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Revealing Your Vision


Revealing Your Vision

Do you have a vision for your life? What is it? Do you actually know?

What is "vision"––you know, when we're not talking about something which might involve your optometrist?
The definition of "vision" I'm talking about is:
"The ability to visualize, think about or plan the future."

So, back to: Do you know what your vision is?

If you don't, I can at least tell you what your vision was yesterday, a month ago, a year ago.

Ready?

You're sitting in it right now.

Yep, that's right.

The course, direction, circumstance of your life, as it is right this very minute, is the vision you've been working on. It's the one you've been holding in your mind and it's manifesting itself today.

Do you want to change that?

Here's the how-to. 
First, think about what you want to have or do.

Next, write out a list with those aspirations on it leaving enough space on the side of each to write the obstacles preventing you from getting them. Those items next to your goals will be anything that is not contributing to, or is destroying, what you want to have in life. Include all the things that are stealing your attention, making you angry, sad, nervous or distracted. Include in the first column on the list the things you would be doing "if only __". Include all the "if only"s at the side of each of those, too. Be honest and be as thorough as you can.

As you are writing out your list, notice that everything that you've written to the side of your goals is what you are putting your focus on instead of your goals. Those things are your current "vision" for your life; they are what you are thinking about instead of the vision you really want.

It should be easier to see your vision for your life now, once you weed out the stuff that isn't part of your vision.

The cool thing is, every one of those things you wrote on the side of your goals is an actionable item.
You can actually do something about each one of them. Once you do the actionable item, you don't need to have your focus on it anymore.
Some of them you can even toss away completely! Things like too much web-surfing, horrifying news stories, TV or games that don't contribute to your vision.
(If one of those things you want to toss away is your mother-in-law, you're going to have to be clever about it, though … ;o7)

Don't think that all the FUN is going to go out of your life when you get rid of things that aren't contributing to your vision, just be sure to include "Enjoy life" on your list ... :o))

––

If you're interested in finding out more about procrastination (or finding out why you are not actually "lazy" when people call you that): check out Part 2: https://plus.google.com/+RobinGriggsWood/posts/2AUnuL4JQpv




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Love posting to themes? You might enjoy these great themes with excellent curators! Themes and hashtags are not necessarily about getting more attention, but are a valuable indexing method, which help others find relevant posts via clickable links as well as a great way to meet like-minded people. I tend to only promote those themes with active, caring curators.

#PortraitTuesday PortraitTuesday with thanks to Laura Balc and Tana Teel 
#SeaTuesday with thanks to Julia Anna Gospodarou and Sea Tuesday

#BreakfastClub with huge thanks to Gemma Costa and Breakfast Club
10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS / #10000photographersaroundtheworld  with thanks to Robert SKREINER
#promotephotography with thanks to Nikola Nikolski Naghmeh Khadembashi Gittan Beheydt Milena Ilieva and Promote Photography
#TheMagicOfLight  ***** with thanks to Ray Bilcliff

#LandscapePhotography with thanks to Margaret Tompkins Carra Riley Jim Warthman David Heath Williams Kevin Rowe and Landscape Photography


#rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #hqsplandscapes #hqspportraits



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Please feel free to ask me,
if you would like any of my images 
available for print at robingriggswood.com

Comments

  1. So good, so true and beautifully expressed Robin Griggs Wood
    And that lovely image includes someone who, I suspect would not want to get rid of her particular mother in law?

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  2. Very awesome post Robin Griggs Wood but I think I a have lost my ability to do anything. I did take one step towards getting re-employed today so I guess that is one positive. I am just paralyzed. Thank you for always being an inspiration I am positive I will find my way out of the darkness I just hope it is before they turn off my electricity!!  :D

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  3. Ellie Kennard -- thank you, dear ... :o) (And I think you were being nice to me, but the model is no relation of mine ... thanks for the kind thought, anyway ... xo!)

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  4. I love the bold choices you made for processing this image.  Just beautiful.  And your sage advice...brilliant.  Know that you change lives every day!

