Creativity Needs Courage

I want to write about creativity and hidden treasure and courage.  At first glimpse, these three ideas seem to go in their own direction rather than meld together, don’t they?  Yet there is a thread that weaves them together.

I love the word “creativity”.  The mere idea of being a “creative person” intrigues and excites me.  It means that one is capable of bringing forth something new, fresh and perhaps original.  And creativity takes courage. 

A bit of personal insight:  I have long admired the poetry of Shel Silverstein.  His books include The Giving Tree, Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Missing Piece and a host of others.  Shel had (he is deceased now) one of the great creative minds as a poet, in my opinion. 

I started a blog site in April of 2014 with the specific aim of writing light, sometimes comical, nonsensical poems in the style of Shel Silverstein.  It is called A Time for Rhyme.

I started my blog writing in October of 2009 and by 2014 I was enjoying a pretty good following of readers.  So on a fine day on April 2014 I decide to launch into uncharted waters as a poet. 

Boy did I need a huge dose of courage.  I didn’t know if I could write any rhyming couplets; much less launch a whole blog site dedicated to this hare-brained idea. 

Somewhere, from something deep within the sparks of creativity flamed and I have managed to sustain this site for nearly two years.

You see, the creative spark and hidden treasures inside my own mind needed a huge dose of courage, and the result is a flow of ideas that have taken over with their own delightful intensity. 

Okay, enough about that.  What about you?  What are some deeply held longings and desires and hidden treasures that are nestled inside of you?  You have them.  You really do.

So here’s the question of the day:

Do you have the courage 

to bring forth the treasures 

that are hidden within you? 

Are you curious enough about your ideas, impulses, inclinations and the stirrings of your heart to dare and explore the possibilities that may lie within? 

I hope so.  I truly hope so.  No one can do it for you.  There aren’t enough of the right words in existence to make you make a start.  You have to find your own measure of courage.  You have to put one proverbial foot in front of the other and begin the journey. 

Let your hidden treasures come to the light.

Have courage!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

The Barely Flickering Flame

The quote below helps in re-framing what I consider to be my life’s work.  I am a nurturer in an encourager’s robe.  Sometimes all it takes is for one person to come along and water that one seed most in need of nurture.  That is how I want to spend the rest of my life – as a nurturer and encourager.

I am a writer of hope, encouragement and inspiration.  Often, the notes I receive indicate that in some small way my words are offering oxygen in the form of hope and encouragement.  Some have shared that they are on the brink of giving up.  Others have shared discouragement, disappointment, heartache.  Some question if God knows their name. 

You see, some people out there are barely flickering flames in need of a breath of oxygen.

I am not the only voice doing what I do, but I do have my voice, and I offer hope and encouragement through words.

In that spirit of being an encourager, please take a few minutes and read some of these posts representing what I do best – offering hope encouragement and inspiration, one word at a time.

Blessings to you today.

A Broken Spirit

The Past Is Past

Befriending Your True Self

Try Try By All Means Try

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

You Are Priceless

(This piece has been in my files for some time now, and I have no idea who originally wrote this.  When I find out, I’ll share with you.  Meanwhile, let this be a word of inspiration for you today.)

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $100 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. “Who would like this $100 bill?”

Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $100 to one of you – but first, let me do this.”  He proceeded to crumple the 100 dollar bill up. He then asked.

“Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.

“Well,” he replied, “what if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?”

Hands still went into the air, so he started to rip it in half, earning an audible gasp from many people in the audience.

“Do you still want it?” He asked, holding up the $100 bill with a partial tear in the middle. People still raised their hands.

“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I have done to this one-hundred dollar bill, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $100.

“Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happens to us, we will never lose our value.

“Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by how we rise after every adversity and setback, every nasty word thrown our way, and every bit of dirt thrown on us or wallowed in by us.

“You are special – don’t ever forget it.”

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Fight in Your Own Armor

One of my favorite expressions as an adult is this – Fight in your own armor.  It is based on a biblical story.  When David, a young lad faced Goliath, a giant, his general tried to put adult-sized heavy armor on David.  He could hardly move.

He chose, instead, armor and clothing he was comfortable in, which meant a simple robe, his sling shot and five smooth stones.  And he defeated Goliath.

My point?  Allow me to borrow a Tiger Woods quote.

Play YOUR Game.

There are a thousand ways to do whatever it is you do.  No one pattern fits all.  You have to find out what works for you.  Go and do things your way

A personal aside:

I am a writer, a drummer, a singer, a conductor and a husband.

I write in a style that I find very comfortable.  My natural gifts include the gift of encouragement, and I attempt to add a bit of encouragement in almost everything I write.  I’m not James Patterson, Tom Clancy or Zig Ziglar, though I come closer to Zig than these other greats.  However, I still have my own unique voice as a writer. 

The same could be said about my drumming, singing, conducting and husband skills.  I play my own game in all those areas.  And so should you.

We learn from others, for sure.  We mimic, we copy, we steal great styles and ideas and then make them our own, and that is the secret – we make it our own.

Are you a recording engineer like my friend Bob in Nashville?  Make it your own.

Do you run a retail store?  There are thousands of models for being a success in that world.  Make it your own.

Are you a real estate agent?  Some bake cookies for open houses.  Some put out balloons or flags.  Some do major newspaper spreads.  What do you do?  What is your armor as a real estate mogul?

If I haven’t mentioned your area of expertise, you are not off the hook here.  Read between the lines and figure out your unique niche for your product or service and go make it, do it, sell it, build it, invent it, write it, sing it, paint it, record it.

We want to see you at your very best and as an original.

After you copy some elements from others and adapt them to your own style you are then ready to make it your own.  Create the new you.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Your Turn

Today you stand at the head of the line.  It is time for you to take your turn.  The only thing that may stop you is your own belief system.

So, what do you want to do?

Achieve something never before achieved?  You can.

Improve relationships?  Yes.

Reach some yet unreachable goal?  Why not?

Down-size to a more appropriate weight and body size?  You bet.

This is not a quick five-step plan to help you do some amazing things in 2016.  It is, perhaps, a document that simply gives you permission to go, be do, pursue, climb, make, bake, write, build, tune up, tone down, get into, get out of, and a thousand other circumstances you want to change this year.

So, what will you do?  

I can’t make you do anything.  

Neither can your spouse, 

mate or partner, or boss.

You are now empowered 

to take complete charge 

of your destiny.

Will you take the baton or responsibility?

I believe you will.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Words of Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time