Creative Hands Lab

08/17/2022

“Associate with people who are likely to improve you.”
—Seneca

08/08/2022

"If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." - Harriet Tubman 🎈

07/30/2022

“Today I adopted a human. It broke my heart to see him so lonely and confused. And suddenly I got his teary eyes to meet mine. I don't like the smell of sad. I wanted to jump on him so bad. He spoke to me with cuteness and I knew it, I had to rescue him!, that human needed me. So I bark with all my strength, I followed him blocks and blocks.
I got close, I could smell his hands. The human smiled for an instant and when he took me in his arms, I started to feel his ice cream heart warmed. I approached his cheeks and felt a tear roll on them. I looked at him deeply and his response was a brilliant smile. I jumped excited into his arms, I promised to behave, love him forever and never part with his side.
How lucky he was to go through that block, down that street and I feel lucky too.
There were so many people walking around and no one was looking at me. All worried, all in their troubles. Glad no one else chose me Today I saved a life. Today I adopted a human” 🐾 🐕

-author unknown

07/29/2022

09/26/2019

Commitment Part 2.
In Part 1 of this article, we discussed some of the issues that can get in the way of learning a new skill. In Part 2, we will cover the most important things you need to accomplish the skill level you have sought after.
The number 1 most vital trait you will need is passion. Just tearing yourself away from the pressing needs of the day for a few minutes will, in most cases, not get it done. If you have passion, you will make it a priority; it won't just be another thing on your long list of daily things to get done, it will become the one thing above all others, that, no matter what else you check off your list, THE skill you love and have a passion for, will not be set aside.
2. Diligence. This is developing a good work ethic; maybe you find it difficult because you don't have a specific place set aside to pursue your craft. MAKE a place, even if it is also used for another purpose. Perhaps you can schedule your practice or work time, alternating it between the times it is used for another purpose. Make the quality decision to not let anything distract you. Diligence= hard work.
3. Perseverance. So, you have passion for your craft, and you are working hard at developing the skill, but it seems like it's taking FOREVER. You are training your brain and your hands to do something they could not do before. Welcome to the club! There are people to whom all this comes easy, but for most of us, we just slog along, sometimes wondering if all the time spent will eventually be worth it. TRUST me, if you persevere, it will. Do NOT GIVE UP! Don't let discouragement drag you down; if you do, in 1 year, 5 years, you will be older, and you will regret giving up, when, if you had stuck it out, you would have gained the skill level you were hoping for. Perseverance=Sticking with it when the going gets tough, and it "just seems to be taking SO LONG." No; in the grand scheme of things, it will not take as long as it seems.
Commitment. When you are committed, it is not as difficult to keep going when you don't feel like it. You won't let yourself be distracted by a hundred silly little things that try to get in your way. You are committed to your job, aren't you? You know you must get up at a certain time, get ready, and go to your workplace every day, or you'll be fired. That is part of a great work ethic. It's important to you, so you make it a priority. You are committed to it. Nothing but an emergency could prevent your getting to work; so it should be with the thing you have a passion for. You have a DAILY ROUTINE; make your passion part of that. Your hard work will pay off.
There is much more we can share on this topic, and we will, very soon. In the meantime, Practice! Put your brain and your hands to work! Be blessed! GC

09/24/2019

Commitment Part 1.
While parents, mostly moms, when their children demand their immediate attention, and find it hard to keep up, will yell "I only have 2 hands!" Of course, each of us only has 2 hands.
It's not that we need more hands, it's what we teach those hands to do that is important, because your hands only follow the instruction given by your brain. There is a wide gap between doing what you have always done, and doing anything new; BUT it is possible to eventually, with repetition (practice) to learn a new skill. Whether it's golf, sewing, cooking, carpentry, bowling, computer tech, or learning to play a musical instrument, the skill needed to become proficient depends on your PASSION. OK, maybe not tech; Ha!
Sadly, most of us will give up before we get highly skilled at whatever skill we are trying to learn;

1. We lose interest.
2. Other needs will consume our time.
3. We get discouraged.
4. We do not make it a PRIORITY.
5. We settle for mediocrity.

Most people like to listen to music, but few will learn to play it. More will sing along; it can be easier to do than playing. But IF you are serious about playing an instrument, you CAN develop a passion over time. I will talk about that in Part 2 of this article. Have a blessed day! GC