RGW Inspiration: Words and Images

Change "For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." Steve Jobs "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." Leo Tolstoy "Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." George Bernard Shaw "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." Winston Churchill Happy Monday! I wish you all a wonderful week ahead. If, as the week progresses, that doesn't happen for you, just know that with every second that ticks you can CHANGE that ... :o) #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #MotivationMonday #Motivation #Inspiration #QuoteOfTheDay #MotivationalMonday #Success

Possibilities Don't fall into negatives about yourself. Don't spend any time thinking that you have wasted time, because that is a waste in itself. Focus on now and the future only. Focus on what it possible. Everything you need is right there in you already. Don't make less of yourself, not ever. When you do that, you are tearing down that which you are trying to build. YOU are the best thing you have; don't forget that. #LeavesOnThursday with thanks to Mehdia Ridder and Leaves On Thursday  #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos

Small Things There are some things that you can fulfill with money, but at the end of the day these are not the things that make you happy. It is the small things that make life good. ~Sebastian Vettel #ThirstyThursdayPics with thanks to  Giuseppe Basile & Mark Esguerra #thirstythursday #macroaddict (MacroAddict) with thanks to Sandrine Berjonneau  Jean-Pierre Malézieux Christian PR Ruth Hochholdinger and William Banik #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #naturephotography #macrophotography #hqspmacro #MacroAddicts #MacroManiacs #Macro4All

The Path You Choose I was reminded of this incredible woman, Ernestine Shepard, who, in her mid-seventies, became the oldest world female body-building champion. ( http://goo.gl/gsv7 ) And she didn't start her journey of success until late in life. For anything to exist in your life, it needs to be created. This includes your health -- good or bad. This includes your ability -- good or bad. This includes your emotional reactions -- good or bad. This includes your relationships -- good or bad. We create the bad stuff as much as the good. The truth is, many people don't take responsibility for what happens in their lives -- oftentimes believing that the choices they make in life are thrust upon them by "others" or circumstance. They forget that they are the ultimate cause in the forces of their own lives.  Sure, we get strapped down by mortgages, kids, medical liabilities and distressed family members. But the day that we walk out the door and say, "I, me, and only

Do you have a dream? What or who would you like to be in the next year, the next ten years? What do you need to extricate from your life to become that? Are you willing to sacrifice who you are right this very minute? The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become. ~Charles DuBois ––– Tree Tuesday  with thanks to  Christina Lawrie Allan Cabrera Ralph Mendoza Kim Troutman David R Robinson #TreeTuesday  #tgsmu15 #lasvegas #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos   #SunsetPhotography #Sunset

How to be the best artist. Ever since I can remember, I have always drawn, painted or otherwise tried to express my imagination through some form of aesthetic reality. Art has always been a part of me and always will be. It is not that art expression is something special in me, I feel that it is an intrinsic part of our humanity and that everyone has art in their nature. Wide expression takes training, but the capacity exists in everyone. I am not a formally trained artist. When I was young and drawing, in the first attempts that we usually do -- copying the art of others or sketching the lines of photographs by eye -- I never received much in the way of feedback or support. I took that as tacit response that I was no good at it. My father “hrrumpfed” and went back to what he was doing. Art teachers in early school were overworked and passing time. I stopped focusing on that as a goal. To express the creative side of my self I went into the cosmetology business -- and got stuck there f

No More Excuses! The primary difference between a creative person and a non-creative one is that the creative person creates because they want to have something; they visualize what they want to have and then they keep going until they have it. You don't become an artist by thinking, "I'm going to be an artist." It isn't about the mechanics of what goes into being an artist, it's about the mechanics of creating an end-product and not stopping until you have that end-product. That's it. It's nothing more complex or lofty than that. Stop lying to yourself that you aren't "creative" enough … just create something. I'd love to see it ... ;o7 – #promotephotography with thanks to Nikola Nikolski Naghmeh Khadembashi Gittan Beheydt Milena Ilieva and Promote Photography #LandscapePhotography with thanks to Margaret Tompkins Jim Warthman David Heath Williams Kevin Rowe and Landscape Photography #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #h

