Project 365!

365/365 Just a few of my favorites!
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” N.D.Walsch 
"Above is the quote that started it all! What have I got to lose, just go for it," I thought! 
With the encouragement of my friend Mary, my year long journey began on 
November 8th 2010 and what a journey it has been.
I did this for my self first and then it became clear that it was something that I could publish myself and leave as a legacy to my children, grandchildren and generations forward. They could get to know me in a way that I wish I had gotten to know my grandparents, they had all passed by the time I turned sixteen. There is so much to learn from our elders and we are not always ready to receive it as a young person.
I also thought that I could sell some of my prints online and I quickly realized that this was not about money at all, I had to take that factor out of it completely and then the blessings began.
I started e-mailing some of my friends and my email list quickly grew, my friends Judy and Peggy started their own e-mail lists and so my words of inspiration spread.
I was blown away by this, I started getting emails of encouragement from people that I had never met. People were telling me that I made there day or they had learned a new way to look at issues in their troubled lives. One asked if she could share some of my writings with her sobriety group! WOW! I began to realize the true impact of my words, somehow I was somewhat intimidated by this new responsibility. People need to grasp onto something positive, I thought there is so much negative in this world. 
 Just keep writing what you feel and not to worry, I vowed! 
I have had over 27,500 page views, nearly 1300 comments and visits from countries all over the world, some I have never heard of before!
I had to keep a balance between the very serious to the ridiculously funny. People need to laugh and life has it's ways of presenting us with loads of material to laugh about if we choose to see it that way. I have a bizarre sense of humor so I used that to my advantage, surely I raised a few eyebrows along the way. With new found confidence I proceeded taking more risks doing my own thing.
The ironic thing about all of this is that I honestly did not know that I had a knack for writing. In the beginning it was more about the photos and then it became more about the writing, I do believe I found a happy balance. 
Learning the many facets of Photoshop was also a goal.
 I'll turn every photo into a work of art, how very cool, I thought.
 I am truly amazed by the versatility of the Photoshop Program and have so much more to learn. 
My new family of blogger friends has been a great source of inspiration, there is such an abundance of talent out there and they are always willing to help. Many are grandmas just like me. Their wisdom hath no boundaries!
There were days I had no clue what to say but if I had a beautiful photo on my screen the words would just seem to come. I began to enjoy the wisdom of many who had left behind such insightful quotes their words humbling and inspirational. I learned quickly that writing your words and living your words are two very different things. Living your words is not always an easy task and many times they kept me in line, whispering in my ear.
I found that my brain was far more creative at 4:00AM, my sleeping patterns became erratic. Sometimes I would wake in the middle of the night with a great idea and quickly had to jot it down for it would be gone by morning. Some nights I could not shut my creative channel off, please let me sleep I would beg. So my new found dark circles are now permanent and I can't blame my makeup anymore, a small price to pay. I suspect there is a lot more to come and I have only scratched the surface so stay tuned if you please.
"I recently received this email from a friend of a friend it sums it all up for me...
YOU DO NOT KNOW ME, BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH I HAVE COME (AND STILL BECOMING) TO KNOW YOU. WHAT AN ADVENTURE IT HAS BEEN... JO, MY DEAR AND LONG AGO GIRLFRIEND SINCE 5TH GRADE, PAROCHIAL SCHOOL, INTRODUCED ME TO YOUR BLOG DURING HER VISIT TO FLORIDA THIS JUNE. I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN REAWAKENED TO MY SENSES OF ART PERCEPTION...FROM MY VIEWPOINT, THAT IS! THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR CREATIONS...I SINCERELY LIKE YOUR TASTE IN STYLE. I WILL, HOWEVER, MISS YOU DAILY BLOG.  LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TWICE A WEEK BLOG." PAM 
I have inspired one, my purpose defined! 
Thank you all each and everyone. I have received far more than I have given, the abundance of my blessings overwhelming.
Yes I Can......and you can too!!!!!!!!


Posted to: http://www.the-creative-exchange.com