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  5. This image is stunning first of all!  The deep blues are gorgeous.  As usual the words are inspiring and motivational.....the mother in law thing...or something similar, that's difficult!  :)  Or...change the way you think about the MIL and maybe that will make 'her' not an obstacle.  (did that make sense?)   Tom McGowan hang in there - I know it's tough, I've been through that twice for lengthy periods of time.  It's not always easy, try to get out every day and do something that makes you feel good.

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  6. Fantastic photo and commenting so I emember to come back to this post :)

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  7. Thank you Lauri Novak I will try I do have good things everyday I just need a job. Or hit the lottery hehe :)

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  8. Boy This Gorgeous.. Very Peaceful..

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  9. GEEEEEZ I love this.  The light is heaven.

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  10. Tom McGowan -- I totally hear you on that, my friend ... I'm going through a bit of that myself (in truth, I tend to write these things for myself ... ;oD). Hang in there; and, for certain, do the "list" thing. The interesting thing about feeling "paralyzed" is, by it's very nature, it is a "no motion" thing. No motion is no action and list-writing is an action that starts to unburden you, allowing you to compartmentalize all the stuff that is stuck (no motion) and helps you see some of the things that you can "unstick" right now. The cool thing about that is, you will be starting to create some motion at least. And a bit of motion has the potential to beget more motion.
    Do the list and be thorough. You'll start to see some things you can do now and it will lighten your load for tackling the bigger items on the list later.
    The key to overcoming being paralyzed is to get in ACTION!

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  11. Brian Grzelewski -- well, I don't know about every day ....
    Thank you so much, my friend!

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  12. Lauri Novak -- yes, changing the way you think about something makes great sense and is fabulous advice!! Any change to an existing circumstance creates motion, and motion is what you want when things are at a stand still. You're great. I hope people read your comment ... :o). Hugs, and thank you!

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  13. Elizabeth Lund -- thank you, dear ... hugs!

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  14. Johan Swanepoel -- thank you ... :o)
    Harmony Goodson -- thank you, dear!
    Tina Bolt -- thank you so much
    احمد البكري -- thank you

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  15. Gorgeous shot, Robin - and a "spot-on" write up!  
    I've been working hard on my "life plan" for the past few days, with the aim of getting rid of all those unwanted distractions.  Things that I've put off for months... and continue to put off, due to laziness!! No more of that! :-)

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  16. Baldur McQueen -- thank you for the kind words, my friend! I'm so glad that you're doing that ... me too! ... And, that term "laziness" is about 95% inaccurate; the bulk of laziness is actually "overwhelm" (similar to the "paralysis" Tom describes above) so I'm never entirely sold on the idea when people call themselves lazy. This is an overwhelming world we live in––having far too much stuff to do creates inaction because, well, where does one start?! The "lazy" label gets used too much (often by our parents when we were young ... ;oD)

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  17. Christina Hernandez and Jan Kenneth Aarsund -- thank you!

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  18. You are a wonderful inspiration Robin Griggs Wood and so is everything about this post, the advice, the image and your spirit!

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  19. Beautiful text and the image. Thank You Dear Robin Griggs Wood for sharing...!!!

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  20. Stunning image! Absolutely love the lighting!!
    As I have grown older, and hopefully wiser, I have come to understand the power of commitment, and what happens when you live for the goals that you are committed to... very powerful stuff!

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  21. Yet again I've been inspired by a Robin Griggs Wood post! Beautiful light, beautiful image and inspirational dialogue! Thanks for sharing your wonderful work with the #landscapephotography theme :-)

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  22. Inspirational stuff Robin Griggs Wood ! Both the words and the wonderful image.

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  23. I love this post so much, Robin Griggs Wood!
    I've been working on 'the list' in my mind lately, and it has been quite helpful... I need to take it to the next level and get it down on paper.
    This is something everyone needs to read!

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  24. Thoughtful post Robin, thank you for that!

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  25. A beautiful image. Your words? Motivational. Thank you.

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  26. Wow, great capture and amazing scene ! Sometimes it is worthwhile waiting for something ! Robin Griggs Wood

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  27. Giselle Savoie -- thank you, dear! (and happy birthday ... ;o))
    fernando seabra -- ¡gracias!

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  28. Ron Clifford -- I have a mutual admiration ... ;o7. Thank you so much, my friend!

