Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24 NLT)
Expectations exist. It’s my job to know whether they are realistic or not. I have to discern whether some of my expectations arise from lies that I have believed about myself and others. I may even need to evaluate my perception of love.
If I have a unrealistic perspective of love, then it will affect my expectations.
Today, I invite you to interview your expectations and dialogue with LOVE.
Expectations are making me . . .
Love is . . .
And if that invitation feels too overwhelming today, check out these two links on playing with crayons. These crayons exceed expectation. I first learned about them from one of my favorite online artists, DaisyYellow. I never knew that water soluble crayons existed. I grew up with Crayola crayons, which just the smell of a fresh box can transport me back to childhood and coloring through the long winters of western New York. (I would definitely encourage you to splurge on the Caran D’Ache Neocolor II water soluble crayons. Make sure they are the water soluble ones. They make various types of crayons, just like Crayola. FYI: Crayola makes a pretty awesome water soluble oil pastel!)
. . . let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (Romans 12:2 NLT)
How I experience change is directly related to my expectations. My expectations are often rooted in the way I think. Change can be exhilarating, or it can be devastating. I cannot really change how something impacts me, but I do believe I can shift my perspective.
Through this series we have been experimenting with perspectives using writing prompts and sometimes exploring how a creative activity can illuminate our point of view.
This past week, I facilitated an art class, where we played with color and the concept of positive and negative space. I readily confessed that my experience with color theory hearkens from elementary school. I can tell you the primary and secondary colors, but beyond that I have to look at a glossary to recall the difference between tints and tones, and analogous and complementary colors. And I kept confusing myself and my students by trying to describe the difference between positive and negative space.
The interesting thing about all of this was that these students still enjoyed my class, and followed along with me because I set the expectations up front. If I had pretended to know all this stuff, then all of us would have been really lost.
To me the purpose of positive and negative space it to look at an object from a different perspective.
I still can’t properly explain positive and negative space, but while I was teaching, I realized why I like to use an approach in my journal, which I am now going to call the positive/negative prompt combination.
Instead of just responding to a prompt like, I think . . . or I feel . . .
I try using the negative form of the prompt alongside it.
I think/I don’t think . . .
I feel/I don’t feel . . .
I can/ I can’t . . .
Responding to both responses in the same space, often reveals insights, which I may not have noticed, if I only write from the positive or negative perspective. I invite you to try this technique. See what surfaces or surprises you.
Here are some examples of art made in the souldare art class. We were exploring color combinations, where we made “mud” on purpose. (This is done by mixing colors that fall on opposite sides of the color wheel, such as red+green, blue+orange and yellow+purple.)
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT)
I love . . .
I see . . .
Simple prompts today. Set your timer for 2, 3, or 5 minutes and see what rises to the surface.
You’ve made it to about the halfway point of the series. This is good work. I am learning right along with you. I would love to see what inspired you. I would love to hear how the perspective journey has been going for you. Leave a comment. Share an Instagram or Twitter or Facebook post. (use #29daysofnew) You can find me with my user name: kelrohlf or Kel Rohlf.
Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 Phillips)
If you have a hard time giving yourself permission to play, then maybe using one of the quotes above to re-frame your understanding of play will help. For instance, substitute the word play for love. (I’m taking creative license here, I have permission :))
Or think “play is research.” Be a scientist who dissects play. Be an explorer who discovers the origins of play. Be a genius who finds the cure for work!
If you still can’t give yourself permission to play, let me help you.
Permission to play granted.
Enough said! Go get your journal or jump rope or favorite childhood game and play. Get out the crayons and respond to this journal prompt, today:
To play more, I intend to . . .
One of the most playful mixed-media artists, I’ve encountered is Carolyn Dube. Check out her free workshop, aptly titled, Permission to Play
Intuition Diaries 