Strengthen Your Core Several years ago I decided to change my physical condition. I had gained a lot of weight over the years and confronted it one Christmas visiting my brother -- and his bathroom scale ... ugh. I took on a program of running and weight-lifting and changed my eating. However, after a year and a half of that, I had only managed to lose about fifteen pounds. I was healthier, sure -- probably gained more muscle weight and lost some fat -- but I was still frustrated at not being able to get to where I wanted to be. Then ... my back went out on me like a faithless lover. I felt so betrayed. It was the first time anything that debilitating had ever happened to me. I couldn't move at all. When I went to the doctor, he told me I had to do something like yoga or pilates (similar to yoga). I laughed to myself -- the last thing that I wanted to do was bend like that!! So, I ignored him. Throughout the following year I was still unable to to break my plateau, but during that

How to be loved Needing a bit more love in your life?  Now, you know the way things work, to get anything you're going to have to give it. If you are feeling a lack, it isn't that you aren't lovable, it is just that you need more practice! For anything to exist in your life you need to create it. This starts with loving others more. The more you practice, the more you open yourself to the love around you and the potential to receive then grows with it. You can practice on those around you for whom you already feel some affinity––but to earn real love, start practicing on the tougher cases around you. Like the garbage man who picks up your trash regularly. Like the person who cut you off on the freeway yesterday. Like the kid who keyed your new car. Like the homeless man who smells of sweat and urine. Open your heart to continue to love everyone around you despite whether you feel they've earned it or not and watch the love grow in your own life. It is one of those bits

The Artist Inside Technique is how you remove the body's obstructions to the heart's expression. The myth of "talent". I have often had people, when I tell them I am an artist, look at me with a sort of awestruck reverence––that is completely misplaced. Everyone is an artist inside. Some have just worked at it harder than others and it shows. There isn't a single thing that I do that cannot be learned, practiced and achieved to great success by anyone (barring physical limitations). So, if you have ever told yourself that you have no talent, or that you could never be as good as someone else you admire, let's just call a halt to that kind of thinking right now. I can guarantee that, if you still believe that others have some god-given gift that you don't have, you will never be an artist. But, it is the only thing that will stand in your way. 90% of the deterrent that is keeping you from being the artist you wish to be is your consideration that you cann

The World Is My Teacher   All of the knowledge to be found in this world was originally empirical.  It did not come from a book or a teacher; someone figured it out based on observation. True, it is often faster to have someone show you how to do something, but to move into an area on your own and teach yourself based on your own observation, that is where creativity is born -- the ability to reach beyond the observations of others.  This gives you the ability to see something that no one else has seen before.   ––––– 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. #ThirstyThursdayPics with thanks to  Giuseppe Basile & Mark Esguerra #thirstythursday #CoastalThursday wi

Stand Up For Yourself You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce. ~ Tony Gaskins I found an interesting article this morning on how to stand up for yourself. The basics: 1. Be prepared. If you know you’re going to have to make a case for yourself, make sure you know what you’re talking about.  2. Baby steps. Try out your tactics in low-risk situations to start — like asking for more time on a project or taking a couple of tasks off your plate.  3. Change your perception of being nice. Being a nice person doesn’t mean you have to say yes to everything –– it’s ok to put your foot down — you’ll still be nice.  4. Practice quiet power. Continue to listen and show your appreciation for people even when you are standing up for yourself. You do not have to raise your voice.  5. Be honest. Getting what you need and want to succeed comes from the heart. Skip telling people what you think they want to hear and be real.  - See more at: http://www.lo

