Guest post by fabulous Donna Higton

I like to change it up in here sometimes, so I'm delighted to introduce Donna Higton, an inspirational speaker and life coach.  Here is her post on inspiration:

Follow Your Inspiration

We all have inspired ideas all the time – usually those really random ideas you get at 2am that make perfect sense in the middle of the night, but wither in the cold light of day.  They’re the ones we often talk ourselves out of, with our logical, linear, sensible training.  But if you shrug off that training and start listening to those random thoughts…and then following them, you will enter a new and magical world.

I am not exaggerating.  Inspiration is a beautiful thing.  It’s your soul talking to you.  It’s the Divine Spark.  It’s creative juice.  It’s fun! Everyone I know who follows their inspiration – whether that involves creating or travelling or cooking or arranging events or singing or whatever – enjoys life more than those who don’t.

Not following inspiration makes the inspired voice go really quiet – sometimes so quiet that you can’t hear it anymore.  And that is beyond saddening for me.  Because that inspiration is a spark of joy that can light the fire of loving life!  Your inspired ideas will take you somewhere…you may not know where, but they will take you somewhere…and often places you never thought you would go!

What happens as a result of you following your inspiration is out of your sphere of influence – you can’t make people buy your book or your program or support the business you were inspired to begin.  But following your inspiration may bring unseen and often unsung benefits. Starting my blog was the beginning of a journey that helped me to become the writer I’d always wanted to be – I honed my craft, and in doing so, I’ve created a staggering body of work!

Those articles and blog posts are always there, ready to help whoever they’re for.  (Including me!)  That blog has brought me so much joy, it’s challenged me, it’s helped me to start to get over my fear of being ‘seen’ in the world, it’s helped me to get more comfortable championing my work, it’s helped me meet people I’d never have met, it’s led to some interesting collaborations, it’s helped and inspired thousands of people over the last 8 years.

If I only judged the ‘success’ of that inspired action by how much money the blog brought in, I would have missed the point by a country mile.  And I probably would have stopped long before all the benefits and gifts became obvious. 

Inspired action works that way – you don’t know what amazing gifts it will bring you, but it will bring gifts.  It’s inspired.  It’s given to you by the Divine, whatever your definition of that is (God, inner self, universe, muse).  Do you trust the Divine?  Do you trust that what you’re inspired to create and do is given to you?

And if so, why would you hesitate?  Why would you throw the gift of inspiration back in the face of the Divine?  Speaking for myself, I have hesitated out of fear, out of lack of confidence in me, I’ve thrown the gift back because I didn’t understand inspiration, because I didn’t trust the Divine, I’ve done it because frankly, it seemed too easy! 

Inspired action and creation is easy.  It’s fun.  It’s joyful.  It’s sometimes challenging, and your brain and heart and soul feel like they’ve been wrung out by the effort involved.  But ultimately it feels ‘right’, and you just find yourself doing it (even if your brain is arguing that you don’t want to write this book or take this action, 10 minutes later, you are!)

Inspiration works for you…and if you follow it, your life will become a delicious adventure of inspired action and joyful days. It may not bring the results you think you want, your return may not be what you expect…but it may just be even better.  Trust the gift of the Divine/muse/inner self/universe and follow your inspiration, wherever it may lead.

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Bio

Donna, better known as "Donnaonthebeach" helps women who KNOW there is more to life to fall in love with their lives, and make their Dreams a Reality along the way.  If you enjoyed this article, make sure you go to http://www.donnaonthebeach.com to get a free copy of Donna’s new book “Fall In Love With Life”.

Thank you, Donna.  :)  Those words truly resonated with me.  

Blog hop August heART and new painting...

You have to mosey on over to Rose's blog, What I Made Today and check out the August heART blog hop! There are a bunch of links to art blogs at the bottom of the post that you can peruse.  Sooo much great art, and if you're an artist with a blog, add your own link!

I finished another painting.  It had been sitting around for a while because I didn't like the sky.  I removed what was in the sky and repainted it.  Then I thought TREES, yes... both new background and foreground. The style took me back to when I used to paint folk art, the real primitive stuff.  This is a step up (I think,) but it's still folk art.  I like the feel of little villages, or small towns.  They make me feel right at home, so I enjoy bringing some of the country into my paintings sometimes.  I don't live in the country now, but I do have a city park right up against my back yard, so I can't complain.  Today I saw a tortoise laboring away to get from my yard into the park. I often see ospreys and hear their plaintive cries.  They don't mind the traffic or the noise.  They nest in tall trees or on platforms set on top of telephone poles and such structures.  To see them dive for fish is mind-boggling.  They make a straight dive into the water from way up high, and they get their fish.  Amazing!  Nature is so incredibly beautiful.

I can never hope to capture the majesty of nature in one of my paintings, but I can sit in my backyard and experience the whole display of glory.  I was searching for the right word, and that's it.  Glory.

Here's my attempt at some colorful glory:

Fall is coming.  I have to enjoy the colors in my memory because where I live we don't fall colors, but we have decent winters!

New painting...

I have been on a roll lately creatively speaking.  I felt I was getting nowhere, so I started making up to-do lists every day, and it has helped immensely.  Not only do I write down the chores, but also the art hours.  That way they won't be frittered away on nonsense.  Life could so easily consist of habits and social media, but I really want to develop myself and my skills.  Now I'm getting a lot more art produced and it feels really good!  So, if you're stuck with whatever fuels your passion, try writing a list, scheduling in the boring but also the fun parts.  It really works!  You have to hold yourself accountable or get an accountability partner if you lack discipline.  Once your discipline muscle has gotten a workout, it gets easier to follow through.  Just be good to yourself!  LOVE everything about you, and stick with your passion in life.

Peace out!

PEACE original acrylic painting 8x8"

August heART... join in the fun!

I'm taking part of a blog hop with other artists.  Some gorgeous art out there in blog land folks!  Check it out, and if you have an art blog, please link up on Rose's blog
What I Made today. She has some great ART and herbal growing/infusion making/workshops information that is valuable and interesting.