How to develop a feeling of Expectation to attract what you desire in your life.

There are things that come naturally to us. If you are a person like myself you love coffee or ice cream ^_^ take your pick. When you want coffee without much thought you get up and go brew a cup of coffee or some people have coffee from coffee machines that has a timer that they set the night before so when they get up in the morning the coffee is already made hot and ready. I would looove to have one of these coffee machines for my birthday June 27^th ^_^ hint hint lol

Coffee along with many other things most of us don't have to think about it. When we run out of coffee we trust that when we go to the store we can buy more coffee no problem. I have never met a person who horded coffee or sat back and had a long conversation about yesterdays cup of coffee. I have not talked to too many people about my very first cup of coffee. Why? Because Most of us just focus on the cup of coffee that they are enjoying in that moment. We also take for granted that coffee is abundant and is easy to get.

Over the years I came to realize that there is a lot just as abundant and easy to get as coffee is. I realized even more so it's not about the thing in and of itself that matters it's about my attitude towards that thing that makes all the difference. Let's go back to the coffee. What is my attitude towards the coffee?

I wake up, get my favorite cup to put my coffee in, clean out the coffee machine and prepare fresh ground coffee to put into the machine. I take a moment to enjoy the aroma, put the coffee into the machine, add water, press a button and wait for that awesome nectar to pour into my cup. I add cream and sugar and savor every drop.

Can you see my attitude towards coffee. I don't hate coffee. I love it. What if I hate coffee but had to drink it any way? Well it would be a drag to do and it would probably take me an hour to get the whole cup of coffee down if at all. Well this is how life in general is. Have you noticed that things that you love and feel joyful about comes easy to you? Some times we ask for things but we hate the work required to get it. Lets say I love coffee but I hate making it. That is ok because there is always more then one way to get what you desire. Some people will go to the coffee shop every day to get there favorite cup of coffee and they ALWAYS have money to get it.

Have you noticed that those same people don't mind spending $3 to $4.50 or more to get 1 cup of coffee. The fact is this is what they intend to do so the money will always be there. Bills will be due but they will still have that daily coffee. Why is getting a cup of coffee different then getting anything else? The answer is Expectation. I know I am going to get a cup of coffee in the morning even if God forbid my beloved coffee machine brakes down. I know exactly where I can easily get coffee. I know I will never run out of coffee.

I heard people say if your expectation is too high you are setting yourself up for a fall. I respect that point of view however I strongly believe the opposite. Even if this was true more people have gained so much after failing or falling a thousand times then a person who has not fallen or failed once. Thomas Edison had big expectations in creating the light bulb and he failed a lot of times now look at where we all are right now. My number one tip is don't be afraid to have high expectations and don't be afraid to fail.

Like you expect to have your favorite cup of coffee in the morning have the same expectations about your goals and dreams. Life is just as abundant as coffee. Just believing that alone you can accomplish so much in your life.

Here are some simple steps to attract what you want in your life like coffee oor ice cream ^_^

1. Know what you want. This sounds like a given but it really is not. Life is like coffee it will not make itself unless you have one of those special machines that makes your coffee for you but even still you have to know what type of coffee you want. Their is plan black coffee, French Vanilla, Dark Roast or #Kopi Luwak lol Google it. Yes you want coffee but you must know exactly what kind of coffee you want and in the case of Kopi Luwak why lol. Life is just like coffee. It is abundant but we must know exactly what we want and why. People who go to a coffee house and say just give me any coffee usually end up unhappy.

2. Develop your feelings of Expectation in such a way that in every situation you encounter you will expect to learn something new or develop a new idea that will change your life... Actively look for what you want KNOWING you will find something that will help you to get to where you want to be. Your mind has a way of finding that very thing you are constantly thinking about. That is why repetition of thought creates your reality. Know that if you seek you will find. If you knock the door will be opened to you.

3. Always assume you are always in the right place at the right time. Everything is as it needs to be in order for you to succeed. All the highs and all the lows in your past was to prepare you for this moment right now. You are now prepared for what ever comes your way. When a great idea comes you will be psychologically and physically prepared to accept and act upon any great idea. Don't look down on your past. Everything that has happened in the past was to prepare you for this moment right now. Find a way to let your past go because you can't have a better tomorrow if you are still thinking about yesterday.