Uncertainty Do you feel uncertain? Are you fearful about what might happen if you try to create something new in your life? Are you afraid of failing, intimidated by what people might think of you or worried about all the things that could go wrong along your way? I had an interesting observation about this yesterday. Many of us are plagued by uncertainty, but most people have felt certain about at least one thing at some point in their lives. If you have, can you recall the circumstances surrounded that certainty? If you can't recall those circumstances, I can break it down a bit for you. Typically, in situations of certainty, you were actively doing something. You were moving forward rapidly enough on a plan of action that you didn't have time to worry about potential problems –– your brain was actively engaged in solving problems that actually existed. The more you were engaged in solving those problems, keeping your eye focused on your goal, the more your goal became a r

The Three You are three. –– The person you are. –– The person they think you are. –– The person you think you are. ... Of the three, the last one is the only one that has the potential to hold you back the most. (rgw) #FloralFriday with thanks to Tamara Pruessner Eustace James Beth Akerman Kiki Nelson and FloralFriday #rgwoodpost #photography #googleplusphotos #inspiration   #FlowerFriday #flowerphotography #floralphotography #hqspflowers

Revealing Your Vision -- Part 2 At my post a couple of days ago (part 1, here: https://plus.google.com/+RobinGriggsWood/posts/2pVyWXQHLDg ), some interesting ideas were brought up in the comments and I felt I should address those in a new post, because I think many more people could benefit from the concepts. Being Paralyzed or Being Lazy You know this one; you're stuck. Nothing has changed in ages and it's the same old problems staying put or repeating themselves over and over. There are times it feels as if you are completely paralyzed by all the problems. You can't seem to overcome them.  You would rather play video games, watch TV, or surf the Internet for interesting memes and diverting conversation then try to tackle those problems yet again! Sometimes, you are told by others (or yourself) that you are just being lazy because you're not getting a handle on your life. Oh, that one bites hard! Why does being told you are lazy bite so hard? Why does it make you fe

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

All The Colors Together The only race that will be won, is when the only race there is is one.   The race of MANKIND. Words and image by Robin Griggs Wood (Interior, Hyatt Regency, San Francisco) ––––– #RepetitiveTuesday #promotephotography with thanks to #BTPArchitecturePro #rgwoodpost #googleplusphotos #canonphotography #canonphotographer #digitalphotography #color #colors #inspiration #creative #hqsparchitecture ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Please feel free to ask me, if you would like any of my images  available for print at robingriggswood.com

Overcoming Your Fear Firstly, I'm going to offer up a host of platitudes: “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” ~Andre Gide “Do one thing every day that scares you.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt “No man ever achieved worth-while success who did not, at one time or another, find himself with at least one foot hanging well over the brink of failure.” ~Napoleon Hill “He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson "Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." ~Dale Carnegie Actually, that last one is my real springboard ... ;o7 Here's the key to overcoming fear: DO! Fear isn't actually supposed to be the crippling emotion we allow it to be.  It's a driving force.  It's an energy source to be capitalized on! If you're feeling fearful about

"That Brighter Day"   The changes you are looking for in your life will come about when you spend more time focusing on the things you want to have happen than the things you are worrying could happen.   ––––– #TreeTuesday #BreakfastClub  #10000photographersaroundtheworld  #promotephotography with  #TheMagicOfLight #LandscapePhotography #rgwoodpost #canonphotography #canonphotographer #digitalphotography #naturephotography #inspiration #color #colors #fineart #fineartpls #landscapeart #light ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Please feel free to ask me, if you would like any of my images  available for print at robingriggswood.com

the fools dance around the fire they did advance with clutching hands and began to dance they mumbled words in hypnotic trance beseeching cries in ancient chants the gods ignored their imploring stance and left them all to fate and chance perhaps to some a life enhanced will befall when wisdom grants –– 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. #DOFMonday  with thanks to DOFMonday Mara Acoma Alan Gurling Mark Hall & Nigel Smith  #Macro4All with thanks to Walter Soestbergen Bill Urwin, Chris Levers  Mark O'Callaghan and Macro4All #rgwoodpost #canonphotography #canonphotographer #digitalphotography #naturephotography #color #colors #inspiration #canonphotograp