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| roses, wood and a dog:) |
I wish I would have dipped my bare feet in the cold water on the first day of January, the day I took these pictures. It is easy to be brave and spontaneous in theory, but often we need a few inspirational examples before the great ideas are landing to our consciousness.
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| my children are often my biggest inspiration |
A wind beaten walk at the beach of Castricum was like a wake up walk after the silent christmas holiday. The Sea is a powerful force of Nature, the changing elements like the wind and the huge waves pointing out the challenge of life. It is a yearly tradition for many dutch people to go and swim in the cold water on the first day of the year. A ritual of washing the old days of previous year and starting a new fresh year like this has become a big event for many people. In 2016 over 51 000 people joined the new years dive in the beaches of Netherland. Originally a small group of people started this tradion in 1960's and somehow it grew to a big happening during the decades. Maybe the challenge and the shock of the cold water is pushing ones boundaries and makes it feel like a clear start for the next coming seasons.
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| A brave dutch woman having a new years swim. |
The challenge is pushing the human mind further. It can be easier if you have clear goals and a directions you want to work on. The motivation and the reason for this motivation are the keys for being able to focus on the performance with a long time commitment. It can be easier to listen to what other people are saying than really start to listen to yourself - making steps and choices of your own. The reality hits of course in many ways, because we always have to think of other people as well. A good planning can make miracles and make us more happy. Making space to personal goals, connections and plans - giving time to ourselves and giving time to others in a decant balance.
We need the silence every now and then to really stand on our own feet. The noise is everywhere and so are the mysterious or direct expectations, the motives and needs from the other people. To be able to trust to one another in all human connections, we need to be honest and trust to ourselves first. In the best conditions we can trust in life and we feel there is a meaning in our existence. To be able to grow and feel this vital force of life, making ethical choices and choosing a direction are needed. The best inspiration can be having other people around and getting impulses and ideas from this interaction. We have to let that interpersonal light to reach our mind and soul, but at the same time be able to separate the unnecessary weight of the individual, personal process that someone else is going through. We can help, listen and live along the journey...but sometimes we have to let go and focus on our own path. We all have a "work called life" here to do :). With all respect, we have to focus on the good process and make better choices for ourselves, for the loved ones and for our environment. It is never too late to say something better than the last time and do a better choice than the last time.
Sometimes I feel I repeat myself with all the silent talk made loud in these written notes. Then I comfort myself: we need endless repetition on the skills to be masters of something. Being a master of our own mind could be a helpful skill, but learning to make more honest and better choices is good enough for me.
