Called

He knows.

(photo from 'magical' Slovenske Konjice - more about that in future posts)

I know.

What about you?

Question no.9 (you can find the rules of the game in previous posts):
Do you know what you are called for?

Sparkles

Sparkles everywhere. Sparkles on the trees, sparkles in our eyes, sparkles in our hearts. Because of all this playful dazzle the World around us looks magical, friendly, don't you think? I love magic, I love playfulness!

I wish you a magical Christmas in the circle of your loved ones, in a warm place and under a strong roof. I wish that in these festive days you meet a lot of sparkling eyes. I wish you warmth and safety. I wish you Peace and inner joy. I wish you all the best!
And stay creative!

And on Saturday and Sunday, just after Christmas night, I invite you to come into a magical world! Yes, you heard it right! Magical World! You will find it in Slovenske Konjice, in the Old part of the town. There you will find me doing magic together with the magical characters from the fairytales (and Santa Claus will be there too). We will sparkle joy and laughter! For more details, see the CreatissimoLab website under the title:

Magical World of Xmas

(click on the link)

You are welcome to join us! And I can't wait to see sparkles in your eyes!

Sparkles in the eyes often tell us that curiosity, life, hope lie behind them... Therefore, I wish you lots of curiosity this season! Look forward to all the attention that you get, to small steps that you do, warm hugs, shy kisses. Rejoice, laugh, enrich your inner self!
And if you forgot the recipe for curiosity... you will definitely find it here in this video. - The best recipe I say!! ;)

(another inspirational and creative animation I think)

Question no. 8 (the rules can be found in previous posts):
What do you like about Creatissimo blog? What you read with curiosity, what are you looking forward to read? What kind of posts would you want in the new year, what kind of posts make sparkels in your hearts?

I wish you a beautiful holiday season and hope to see you in Slovenske Konjice tomorrow!

Earned?

I'm back and all excited to play with you again! :)

Has it ever happened to you that people would praise your dedication, kindness, generosity... and you would feel that you don't deserve all that praise?
In all that excessive attention you'd step back in fear that the people who came towards you, would see your weaknesses and you would be caught in the 'lie' - in the fact that you are not perfect.

This is how it is with me at the moment. In all this excitement over my art works and my personality, there is a deep voice within that says (it screams actually!!): 'I'm not worth it, I don't deserve this!'

Although I like the attention and warmth that I get, I wonder: am I really worth it? Am I good enough, am I enough...? Wouldn't I've done it better and more, more, more?
The thinking that I'm not perfect blocks me from letting it go, to enjoy the fruits I've earned, to be Me with all my positive and negative abilities.
I'm scared that someone would get so close to me to see all my strengths and weaknesses, negativitness. My fear is that someone would find my weakness and take advantage of it and hurt me. I'm scared that all the excitement over me would turn into stoning. Fear...

Why don't we let out the praise and enthusiasm? Why don't we show US to all the people who want to get close to us? Why don't we say that we deserve this? Wouldn't we be free, without fear, without limitations, without worries?

When I think of the people I love, I know that they are not perfect and I know I like them the way they are. They deserve my attention, they deserve love, they deserve my enthusiasm! Because of their weaknesses they are very special, unique, lovely. That's why they are close to me...

(my works at the Christmas fair in Zagreb)

Therefore, today I thank all those who see our mistakes and weaknesses, but they still like us the way we are. They forgive, overlook and do not exploit our weaknesses to manipulate with us. I thank all those who know that we are not perfect and who believe that we still deserve their attention and praise. Thanks!

Question No.7:
What is your weakness that limits you from allowing yourself to recognize that you deserve attention and are loved by the others?

PS 1:
some of my blog followers have a feeling that my criticisms or comments are some kind of superior thinking for those who are 'below' me. I would like to emphasize that I don't have a need to be something more and I don't expect that you follow my instructions without previously verifying that this fits your personality. For me, the purpose of my blog is to widen the horizons, to look at the world from different perspectives, to self-analize and simply enjoy the creative process... Things I write, esp. the more professional ones, are the fruit of my own surveys and cases and the needs I see around me, - are written so that they would serve as an extra little help for people who want their life to be easier and lighter (of course, I first check everything in practice, before I write them down). Several paths lead to the end, the goal, some paths are easier than the others - each person chooses the path that suits him/her the most...
If, for example, I write, how to properly hold a pen, I am writing this because it is proved that that's the best way for the muscles and joints of our hands and fingers, whereas the muscles are not shrunken, where writing is the fastest (and readable), etc... If you write differently, if you have a messy writing or not, if you're holding a pen your own way... - that's all up to you. I don't blame you, I don't hold my head in dispear, I don't point a finger to you. We all bear the consequences of our actions alone, so I have no right and no need to look for your weaknesses and point to them. So please, please, please, do not feel threatened if I write about something sometimes that it hurts. (Many times it hurts me too). I've heard a lot of sad children's and adult's stories, I've seen lots of pain, so I know that I want to help wherever is possible. I know that I do not have the time to look for other people's weaknesses, I know that I am far from having all the knowledge and skills of the World... but I know that with my blog I'm trying to spread the support, love and understanding, as I think there's never enough of them.
If you want to talk to me personally, you can write me an e-mail. I will not use your words and thoughts on my blog or otherwise (unless you want it). Trust and safety are the key to a good relationship between us. Icare about you and am thankful for all the followers of my blog.

