Craig and I were having a good discussion tonight about his take away from reading the book The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka. One thing he mentioned was the concept of your life being like a movie, and then having that feeling of why am I in this movie? If you’re answering with “I don’t know”, then it’s pretty clear something needs to change.

Several years ago, that question went through my head quite often. I had considered what life would be like without me in it and just wanted a break. It seemed like the weight on my shoulders was too much to bear. I’m grateful to say things turned around and particularly this year I re-inspired myself to not lose another 10 years to doing for everything and everyone else. Because at the end of the day if I’m not happy with my life and who I am, what else do I have.

In that spirit. I happened to love the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. I always found it funny and cathartic. It’s a great metaphor for what many of us do, sometimes without even realizing it. We make decisions that are not ones towards a life we’d love but rather slow chips away at ending the one we’re in. But amazingly like the movie, changing your perspective, removing culprits from your life that bring you down, can make huge steps towards being in a life you actually like and want to wake up to and be alive for. You always have tomorrow as an opportunity to change the path.

Find that road not taken.

There are some great tips to avoid creative blocks over at Inspired Mag‘s website. The one I have the hardest problem with is #5 self-doubt. Which lead me to remember Leah’s post about Self-Employment: The First Six Months. She mentioned previously feeling guilty when a potential client would say they couldn’t afford her services. I’ve had that feeling many times, and foolishly buckled to bringing down my rate to something where it was no longer respecting my time and services. She summed it up best, “…let go of the guilt that I can’t help everyone.”

The other tip in the article that I need to follow more is #3 Take a Walk and #6 Get Away for a Day or Two. Staying home and just not going out is not the same. My home is my office, and it’s filled with personal projects that also peek at me from behind their boxes and I feel like I should at least be doing those. I remind myself to just go look at my OmniFocus “Due” perspective and only worry about what is there.

Walks are so underrated, I had forgotten how cathartic they can be. We took a peaceful, albeit very cold walk yesterday along the river. It reminded me how much I like what I do, along with memories of our days driving up Route 7 and planning out our future. It gave me hope. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but somedays it’s what I need to be reminded life is about. The dreams and reaching for them.

Thank you to my dreamer, who constantly reminds me to never give up.

Need help coming up with resolutions for 2010? Visit the New Year’s Resolution Generator.

Personally I never seem to have a problem coming up with a long list of resolutions, my usual over eager self. Of course sticking to those resolutions is a whole other matter. I’ll be following up with a post on New Year’s Day of my, very few, resolutions for 2010.

Speaking of 2010, aren’t we supposed to be seeing monoliths start arriving soon?

(Via bikepornftw.)

This reminds of A-Ha’s Take On Me video.

This is one of several amazing pieces of photography via, Light Art Performance Photography’s website. Their work is beautiful and inspiring. I love long exposure photography. Please go visit their site to see all their incredible work.

On a side note, I liked the music so much I bought it as well. It’s by James D. Stark, called “Ready” [iTunes link].

I found all of this via Colin Devroe’s post.

Taken last spring during a field class. Inspired by, Maureen Gallagher’s “Suspended“

A dream I’ve always had is sitting a desk, looking out a window in front or to the side of me and seeing trees and a field or forest. To me there’s something inspiring about looking out over nature in it’s solitude. I can see it perfectly in my head, and some day it will be true.

John Hicks posted a picture of the view from his office. I can see why he likes it.