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  29. sourav maiti -- thank you, dear!
    Paul Deatherage -- great advice! .. and thank you!

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  30. David Heath Williams -- thank you very much, my friend!
    Shawn Hudson -- thank you, kindly!

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  31. Dave Bell -- me too, and the "writing it down" thing is something I need to do more of (except that I get caught up in doing some of those things on my list ... haha! Ah, well, at least I got some motion going ... ;o7). Thanks for the kind words, my friend ... :o). And, if you do think it's something that "everyone needs to read" and you have a moment to share it later, that would be wonderful ... because I, too, think it's practical advice that can help lots of folks.

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  32. Jean-Philippe Jouve -- you're welcome, and thank you, my friend .. :o)
    Stephanie Schumacher -- You're welcome, I'm glad you think so .. thank you ... :o)

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  33. Delcour Eric -- thank you so much, my friend!
    husneara begum -- thank you!!
    ricardo hernandez -- thank you!!

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  34. Inspirational and wonderful pic you've sharing. Thanks so much.. !!

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  35. Richard Harlos -- great comment! Sure "ease" may have something to do with it (yet, isn't that essentially calling folks lazy who use the term? ... ;o7), but I think it has more to do with the fact that people just don't know the truth of it. They were called lazy, so they call others lazy. It's self-perpetuating, ad nauseum, in our human culture.

    However, you hit upon the key thing, compassion. It was my own compassion for others that caused me to look more deeply at that term and find out what was really going on with "lazy" people in most cases. But I think that an individual's lack of compassion towards others may also be borne on the winds of circumstantial overwhelm. It is difficult to feel compassion when overwhelmed by fear (which is certainly one of the key degraders of compassion.) There are other painful emotions that short-circuit compassion in an individual. And, I believe, we can foster compassion in others only by being more compassionate with them.

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  36. You have help me to know that my future is in my hand #Robin :-*

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  37. Biyong Ell -- thank you and you're welcome!

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  38. Robin Griggs Wood Yup--reshared. (I was already planning to do it when I first commented but had to run off to teach a class).
    Reshared to my FB friends as well...

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  39. You inspired me to take a good resolution!
    Your post talk to me so much and your words are fair.  I will consider several points that I need to improve and work on. I will define my vision, my goals and act
    Thank you very much for this beautiful sharing!  :-)

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  40. Fantastic and dreaming photo thanks for you amazing work :)

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  41. My "if only __" list is mostly things that are unreachable, due to the fact that it takes money to get them realized. One for example is wanting to move into an apartment in a complex that I like very much, but the deposit on it is way out of reach for my budget. I can afford the rent to live there, but paying to get there is very costly. :-) I do very much like your approach to getting things changed for the better Robin. It's just going to take trying to save every dime that I can for a long time to get the things that I want and need more than anything. I love your photos by the way and your paintings and have enjoyed your post ever since I joined G+. :-)

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  42. Very thought-provoking post.  Thank you for sharing :)

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  43. światło,kolor,kompozycja ...... wszystko fantastyczne  gratuluję zdjęcia

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  44. robin, just wanted to say i just read your post on "Vision". it was great! simple and easy to do, and i have some visions right NOW that i will be listing along with the obstacles i need to overcome to reach that vision (visions). thanks for a great post.

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  45. I guess I was called lazy as I was a child, because I was always lost in some dreamings and I did things slowly..... To compensate that also confronting my remorse (that's actualy my shadow) I have every day the feeling I have not done enough (I actualy have lot of motion...) and also I realize every day that I again failed to finish all unfinished things still waiting to be finished. So .... I know I can influence it with the way I'm thinking, but why does this feeling come back every day? ....... In the morning I am full of hope and I am doing lists in my had with all I want to do ..... and in the evening before going to sleep I do again a List in my thoughts and enumerat at least those things I managed to do and I think: take it easy, tomorrow is a new day! It's so hard to get that bad conscience to be quiet! ...... But I gues you meant another kind of lists to be done :o7 hehe ..... At least I'm a positive and a tumbler (roly-poly doll) :o) I love your image, the feeling in it! Hugs!!

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  46. Dave Bell -- you're a peach, my friend ... :o)
    Jillian Chilson -- thank you!
    Caroline Lavoie -- oh, I'm so happy to read that .. thank you, and you're welcome!