4. An extremely helpful tip is to have a since of openness and expectation the first thing in the morning. Maybe with your morning coffee. Ask yourself besides this cup of coffee what else can I attract into my life today? Then go on with your day with excitement knowing that something great is going to happen.

5. Last but not least RELAX.... Life should be like relaxing with a cup of coffee. If you are stressed when making a cup of coffee you are doing it wrong lol. Seriously the more you relax, the more you simply just let go the faster what you desire will come to you. You will know you are in the right state of mind when your desires comes to you as simply as a great cup of coffee would. It will feel energetic and deeply rewarding. If you are stressed in any way about your dreams and desire you are actually repelling them. You must learn to develop a since of ease and wonder when it comes to your dreams. Only then you will attract what you desire.

Life should be full of wonder and excitement. Life wasn't meant to be seen through a rear view mirror. No one has accomplish anything looking backwards. All the greats all looked forward. You are one of the greats and I hope you take this time to look forward and accomplish what is really on your heart to do.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present. - Ooqway

I hope your life is full of joy and excitement. Have a wonderful day today.

Artisticsoulwithin.com

How Journaling Can Change your life...

5 Benefits of Journaling

I love journaling. I started writing in journals a little over 10 years ago and recently I started doing a art journal. Journals has had a huge affect on my life. It helped me when I was at my deepest of depression and it is helping me now to stay more calm, focus and creative. I would like to share with you just a few benefits on how Journaling can change your life.

Journaling can help you be more mindful.

With Mindful journaling the emphasis is not on what you are thinking but how you are thinking. Journaling helps to slow the monkey mind down so you can be more focused and more calm. It helps you to be in the moment without judgment. We spend so much time judging every minute of the day and spend very little time just living and being. With Mindful journaling you can have the freedom to simply create. If you journal for just 10 minutes that mindful state of mind can carry through out the day.

Journaling can Increase focus.

If you start your day journaling whether art or writing you can increase your focus through out the day. I have noticed in my life that journaling has a lasting affect. Since I started journaling I have become more focus and clear on my goals and dreams.

Journaling Can Create Stability.

In this ever changing world it is good to have some stability. For most of us our day is full of activity. Whether it is work, school, social events, house choirs or worship our life is full of meaningful activity. Even though all of this is good we still need a moment of stability. A moment to be still and settle down. It doesn't have to be long. Like I said before just 10 minutes of journaling can have a huge affect on your life. It can bring stability and calm that can last all day.

Journaling can help you detach from the past and let go.

I found journaling an awesome tool for detaching from the past and learning to let go. We spend so much time dwelling on the past we have very little time to live in the present. Many people don't realize how much time they spend ruminating and dwelling on the past. I know for me if I allow myself to ruminate hours can go by fast. To be honest when I was younger I loved to day dream and ruminate but as I got older and more stressed my day dreams turned into stressful ruminating. Journaling helped me to learn how to live in the moment. No past, no future just live in the now without judgment. With journaling I learned to be ok with what is and just put whatever I am feeling on paper.

Journaling Can help you feel better about yourself.

When I started journaling it did wonders for my self esteem. I have spent years of my life being mentally, emotionally and physically abused. When I was a child I spent a lot of time creating art as a way of escape then when I got older I started writing in journals to help me over come PTSD. Now I am back to creating art journals. The freedom to create and just be yourself can do a lot for your self esteem.

Whether you are a writer, artist, song writer or just like to create journaling can be a great asset in your life.

Tips for journaling

*Do Not Judge... Do not judge your work or the creative process. What ever you put on paper is what you put on paper. Be ok with that. There is no right or wrong way to journal.

*Meditate for a few minutes before you journal. This will clear your head and prepare you to relax and simply create.

