Special Edition Paper Architect newsletter June 2020

“Power at its best is love

implementing the demands of justice. 

Justice at its best is love

correcting everything that stands against love.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr.~

 

 

Over the past few months, I have had the attention span of a gnat.  As an avid reader I could not read a book let alone an article.  I’d see the words but could not absorb their meaning.

 

The thing that kept me sane was doing creative projects and allowing my intuition to guide me (right brain).  Ideas would come in rapid succession, flooding my brain as I’d try to write them down before they escaped back into the ethers. 

 

Although I had trouble focusing on thoughts, I’ve gathered quite a lot of valuable material to use when the analytical side of my brain (left side) calms down.  As soon as I send my newsletter to you, the next edition begins to form and I’ve been working on it since March.  Unfortunately I have not been able to complete my April, May or June editions because my thoughts are many and jumbled and I’m re-examining the direction I want to take that will benefit you, in the best way possible.  In particular was my theme article in March entitled Self Care.  I feel it to be very important but I am overwhelmed with all I want to share and have written and rewritten thoughts without completing any.

 

Instead, this morning I woke up with the following that is just as important – even more so with all the recent events.

 

Paper Architect was built on the foundation and mission to Celebrate Your Individuality.

 

You carry with you, your own unique genetic imprint which often unconsciously guides you as well as your experiences in this lifetime, what you are taught, how you feel and think and what you believe.  All of these factors combined make you, YOU!

No one else in the world is like you.  No one.

 

And you are a part of this great big world/universe.  So you are unique yet part of something bigger.  Like a puzzle.  The piece that represents you is shaped like no other piece yet parts of it do connect with other pieces needed to complete the puzzle.  Every piece affects those around it and ultimately all the pieces, together revealing the whole picture, a beautiful image made up of each of us all interconnected.

 

Social structures organize us by categories to create order and rules so we all can, to some degree get along.  Like schools have grade levels and standardized curriculums for how and what an individual learns.  Government creates laws in theory to support and protect their citizens as we vote for leaders to represent these citizens.

This brings us to statistics that the government uses to establish laws.  We are put into a box based on age, gender, heritage, education, economic status, religious preference, where we live, single, married, divorce, widow…  These statistics make us a number, counted in their decision making, our individuality is lost.

 

We as individuals have a tendency when meeting someone new, form a first impression, a judgment regarding their physical features, how they dress, move, how they approach you, personality traits.  Either there is something you connect with, find off-putting or cannot relate to them at all making no impression.  It’s part of being human.  How we choose to accept them as the individual they are is up to you.

 

Individuals form groups based on interests, beliefs.  There are thousands of different types of groups.  The idea is to get together with like-minded individuals to share views.  Sounds good and it’s our way of connecting with each other.

 

But then there are those who choose to have the attitude of “us and them,” separating individuals into labels, statistics, ignoring the unique human beings that we are.

 

When I write this, I am doing that very thing in the previous paragraph, separating myself from others who cannot see the beauty within each of us.  I have an opinion of that type of individual and chose not to be associated with their views.  But yet, we are all in this together and as more of us chose to appreciate and allow our differences, the less conflict there will be with ‘us and them’ mentality.

 

This lockdown has been caused by a virus currently without a cure that affects our breathing, just as we as humans are sucking the resources out of the earth, it too is having trouble breathing.  Throughout time, this planet has survived extreme conditions and adjusted accordingly while those living on the planet do not.  It’s time we re-examine how we can work together by supporting each other.  We (humans) take from the earth but must also give back.  Have gratitude and respect for what we are given – air, water, food, energy, etc.  As a world community of individuals we need to support and respect each other as well.  To humanize this need, we are witnesses to George Floyd who was dehumanized, desperate for air, not being allowed to breathe.  This is a time that reflects the core of life – air to breathe as a human being and Mother Earth.  We are all in this together.

 

This Time Out we have been given is scary for those who are sick, have died or have lost someone to this virus.  But in this world of duality, we also have an extremely rare opportunity to STOP and allow ourselves to access who we are, what we’re doing, how and why we choose to live going forward.  We are given precious time to improve ourselves, how we relate to others and the world.  In effect, we can make a difference as individuals and as a part of humanity – you have that power!

 

I see the masks as a symbol of unity – to support and protect ourselves and each other to keep us safe.  It makes a statement:  I care about you and me.

It also symbolizes our Stay At Home time as a time of transformation.  At home, we learn new ways to live, work, and relate to one another within the home.  We have time for self-reflection and we are changed as a result of this pandemic, like it or not.  It takes less energy to embrace it then to reject it.