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  47. Jossette DC -- thank you very much ... :o)
    Kristi Brown -- I'm very glad my words could be of some help to you .. hugs back!
    Marc Briggs -- thank you ... :o)
    Shireen Mohamed -- thank you

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  48. Matthew Woodall -- I do remember you from the "early days" here, of course! I totally understand what you wrote. And, please, know that I wrote my post from the heart, not from some airy-fairy metaphysical or motivational magazine approach. Know, too, that what you wrote is the same thing that I hear from so many people, and it is exactly the kind of "stuck" feeling that was brought up earlier in the comments here. If you're stuck, you haven't found the right solution.

    Let me expound a bit for you: the apartment complex you want is not actually a "goal" on your list -- "not having that apartment" may be one of those things that you write to the side of your actual goal (not having it might be a barrier). But, there could be other barriers to your actual goal as well, and you have to get rid of all of them.

    Your actual goal (and I may not word this exactly in the way you really want it; the wording would be completely your own) might be something like "To live in a place that I find beautiful/spacious/what I deserve for my hard efforts in the world. A place that is comfortable/lifts my spirits/inspires me. A place that is surrounded by people and things that support me." One's "vision" for their life is actually so much broader than most people conceive. It's composed primarily of overall standards and rarely things.

    Once you align your life vision with your own standards, it makes it possible for you to see more options, alternatives and other courses of action beyond the attainment of a singular "thing".

    Remain true to your standards alone and it has the potential to unlock creative solutions that you may never have considered.

    I could go on, with more examples, but this is already a tome ... ;o7. I do hope you find your way to the life you truly envision.

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  49. Matt Wachowski -- thanks for the comment, my friend ... :o)
    mira dzitkowska -- thank you
    PF Duggan -- :o)

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  50. Gemma Costa -- thank you, dear ... xo!
    Nancy Dempsey -- thank you so much!
    Rodolfo Seide -- thank you, my friend!

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  51. Henry Tavune -- you're welcome
    john williams -- I'm so glad! ... and you're welcome.

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  52. Ursula Klepper -- how much of your brain are you applying to the accomplishment of your tasks each day? ... with that, I mean, have you thought it through and are you being realistic about what you can accomplish in a day? Do you set yourself an exact number of tasks that you know you can complete within that time, then complete them and still feel like it's not enough?

    I will tell you this: there are very few people on this planet who were raised properly. We all had imperfect parents (who, themselves, had imperfect parents.) Being told you were lazy was not the proper thing to tell a child (just like in my write-up about "critic & critique", good parenting also involves inspiring your children to do the good things, not make them feel badly because they aren't.)

    However ... (and this is a big "however") ... it takes YOU to bring that bad conscience back into your world every single day. There is no one hidden in the corner of the room, whispering to you that you must do more. That is in your history; you are the one bringing it into the present every day. Once you recognize that it is you saying it to yourself (recognize that!) you can look at it straight on for what it is. 
    "Right now, today, it is ME calling myself lazy. It is ME telling myself that I have not done enough." Say to yourself next, "Yes, that is me doing that to myself right now, no one else." Once you see it for what it really is, you begin to gain the power to control it. Then you practice, practice, practice (just like music ... ;o)) taking better care of yourself by thinking better things about yourself. You are your best friend, you know––you should talk to yourself only as you would talk to a dear friend ... :o)

    Hugs!!!

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  53. Wonderful contrast/light in this Robin. Love it. Must share these positive words with my family over on that other social network :)

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  54. Robin Griggs Wood This is brilliant and truly inspirational, and an awesome image to go with it! Thank you ever so much, Robin! :-)

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  55. Awesome as usual. The Magic of Light

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  56. Excellent article Robin Griggs Wood

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  57. You are SO RIGHT Robin! And I thank you so much for your long and so helpful comment!!!  And I had to smile while reading your:  ­­”There is no one hidden in the corner of the room, whispering to you that you must do more”  .... the most obvious thing ....  palm face on my forehead !!  Of course it’s me who allows these thoughts… I will copy this sentences and attache it to my mirror so that I see it as often as possible. Thank you for being such a good friend and for reminding myself to be as kind to me as you are!! Love and Hugs!!! ♥
    Robin Griggs Wood

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  58. Congratulations! HQSP thinks your work is great and you have been included in the January HQSP Winners  group for this shot!