*Before you start journaling do not put too much thought on what you should journal or how you should journal. A lot of times in the past I use to spend up to 45 minutes just deciding what I should put on paper. I had to learn to let go and just create. When you decide it's time to journal right after you meditate just put pin to paper or paint brush to paper and just start creating. Let your inner guide guide you. Trust in the process and in yourself. Trust in the moment that what ever you create is what it needs to be in the moment.

*Even though 10 minute of journaling can change your life I would suggest journaling for at lease 45 minute a day. If all you have is 10 minutes then that is great. A little time is better then no time at all. Don't stress and think that 10 minutes will not accomplish anything. 10 minutes can add up and in time you will be able to do 45 minutes a day. Start with 10 minutes and work your way up.

Last but not lease Have fun. Journaling should be fun and relaxing. If you are tense and up tight then you should focus more on learning Mindfulness Techniques to go along with your journaling. If you need any help with journaling or learning mindfulness please feel free to comment in the comment section below.

I am creating a line of handmade Coptic Stitch Journals for writers and artist. I love journaling and I want to share the benefits and the joy I have experienced in journaling with others. If you would like to start creating in a journal and would love to have a cool journal to start with check out my Etsy store by clicking [HERE] or by clicking on the Etsy banner to the right. They would also make awesome gifts to a family or friend who is an artist or a writer. I put my heart and soul into creating these Coptic stitch journals and I hope you like them.

Stay Awesome ^_^

Artisticsoulwithin.com

The Pot of Gold at the end the Rainbow... Happy St. Patrick's Day

What if you found a treasure map and on the map next to the X it said Here lay the treasure of your dreams. You open up the map and you see that the map is huuuge. You start to think it could take a year or more to find the treasure. What if the treasure map is a fake? What if the treasure is not real? But what if it is real? What if the map is real?

I heard a preacher say “Faith is knowing what you want and certain that you are going to receive it”. If you ever found a treasure map or a map was handed to you at that moment you would not know if the treasure was real or not. You would need to have faith. What if we have faith but we don't have the resources to get to the treasure? In life do we ever have the resources all at one time to get to any thing in life? Not most of us. Most of us have to get resources along the way to our destination or save up until we have enough resources to do what we want.

One day I saw some AMAZING glass etching. It wasn't the chemical etching that I normally have seen many times before. The etch that I saw was hand etched glass. The etching had the most amazing details on the glass. I wondered how it was done. I did some investigation because I wanted to see if I could do it myself. First I found out that the etches was done by using a Dremel electric drill then I quickly realized that only a hand full of people in the whole world was doing this amazing art so finding a teacher was not at all possible.

I went online and I did see some tutorials however in short the tutorials pretty much said that I had to teach myself how to etch glass so I said Ok I will teach myself how to etch glass with a Dremel. Now keep in mind I never held a power tool in my hands in my life yet alone etch glass with a Dremel so right off the bat my husband thought I was crazy. After I told him what I was going to do I went and brought a Dremel drill. When I got it I didn't know how to even turn it on. When I did figure that out I didn't know how to assemble the drill. When I eventually figured that out I saw that it didn't come with all the attachments that I needed to use it Grrrrrr. I had to buy some collets AND they come in different sizes.

I had to go to the hardware store to buy these little collets to put together my new drill just so I can etch glass that I have never done before. I was starting to think that maybe I AM crazy but in my heart I knew that there was treasure at the end of my journey so I pressed forward. I finally figured out how to put everything together. Now onto the etching.... Wait where was I suppose to get the glass to etch? Finding recycled, cheep or free glass to practice on was an adventure in and of itself. You would think that would be the easy part. Nope it wasn't because in lived in a rural area in Texas at the time. It took time but I finally found some cheep glass. I was ready to begin. My husband still thinking I'm crazy made sure I had all the protective gear I could ware. He would of wrapped me in bubble wrap if I would have let him. I told him to stop worrying, go away and let me figure this out on my own and reluctantly he stepped away.

