desire to please others. They will form their opinions of you anyway whether you're performing at your optimum level or are trying to perform depleted. God knows our frame. He remembers that we are human with faults and errors.

Learn to release and relax so that something new and inspiring can come in, possibly a solution in the form of a new idea, a new approach to solving the problem, or maybe even someone who can help you get the job done. Whatever the stress, whatever the tension, let it all go. You will find that a whole new world opens up for you.

Who ever achieved success without having to give something up in return? Don't think you can do it all because you can't and if you try your best at being your best, you will soon find out that it's impossible. Give yourself a break by taking a break. Spend some time with family or friends. Do something relaxing. Rely on the strength of God and not your own. How do I do this, you may be asking. By trusting daily. He is a God that wants to draw near to you and give you assistance. He can strengthen you in areas where no one else can. He knows where you need it the most. He will cause you to excel in areas you thought you were the weakest. You will be amazed. Everyone around you will be amazed. Letting go and learning to release is a daily process.

So You Think You Can Dance

I love dance. I happen to be an avid viewer of So You Think You Can Dance. I think Mia Michaels is one of the most original and creative choreographers on the show. Not that the others are bad, she just happens to be my personal favorite.

I was happy with the final results. Jeanine won! She had great timing and movement. She was able to evoke the right emotions for each dance.

I didn't get a chance to follow it this year as much as I did in previous years but during the final show, I saw a performance that was very compelling.

It was a dance choreographed by Tyce DiOrio as a tribute to a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer. The dancers were Melissa and Ade. It was awesome to find out that this lady, whom the tribute was for, was cancer free by the final show. I found the dance to be very inspiring. For Tyce to take the vision and emotion that he felt from that experience and bring it to life through dance was incredible. What further shocked me was that these dancers, Melissa and Ade, were able to pour all of themselves into this dance and capture the relationship and pure emotion between Tyce and his cancer diagnosed friend, leaving the audience and judges in tears.

Performances like this are so powerful. They are able to go right into the heart and pull out emotions that we never even knew were there. They have such a powerful impact on our hearts, minds, and emotions. The arts have the capability to move people. In whatever creative act you are doing, give it your all even if you have an audience of one. The effects can be explosive and earth shattering. When you pour out of yourself, in turn, you will also find yourself being filled back up with gratification, appreciation, and love.

To Maxwell's This Woman's Work:

Change

Hey there. Please bear with me as I make some creative changes to my blog. I've come to realize that change is not necessarily a bad thing. New opportunities and new ideas actually bring on new lessons to be learned and new solutions to be solved. As we are preparing for destiny, change is necessary although it is certainly not always easy. I have been studying artists, entertainers, musicians, and great people who have really inspired me to do something different and to not be afraid to stand out in the crowd.

So how can I talk about great entertainers withut mentioning Michael Jackson whose sudden death stunned the world. I wanted to write about him earlier but couldn't find the words to express my heartfelt sympathy. I was deeply touched by the circumstances involving his death but looking back on his music and legacy, I discovered that he was a man of depth, inspiration, and deep creativity. It's so sad that we never really realize what stands before us until it is gone.

Nevertheless, his drive for purpose, motivation, and passion is what motivates me. He gave more than 100 percent of his time and energy. He gave more than what was required but he gave it more for the service of others rather than for himself. As he sought to reach out to the hearts of his fans and to create everlasting work that motivated their spirits to want to change, he in turn, I believe received great satisfaction.

I've realized that change is never really about us but it is about letting go of something old so that something new can come in, releasing dead things so that new life can begin. It is only with innovation and change that we are able to reach our maximum potential. Here we see, discover, and create new things. We solve things that we feel shouldn't be and we find solutions to old, stagnant ways of thinking and existing. Change signifies hope but faith replaces hope. Faith is concrete evidence that it will happen and it is taking the necessary steps to make it happen!

Open up your mind and your heart to CHANGE. Don't resist it. Don't wait for your change to come to you. You be the change agent. Discover your passion, your purpose, and run with it. Take it as far as you can go despite obstacles, hinderances, and the dreadful word, "NO". There is a "YES" living on the inside of your spirit that keeps pushing you toward your dreams, goals, and visions. It speaks much louder than any "No" you can receive. The rewards are much greater than your eyes can see. Greatness awaits you!

He Will Be Missed!