    Well done, please check out the other winning shots on HQSP Winners  and look out for our Winners circle released at the end of each month :)

    Regards, Suzi Harr

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  59. Beautiful quote to go alongside the beauty of the photo. ♥♥

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  60. This is so wonderful, had to share!  I don't know how you do it, but I have been feeling very 'lazy' lately and now I truly see it as 'overwhelmed'.  I am so overwhelmed, I feel 'paralyzed' as Tom McGowan mentioned.  Thank you for somehow always having the right thing to say.  Also, this photo is extraordinary.  The ocean feeds my soul and I can almost hear/feel the waves as I drink in its beauty!  Big hugs....

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  61. Fantastic mood and light in your picture Robin Griggs Wood! Never thought of the vision like this but you are definitely right. Where we are at is just the sum of our decisions and past vision...

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  62. Craig Szymanski -- thank you, my friend ... and I'm glad  you found it share-worthy ... :o)
    Jasbir S. Randhawa -- thank you, too, my friend!
    Ray Bilcliff -- thank you so much ... :o)

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  63. Heiko Mahr -- thank you, my friend ... :o)
    Naghmeh Khadembashi -- thank you, dear ... :o)*
    renee Q -- thank you, dear!!
    Johan Peijnenburg -- that's great! ... :o)

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  64. Ursula Klepper -- Oh, it's an even bigger face-palm than that. It is not just you allowing those thoughts, it is you who RECREATES them each and every time. (And I'm saying this, because I've done it, too, and it was a big face-palm for me when I saw what was actually happening ... ;oD) I'm so glad it helped you. I find it very helpful as well to leave little sticky notes around––some place you view often––with positive messages on it. They help to pull the mind into the present moment and out of recreating things from the past. Change the words from time to time, the locations or even the color of the sticky note paper, just so they don't become routine and you don't notice them anymore.
    Hugs!!

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  65. HQSP Winners & Suzi Harr -- thank you so much!
    Debra Justice -- thank you
    Stefanie L.P. -- that's very kind of you to say ... thank you ... :o))

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  66. Pam Wolfe -- it's funny you know, I swear the Universe is prodding me to write this stuff sometimes ... ;oD ... I'm so glad it's a boost for you. And thank you for the kind words, dear! ... hugs!!

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  67. Guillaume Desachy -- thank you, my friend, and I'm so glad you liked the article ... :o)
    Krystina Isabella Brion -- thank you so much, dear!
    Cherrie Waterhouse -- thank you!

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  68. Yes!! And you know what I’m going to write on that sticky notes? -> Bigger Facepalm  .. and no one will ask silly questions about, and only I know what it means!! warmest Thank you again!! Hugs!!

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  69. Ursula Klepper -- heehee ... I love that one! ... ;oD
    Breakfast Club -- thank you, dear Gemma Costa ... :o)

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  70. Robin Griggs Wood you're welcome ;)

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  71. First the image: I love the feel of it -- the lighting in particular. I love the mood. The smoky blue tones (that somehow still feel warm) seem perfect to me. If ever there was an exact color and lighting (everything!) for that internal landscape of introspection, this photoart would be it.  
    Secondly, the message: it comes at such a good time for me. We are newly empty-nesters and I've kind of just been free-floating and relaxing. The problem is that I can't relax when I don't have an overall plan. So! I took notes and I will be doing some homework with this. Thank you Robin Griggs Wood!

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  72. So cool, Christina Lihani! ... and thank you for the very thoughtful comment about the image! ... hugs!

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  73. Really stunning work Robin! Excellent! :)

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  74. Amazing work  Robin Griggs Wood ... :)

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  75. Thank you and for taking the time to comment, Stéphane Jean and Anu T Jose!

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  76. Wonderful image and post !Robin Griggs Wood

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  77. Excellent message,i love this picture.Thsnk you

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  78. How do I know what I want ,please help if you can

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  79. The vision is an amazing thing. Imagine a scene and create it. How to paint his painting or background in the theater .... I love visions.

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