It took me a few months to learn everything. I learned everything about the drill, about how to etch glass and tile, I learned how to make my etches pop and I learned how to cut the glass to make luminaries and incenses burners. Within a year I got really good at etching glass. I started making glass luminaries for weddings and birthdays. I sold a lot of them to people all around the world. That was the most rewarding thing in my life. The journey was supper hard but I found the X, I found my small pot of gold and to my husbands delight I still have all 10 fingers ^_^

When I think about treasure maps I always imagine the adventurer with the treasure map going through something, going over something, digging deep to get to the treasure. I don't remember a story where someone walked 10 feet and there the treasure was. No the adventurer looking for the treasure always had to over come some obstetrical to get to the treasure. Most times the adventurer never had what they needed to get to the treasure. Many times the adventurer got hurt along the way but the greatest adventurers kept pressing forward until they made it to where X marks the spot and the pot of gold. What is it that you want in your life? Where is your treasure and pot of gold? Even if the journey is crazy hard don't be the one who quit 2 feet before the gold. You have have everything you need in order to find your treasure. All you need is persistence and determination.

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. -Calvin Coolidge

Go find your treasure and your pot of gold... Happy hunting and Happy St. Patrick's Day

Artisticsoulwithin.com

My New Wire Wrapped Statement Pendent

This is my new wire wrapped statement pendent. I love making this pendent. I was inspired by the wire wrapped keys I have seen on Pinterest and I thought I would love to give it a try. I wanted to add something special to the washers that I recently fell in love with and I thought a wire wrapped key would make an awesome addition to the washer. This is a really unique and special pendent.

I had to draw out the key first to see how I wanted it to look then I went to work wire wrapping the key. It took me 2 hours to create the key but it was fun. The time went by fast. I then wire wrapped the key and the washer together giving it a striking unique look. I loove this pendent. It turned out better then my drawing. It is surprisingly light and it measures 4 inches. If you are interested in this pendent or want to see more art from my collection I invite you to my Etsy shop. Click [HERE] or click on the Etsy banner.

Please drop a note and let me know of what you think about this piece. I hope you have an awesome day.  

Artisticsoulwithin.com 

You are a pain in my neck but I love you....

 What we resist persist. This seem to be the most hardest lesson for people to learn. I had a conversation with someone and while upset and angry  he said I wish I could get rid of this pain that I feel right now. He was taking a lot of pain meds and it is taking a toll on his body. After trying to comfort him for hours I asked him have your ever tried being ok with the pain and not be angry that you have this pain? He angrily said NO! I will never except this pain. I calmly said you do know that what you resist persist. Right? What if the only way to over come the pain is by embracing it?

I can see the struggle in his eyes. What I was asking was crazy. He understood what I was saying but he could not at all wrap his mind around letting go and being ok with what is. In his mind he had to fight the pain like an evil with in him that he had to cast out. I said pain is not evil. It is simply our body telling us that we need to make some changes but the changes start in our mind first. Sometimes we put more focus on the problem then we do on the solution because it all goes back to what we resist persist. It is a vicious cycle that many people can not see.

We all must come to understand that there are things that attract and things that repel. If we want peace in our lives we must start within ourselves.... Zen Master Thick Nhat Hanh key teaching is that through mindfulness we can learn to live happily in the present moment- the only way to truly develop peace both in oneself and in the world.... Mindfulness: A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.... Being peacefully mindful will attract great things into our life and the world.... Sadly "Everyone knows that peace has to begin with oneslef, but not many people know how to do it". -Thich Nhat Hanh

Many people believe that if we have this or that we will have peace in our lives but nothing out side of ourselves ever brings us peace or comfort. Peace and comfort always start from within us first and manifest outward. Healing starts in the mind first. If you brake a bone and believe that there is no way for a doctor to fix it no matter how many surgeries you have the doctor will not be able to fix your broken bone. But if you hold in your mind and see your bones being fixed and understand no matter what the out come will be you know you will be alright then you will have a greater chance of healing your broken bone.

I speak from experience. If I would have believed that I am going blind and there was no way to keep my eye sight I know that today I would have been totally bind or mostly blind. The doctor believed that a year from his diagnosis I would be mostly blind. 2 years pasted and I am not even close to being blind lol and the doctor was amazed because my first eye test was really really bad. He recently said “I don't know how you did it but what ever you are doing keep doing it because it's working.” ^_^ What I did was for a whole year before my last eye test I acted like I could see. I believed I could see. When someone asked about my eyes because I have to ware sun glasses I would tell them I have Macular Degeneration BUT I can see everything that I needed to see. Any time I talked about my eyes I always ended with I can still see everything that I needed to see. I always ended on a positive note.