PS 2:
I had a good time at the Christmas fair in Zagreb (Croatia)! I'll write about it later, for now I just want to tell you that I've met a few of the Croatian bloggers in person and am so excited because we feel much closer now! Happy! :)

Reliability

Greetings to a new winter day! Since going to the fair in Zagreb (Croatia), the snow over night messed with my plans. First I had to clean the snow off the yard to be able to go anywhere at all, then had to be ready for all the traffic confusions on the roads, etc... I don't like it, if I can't rely on others and if things do not go the way I've planned... : (

Ah, yes, reliability!
When I wrote the post 'Catch the rhythm' and talked about the 'Lion King musical', I saved a few words for today's topic about reliability. The performers in 'King Lion', in many interviews, talked about reliability. How they have to rely on one another over the whole performance, and that they have to be there to a 'cm' accuracy. Everyone should stand at the precise point at a specific time, otherwise others may hurt themselves. Their masks, costumes are in fact often the whole constructions which can cause serious injury if an entertainer falls.
In this video you might see better how many different constructions are in the play:

When working with children, of course, we are faced with another type of reliability. With the confidence which children expect / need from us. Sometimes parents are not very aware that the reliability means stability, and that the child needs to feel stability to feel safe and loved. Reliability, of course, also means that what we say, we mean it! We don't change our mind. Our children do test reliability to explore the boundaries, so saying no to his/her first request, and then after five minutes of his/her begging we say yes, is not what benefits the child. Actually with such a method we only show that the child can't rely on us.
Years ago I worked with extremely apathetic 8-year-old girl who was not a happy, bouncy child. On any matter she didn't respond, not one word was taken seriously by her. Not even the words like: 'in five minutes we are going to a shop' did raise any mechanism in her. This was her defense because her parents promissed her a lot of things, but they never fulfilled them. The girl protected herself so that she no longer reacted to any words and no longer relied on her parents.

Many people believe that the reliability is boring, predictable. But if you think well... Do our cells in the body wander around without a system? Do our eyes one day look at the things and the next day they smell things? What about the Universe - does the Earth rotate in one direction and after five minutes in the opposite direction? Not quite so, right?

(Photo from one of Austria's museums)

Therefore, today I thank all those who are reliable. Those who are trying to get somewhere on time..., that what they say is done..., who provide security to others. Thank you, thank you, I appreciate your reliability very much!

Question no.6:
How important is reliability for you? Are you trying to be reliable, or you think you'd be limited by it? Do you expect the reliability from the others and where do you think the reliability is the most important?


Have a good time in snow-white idyll and take care!

No words...

...which would mean more than a 'thank you'.

Are you already waiting for the new post, new question? Have you missed me, because I was quiet for too long?

I tell you, these december postings went totally out of the planned route. I did not expect to get such open and personal responses, deep thoughts, and even personal contacts by email. I was prepared for a more playful, easy game.

But now I'm totally taken over by your great responses! And I am glad that this game became so personal, warm and connected us together! So much energy has been sent to me that I hardly can take it anymore! - I can't sleep because of excitement, I have butterflies in the stomach, my soul is singing... How can I say to all of these just a little, humble word: thanks?

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!... Not enough! It doesn't say enough!
I would like a word that would tell you that I am grateful. I would like a word that would describe the feelings of joy, because I can see that things are possible. I would like a word to give you a warm hug and protect you. I would like a word that would say more than a 'thank you'.

My previous post about the wishes and dreams has started a spark, a spark of hope! Some marvellous people contacted me offering help to make some of my dreams true. Imagine! Just when I almost started to believe to those who told me that my dreams will never come true here, the beautiful souls answered my hopes and prayers and will try to help. Thank you for your faith and support. I will definitely not forget this December!
If only I knew the word that would mean more than a word: thank you!


Well, I do have a tiny 'problem' now because of my posts and your reactions. I supposed to prepare (read: create) for the Xmas market in Zagreb (Croatia), where I'll go over the weekend. But the butterflies in the stomach, the excitement, enthusiasm, joy, gratitude, and communications with people who want to help me in achieving my wishes for others, don't give me any peace! I'm all into planning, exploring options, finding the ways, etc. - anything but creating! Oh, no!

Only three days are gone, but (my) world turns around in a completely different direction!
Really, there are no words that could describe those feelings!

Thank you for your dreams, thanks for your hopes and believing in a better tomorrow!

And today? There's a question for you, of course. Question no. 5:
If you would like to thank someone and the word 'thanks' would not be enough, what kind of your (created) gift would you give her/him and why? (you can also link to the product, if it can be seen somewhere on the net).

You are on my mind! Take care!