Kat Eye Studio

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Good for the Soul

I have a photography web group I participate in. It’s a small group of women who love photography and have come to it various different ways. It’s a nice place to share and learn in a safe environment. We have weekly photo challenges as a way to challenge ourselves to look at things in a different way. Last week’s challenge was “Good for the Soul.” And that was a challenge that stuck with me this week – what’s good for my soul?

I settled on this image, these books as good for my soul. I have 4 books and 2 journals in progress. This in itself is an amazing feat. I used to have “rules” that governed my reading. Unstated rules and limits like:
– You must read every book start to finish before you start the next one.
– You cannot have more than one book in progress.
– Non-fiction is boring.
– You do not re-read books.

For journals I had rules too:
– If you start one, you must start with a fresh book.
– You must write in your journal every day if you have one.
– You must have some topic to write about.
– Only one at a time.

I’ve broken all those “rules” that were limiting me, and that is good for my soul. I read what I feel like, when I feel like it. Sometimes I’m in the mood for my own development, sometimes I want to read about other’s experiences, sometimes I’m in the mood for pure escape. I pick up what feels right at the moment. I re-read something if it strikes me. For my journals, sometimes they have a purpose and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes I journal about what is going on in my life. Sometimes I journal about a word or a feeling. Sometimes I don’t journal at all. It’s all good.

Good for my soul.

A couple of little plugs for a couple of books –

– I started Simple Abundance: A Day Book of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach on January 1. A friend had gotten it for me so that she knew someone else would be doing it at the same time. I’m finding it fantastic. If you want to join along with this little journey – there are no “rules” or expectations of progress – buy the book and let’s chat about what strikes you!

– I’ve started Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck at the recommendation of my friend Jenny, of Rising Sun Coaching. She also has a North Star Companion workbook and audio guide that she has created, which I’m really enjoying as I start to go through the book. I highly recommend it and would welcome any one else on this journey as well. Sometimes just knowing someone else is doing or reading the same thing helps keep you moving!

No matter where you are or what you are doing, I hope you are finding something good for your soul in your life.

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Taking a Look

This is from one of the first art exhibits we went to here. It was in Monza and was all of these old prints, some dating back to the 1400’s. One of our first “wow” experiences with how old everything is here, and before I knew that you weren’t supposed to take pictures!

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Sometimes it’s just Pretty

That’s what I think of this photo of Bellagio on Lake Como. Just pretty. Pretty day, pretty flowers, pretty mountains, pretty town. It’s nice to just appreciate something pretty, so today here is my gift to you – this image!

There is a note on a 3×5 card on my magnet board I’ve had there for a while – “There is one action I can take for my creativity daily. What is it for today?” It’s a reminder that even when life is overwhelming, work is totally busy, I’m not having a lot of personal time for stuff I would like to do… there is one thing I can do each day for my creativity. And if I do that one thing, however small, I remain more centered, happy and true to myself because expressing my creativity is something that is a need for me in my life.

What I’ve realized in the last few days is that this photo a day effort has become this “one thing” for me in a lot of ways. Every day, I’m picking out a photo and reflecting on it a bit. I enjoy that, because it’s amazing what surprising things sometimes come out by just writing about an image. I get to share it with whoever reads this blog, which I enjoy as well. And it inspires me in other ways – to do a painting of an image that strikes me, to look for more pictures to share, to keep taking photos as we go on our adventures, to refine my eye as I progress in my photography.

So, thanks for being part of my little creative adventure here! I hope that you can also find one little thing today that inspires you.

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It’s the Real Thing

Coke. And thankfully, it’s the European thing, since we don’t like Pepsi. I like this image from Pavia for the overall composition, and the image of the Coke logo (which is everywhere here) along with Patrick studying the map (which is a regular occurence as we travel around). Just kind of symbolic of our time here.

I almost forgot the update today! Patrick just reminded me. Darn those earlier meetings at work, messing up my mornings. 🙂

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Into the Light

I love sihouette shots, and this is a new favorite of Patrick and Brandon walking into the morning light from a tunnel in Disneyland Paris. There is something magical about a shot like this – you don’t know quite where the people are going or what they will face, but you know that it’s brighter than where they were and has to be good.

After days of trying to get them to upload, I finally got my Disneyland Paris photos in an online album. Have fun visiting virtually, and leave a comment or two! I always like to get feedback.

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Happy Monday

This picture just exudes optimism to me. It is beautiful morning in Venice. The sun is shining, the reflections are beautiful and the photo just seems to say, “It’s going to be a great day.”

This morning I was reading about optimism as a habit. Like being happy, optimism can be a learned behavior. Of course, some of us have a natural bent toward the glass being half full, but that doesn’t mean if you don’t that you can’t see things that way. Because being an optimist means that you are open possibilities and solutions that are out there, instead of shutting yourself into a box with no way out. Today I’m choosing optimism. It’s going to be a great day!