Did I have my moments of brake down? Yes... Yes I did because I was still fighting those thoughts that always said just thinking positively Barbara wont heal your eyes. But I kept coming back to the fact that I already attracted so much in my life so why not this? Why not keep my eye sight? But greater still I thought well what if I did loose my eye sight what's the worse that could happen? In the end I was ok with what ever the out come was to be. Sight or no sight I know I am still blessed and I have every thing that I need. I learned to embrace what is and not fight it. In the end I found peace within myself no matter what the future outcome.

Do I have problems with my eye sight? Yes but I can still see what I need to see. Lol I am here writing this blog sharing my experiences and if this just helps one person in this world then I've done my job. I have learned that life is not fixed. What is today will be different tomorrow. We can't be so ridged in our thinking. We must let go and flow with life knowing that we have everything we need to succeed. Right now YOU have everything you need to over come pain, stress, financial worries, marital worries, Job stress, illnesses and so on. If you are having a hard time seeing that fact then please don't hesitate to ask for help. Talks to a trusted friend, your preacher at church, a counselor or a life coach. I am here if you need to talk....You have everything you need in order to succeed...

Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

I hope you create a wonderful day today. Stay Awesome ^_^    

Artisticsoulwithin.com

My New Artistic Style....

I was really into creating Etch Glass 2 years ago but because of my declining eye sight the doctor advised against it. I was upset for a long time because I spent soo much time teaching myself how to etch glass with a dremel and I got really good at it before my doctor told me that I should stop. At first I didn't listen to him. I was thinking doctors don't know everything and blind people can do any thing so I should still be able to etch glass the way I want too but my confidence was literally shattered when the glass I was working on shattered into pieces right before my eyes and that has never happened to me before. I quickly realized how dangerous it was to continue so I packed everything up, sold all my tools and moved under a rock. Well it was more like a large blanket. My Sister called it my Linus Blanket.

As much as I wanted to stay under my Linus Blanket I had to come out of it. I have learned a lot in the last few years and learning to be flexible when challenges come was my biggest lesson learned. Recently my doctor told me that I am doing great and I am no longer in danger of going blind ^_^ so I am back creating art once again. As much as I still want to do glass etching I decided to go into a whole new artistic style. For some weird reason I have been drawn to Industrial Boho. I love this style. Industrial of course is a lot of metal work and Boho Art is defined in The American College Dictionary as "a person with artistic or intellectual tendencies, who lives and acts with no regard for conventional rules of behavior." Kind of like etching glass using power tools with low vision o-O lol

Industrial Boho is a mix of hard and soft. Mixing Industrial with Boho sends my imagination into overdrive ^_^ Even as a Child I love playing with wire and metal. I love mixing soft and hard because it really fits my personality. I am soft most of the time but I can be very hard and direct when I need to be.

I also love love love wire wrapping. I didn't develop my wire wrapping skills until now because the work that I really wanted to do years ago seemed very hard and time consuming but now time seems to fly when I work with wire. I have gotten way better then when I first started years ago. I can't wait to show case my new art work. I am sooo happy to be back on Etsy. If you want to see more of my work please click on the Etsy badge on this blog page or go to my Etsy store on my website www.Artisticsoulwithin.com

I want to thank every one who encouraged me to get back on the horse and keep creating. To all my Etch Delight fans I want to thank you for sticking with me through all my struggles and I want to thank my husband of 18 years for being patient with me especially when I wanted to stay under my Linus blanket. He has been a huuge support in my life and I am deeply grateful. Last but not least I want to thank God because without him none of this would be possible.

Stay tuned more artwork and inspiration is coming soon...   

My Etsy Is Now Open....

My Etsy Store in now open. I am soo excited. I have been working on new jewelry and new works of art for a while now. I am so proud of my new store. Take a look at my new creative work. I will be adding new items Every week so stay tuned.