Don't you love this quote?  It's an assurance that from all of our mistakes and our studying of life that we will get something out of it.  We get to keep the wisdom.  I have a friend who has committed to a serious 2 year school program and she is uneasy about going back to school and learning.  But I assured her that she already knows her stuff because she has wisdom.  She's very aware and when you put wisdom and awareness together consciously -she'll be an inspired learning being!  So exciting!

So maybe we aren't all going to commit to 2 years of schooling any time soon, but maybe we need to stretch and reach those brain muscles so we are constantly building our wisdom bank.  Getting a hobby can do that for us.  "Creativity helps people adapt to life by making them more flexible and open to experiences," says Dean Keith Simonton, Ph.D.  T"his, in turn, fosters satisfaction and self-esteem."  And remember that it is about the process, not the product.  So it doesn't mean you have to be great at painting or writing poetry.  It means be open to play and to having fun. 

Creativity is important enough to me that I am preparing a new course in the Spring at the High River Library called An Introduction to Living Creatively.  I am using my most favorite book ever - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron for inspiration and exercises.  I can't stress enough to everyone how wonderful this book is.  For me it's not a book about becoming a great artist but an amazing book on becoming a fabulous you.  When we live authentically it means we are creative.  How does that help us to lose weight or to be healthy you might ask?  Well I think when we are living our lives as we truly are, we find motivation and inspiration to take really good care of our being - physically, mentally and spiritually.

A few of the quotes from the Artist's Way:
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."  Joseph Chilton Pearce  Yes there is a little risk involved.  But we don't gain anything if we don't risk anything.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."  Albert Einstein  Wow - even Albert knew what was really important - that's inspiring.

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."  Colette  Like all things in life - there should be lots of enthusiasm - 100%!

"Take your life into your own hands and what happens?  A terrible thing: no one to blame."  Erica Jong  As always the big idea of taking responsibility for all of our choices and actions.

"I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues."  Duke Ellington   What a great idea!