 

When we leave our homes we are asked to wear masks as a protection but I believe it’s much more than just a protection.  I liken these masks as part of our transformation.  The transformation starts from within but will be reflected outwardly when we emerge from our Stay At Home status and take off our masks.  Then we will see each other with new eyes and it will be a time of celebration.

 

It’s like when there is an unveiling of a work of art, a new product, or the plain Jane becoming a princess.  We don’t always see the thought, research, trial and error that occurs during its creation.  All these come together in a transition of a step by step process behind the scenes (under the mask).  We just see the finished product (external) not all that went into in (internal).  The caterpillar covers itself in a cocoon as it transforms, emerging into a butterfly.  That’s what the mask symbolizes for me.

When I’m out in public and see others with their mask on, it warms my heart and visually signifies that we are truly all in this together, whether we’re grocery shopping or a part of a protest. 

 

This is an extraordinary moment in time for us to decide to move forward with love in our heart together or be controlled by fear and separate ourselves.  It’s not possible to be afraid and feel love at the same time.  Love conquers fear every time.

 

Celebrate who you are.  When you love who you are, it extends to each of us.

 

 

Always celebrate your individuality!

 

COLOR of THE YEAR 2019 -- LIVING CORAL

PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral

   Living Coral emits the desired, familiar, and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive, display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, PANTONE Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color.

About Pantone Color of the Year---  For 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product, packaging, and graphic design.

 

    The Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even upcoming sporting events that capture worldwide attention.

About The Pantone Color Institute^{™  --}   The Pantone Color Institute is the business unit within Pantone that highlights top seasonal runway colors, forecasts global color trends, and advises companies on color for product and brand visual identity. Through seasonal trend forecasts, color psychology, and color consulting, the Pantone Color Institute partners with global brands to leverage the power, psychology, and emotion of color in their design strategy.

Visit the pantone institute site for more information:  www.pantone.com

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens. . .

"Never doubt

that a small group

of thoughtful, 

committed citizens

can change the world;

indeed,

it's the only thing

that ever has!"

~ Margaret Meade~

anthropologist


this quote deserves repeating . . .

QUESTION for the MONTH . . .What's Your Word for the Year?

What’s your word of the year?

A kind of catalyst for you to:

• get you through each day
• to fulfill a goal
• provide inspiration . . .

I encourage you to share your word. 

with your friends and family.

 or post it here.

You can just provide your word or elaborate on why you chose it. 

What you share most likely will help others.

We Don't Know What We Don't Know

  

WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

   What we know consists of what we have been taught, observed, experienced, read about, a combination of wisdom and knowledge.  Each of us as individuals have a unique knowledge and understanding of the world based on all of this.  No two people have a collection of the same information inside them.  Our attitude and perspective adds color to who we are, what we know and how we respond to the world around us. 

   We internalize things in our own way too.  Some bottle it up and it explodes unexpected, sometimes hurting others as well as themselves.  Some react without thinking, and that too can cause regret.  Still others have that slow, taking in and letting it settle before responding, sometimes missing the opportunity to respond at all then frustrated that they hadn’t and keep going over in their head if only I’d said ….   At times, if the situation seems to hit a nerve, the response is passionate and heartfelt and can be loving or rage.  Some people have the gift to access the situation and act upon it with grace and ease.  I envy those people and wish I was one of them. 

   Our collection of knowledge and wisdom is our arsenal for dealing with everything in our lives, but it’s important to acknowledge that it’s impossible to know EVERYTHING, no one person does and that we need to be open to expanding our awareness beyond what we already know because we don’t know what we don’t know until we know it.  Francis Bacon is quoted to say “Knowledge is power.”  The more you know the better for you in making more informed decisions.  At one time you may make a statement and believe it as truth with all your heart.  Years later you cringe at that very statement because over the years you have learned and experienced life that expanded your perception and you now believe something totally different.  It’s okay.  At each stage of your life, you came from who you are at that given moment in your moment of truth.  Nothing is set in stone.  We evolve.  At least I hope we do.  It’s sad to watch people who THINK they know everything and close their mind beyond their own bubble of information in their head. 

