Sometimes we don’t notice how much beauty inspires creativity. And not just in the obvious ways like an artist painting a beautiful landscape.

Beauty nourishes your soul. It gives pleasure and a deep satisfaction to your mind. It can add depth to an ordinary day.

Are you in touch with your sense of beauty every day?

Have you ever noticed the way you feel when you see or experience something beautiful?

It may be the unexpected joy of seeing a meadow of colorful wild flowers dancing in the wind. Or the calm, peaceful feeling of seeing a lake at sunset with its water smooth as glass. Or a piece of art that reminds you of possibilities.

When you practice using beauty in your every day life, it is a way of celebrating it. It can comfort and inspire you.

My office used to have dark walls. The desk was against the wall.It felt like a cave that was cold and unwelcoming.

Last year we painted the walls a bright, sunny yellow and turned the desk to face the windows. I usually have a vase of fresh flowers on my desk.

I also have a few whimsical touches like a little green metal wiener dog with spiral tail. An orange fairy with beaded shoes and the words “Indulge, deny yourself nothing” hangs on the wall and brings me a smile.

Pictures of my family and wonderful treasures my son made greet me from the bookcases. The shelves are filled with inspirational books.

There are still more improvements I’d like to make but now the space lifts my spirits and makes it so much easier to work.

“People often say that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder,’ and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.” – Salma Hayek

Beauty doesn’t have to be saved for special occasions. Beauty can be anything that lifts your mind and spirit.

• A single white daisy in a vase

• A bowl of delicious red cherries

• A favorite outfit or accessory

• A quote or poem

• A picture of a favorite place

• A soothing bubble bath

• A walk

• A sunset

What would delight your senses? How can you make every day more beautiful?

Chinese Geese by Beth Parker http://bethparkerart.wordpress.com

Do you have your own personal community of kindred spirits who support and encourage you?

Do you surround yourself with people that you have a mutual admiration and connection with or do you do it all by yourself?

Many of us may live in crowded cities and towns but remain isolated in our daily lives.

Whether you are working at home or going to an office every day, you may find that you are lacking a deeper connection and interaction with others, especially those that share common bonds.

“A good friend is a connection to life- a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world” – Lois Wyse

It is important to seek each other out and to create your own personal community. They can help nurture and nourish you and serve your unique, individual needs as they change throughout your life.

It is unlikely that you will find one person that you share all the same feelings, opinions and aspects of your life.

You may have some people that you share your business expertise and concerns, your parenting tips and fears, or maybe your love of good food or mystery novels.

Sharing resources is just one benefit of creating your own community.

What is even more important is the feeling of belonging, truly connecting with others and making a difference for them and yourself.

It can be a real comfort to know you are not alone and to find out how someone else handled a similar situation.

Connecting with kindred spirits and others who we can give our support and encouragement and receive the same gift from them is an essential part of our human experience.

It can be a place where you feel safe and can talk about the things that are important to you.

With the ease of technology, we don’t even have to be in the same state or country to connect with others who share our interests, concerns, and passions in life.

What areas in your life do you need the compassion and connection with others? Where might you find them?

How can you build creative confidence? What will help you to put your best foot forward?

Can pretending really help give you more confidence?

Remember how easy it was when you were a kid to make believe you were a super hero or a princess or maybe even a dinosaur?

It never failed to bring smiles to people around us when my son between the ages of 4 and 7 years old insisted on wearing his green dinosaur costume with a scaled two foot long tail every where we went. He proudly wore his costume even when he could barely zip it, the knees were worn out, and the legs were 4” short. He was a dinosaur.

Powerful Pretending

There is something powerful about pretending that can often begin to feel natural.

I saw the last ten minutes of Dancing with the Stars the other night. The celebrities were talking about how nervous they were they go live on stage to dance.

Even seasoned performers who are used to being on stage, in front of large audiences, feel anxious and jittery.

They take a deep breath, put on a smile and act as if they are confident and having fun despite the terror they feel.

Many of them said after a few moments they were able to get into the dance and their smiles became real.

“I have often been afraid, but I wouldn’t give in to it. I made myself act as though I was not afraid, and gradually my fear disappeared.” Theodore Roosevelt

Costume Optional

You don’t have to wear a costume to transform yourself. Think about how your body changes when you are feeling confident.

What could you do as a signal to yourself to act as if you are confident?

You might stand straight, smile, and relax your shoulders.

You could roll up your sleeves as a gesture of being ready to act.

You might wear a particular outfit, sweater, jewelry or hat.

Now get ready to make that phone call, speak in front of a group, write your book, or maybe dance with the stars!