Eye of the beholder

There is nothing new except our perspectives. The materials are the same as they have always been. It is what we do with them that makes something truly original.

If it has never been done before, there might be a good reason. Maybe it was not a good idea to begin with. Sometimes it is best to stick with what works.

The infusion of heart breathes life into what was forsaken. A creative soul will see the potential and take matters into their own hands. Suddenly, that which was old is new again.

Our most sophisticated technology can be reduced to basic elements. The genius is not in the ingredients, but in the recipe. If you think it has all been done before, think again.

We reside on a mudball spinning through space. It is what we do here that makes a difference. Or, more appropriately, what we care to do.

The future is in the eye of the beholder. Our world will keep turning endlessly, going nowhere. Or we will envision better, and set out to make things better than they have ever been before.

Inspiration strikes

Inspiration strikes out of nowhere. A piece of music can set it off or a passage from a book; what is seen or that which is experienced. The creative mind is triggered and something begins to take shape.

The thing created often is nothing like the original. This is because you were inspired to do something else. That which influenced you was merely the catalyst to get the creative juices flowing.

Those who copy from others are not inspired. At least, not by any creative impulse. Their motivation tends to be the love of filthy lucre.

Sometimes the energies flow freely, and the work is swiftly completed. Other times, what is desired lies just out of reach. Effort will be required to achieve what was truly envisioned.

Since ideas can come from anywhere, it is best to immerse yourself in whatever stimulates your creativity. Read that which interests you, watch whatever intrigues you, listen to anything that grabs your attention. Any of these ingredients can spark the imagination.

Once the fire is started, it must be fed. This thing lives off your energy, and will be extinguished by its lack. Feed your imagination and let it grow to become something truly wondrous to behold.

Self-examination

How can we know if what we are doing is good? Leaning on our own understanding, we will fall. It is important to take an honest look at oneself to learn the truth.

Making excuses is a sure sign there is a problem with what you are doing. People do not come up with reasons to do good. It is when they want to get away with something that they suddenly have a well-crafted argument.

Truth hurts, and there is much pain in being honest. It is humiliating to find ourselves in the wrong. Yet, it could be worse: we could keep walking around naked, believing we are clothed.

You cannot trust those who are quick to criticize. Often, they have nothing to show for all their advice. Only those who build well can provide valuable insight to others.

It comes down to honesty: why are you really doing something? Is it making things better or worse? If the latter, you must cease immediately before more damage is done.

Self-examination is an arduous process that never ends. But it is a necessary one. Honesty is the difference between a firm foundation, and building on a sinkhole that will eventually suck you in.

The best medicine

It is better to laugh than to cry. So when we are feeling down, we want to be cheered up. Left with our miseries, we will stay miserable.

There is no need to put on a happy face. Fake happiness is no more real than fake flowers. We must focus past our pain to find the joy.

Taking ourselves too seriously only makes us funnier. It is easy to think we suffer more than others. But it just looks worse through our eyes.

Some people have real problems. Their days are spent in fear, or wondering where the next meal will come from. We have so much, and it is taken for granted.

Laughter is healthy and refreshing as well. Smiling at our problems makes them seem much smaller. Do they really deserve the attention they get?

To laugh is still the best medicine. We live in a world quite lacking in cheer. But laughter is infectious: it starts with one and then the mirth spreads both far and wide.