   But Einstein also said that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”  That may ease the thought that you can’t know everything.  It’s our imagination that allows us to come up with things that haven’t been yet … creating something new.  The greatest discoveries have come from failure and re-imagining what caused it.  Our imagination is a toolbox of unlimited possibilities to pull from when we don’t know what we don’t know.  Sometimes it’s a good thing that you don’t know what you don’t know when you are trying to create something new, better, revolutionary.  Side Note:  Those who are compelled to delve into the creative process and find themselves into new territory, often come up against such opposition that it’s a real struggle to keep going, which is the hardest part of creating something that hasn’t been before.  Finding others who understand, let alone support you is rare and most think you’re wasting your time or are a little bit crazy.  I know this is easy to say but hard to do but, hang in there and don’t give up.  Seriously.

   Sometimes we don’t know what WE DO KNOW!  Have you ever been in a situation where no one seems to know what to do and you instinctively step in and handle it without any thought?  That’s where our intuitive powers (gut instincts) kick into gear.  We absorb so much each and every day from every little thing that touches our lives, both consciously and unconsciously and it all becomes a part of us at different levels.  That statement could be an entire subject to explore but right now it’s to make the point that what we are exposed to -- beauty and horror, both are part of the make-up of who we are.  It’s important to understand that we need to be more aware of what we choose to expose ourselves to have in our lives because there are also plenty of things that we see or experience that we rather we didn’t. 

   The point I am making is that if we realize we don’t know what we don’t know, we can open ourselves to knowing more, accepting that we don’t know everything but that we can always learn, do and be more because we are now aware of the fact that we can’t know everything.  And sometimes, not knowing can give us an edge when it comes to innovation because we are using our intuitive faculties along with our knowledge to create something that doesn’t exist in the physical world yet.

   In my workshops and what I firmly believe is that it is not only important but essential that we use both sides of our brain -- the analytical and the intuitive in every part of our lives.  The analytical takes what we do know and makes sense of it and the intuitive derives from the unconscious to instinctively know without thought and allows ourselves to go beyond who we are and open us to who we can become. 

Where Do I Start?

  WHERE DO I START?  

   Have you been wanting to take an idea, project, burning desire and make it happen?   But instead it sits collecting dust because no matter how excited you are about it, taking that first step can be like leaping off a cliff.

   We (I include myself) tend to put it on the back burner for later claiming we don’t have the time, too much that has to be done, wondering if it’s worth pursuing.   We’ll think about it when we have more time.

   More time, that’s a laugh.  Who ever says “Wow!  I have so much time on my hands, what should I do?”  Our lives seem to be on stress mode until we fall asleep and I’m not even sure we get a break then.

   Giving yourself time to do things you enjoy tends to bring on feelings of guilt and/or frustration because of everything else pulling at you.  That’s because the thought of working on it, no matter how much you want to do it, feels overwhelming.  It is so HEALTHY to take that time to do the things you are drawn to that can enrich your life.

Often it’s because we don’t know where to start.   

   Maybe start by scheduling a Solo Play Date once a week (as suggested in The Artist Way by Julia Cameron), just to take your mind off the day to day.  As you relax, that’s when the good stuff starts rising to the surface, revelations, ideas about your ideas, and just plain fun happens.  Schedule it in your calendar and do not cancel it.  Make it a priority.  From there add time a few days a week, even if it’s only a half hour at a time to imagine the possibilities for your project and make notes.

   It can be helpful to join a group to keep you on track and accountable to make it happen.    When discussing ideas, concerns, choices out loud with others, pay attention how you express yourself and you may discover insight about yourself.  Those you are sharing with can provide encouragement, a new perspective when feeling stuck, name your strengths, motivate each other to keep moving forward, be a sounding board.

   

 Sometimes the best way to get going is to take a deep breath then step out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith. 

Magic happens.

  

November 24 is Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

   “Everyone has a unique talent or skill at which they truly excel.
   Today is the day to embrace those quirky abilities and show them off to everyone else.” Check out the awesome picture above. Have you ever seen anything like it before?
   Kind of like the many hands that make one face, we are all part of a large, puzzle called the Universe, with millions of pieces, each one shaped different from the next. Your piece is special, with it‟s own colors, design, personality, style. Without your piece, the puzzle cannot be whole or complete.
   Often, we look at others and think, wow, they are so talented. I wish I could do that, be like that, look like that, thought of that. Don't sell yourself short. It‟s not always easy to recognize our own special abilities because they come so naturally, it‟s a part of us we rarely notice. Others notice and they are saying, I wish I could be like you.
   Give yourself a break and think about what you love, what gives you pleasure, and what do you get so caught up in you lose all sense of time and place. Whatever that is nourishes your unique talents.    So when someone compliments you, they see your specialness. 
   On Friday, November 24th, the day after Thanksgiving, take a moment or the whole day to continue being thankful for your one-of-a-kind, unique talents only you possess. You deserve it.