Commitments......................

This is part of a project I've committed to do.

Hopefully I will be showing you in it's completeness soon.

Commitment: means to show loyalty, duty or pledge to something or someone.


I am an INFJ. An INFJ is a perfectionist who doubts that they are living up to their full potential. INFJs are rarely at complete peace with themselves - there's always something else they should be doing to improve themselves and the world around them. They believe in constant growth, and don't often take time to revel in their accomplishments.

And that is just a hint at my complicated life.
We also place a very high regard on truth and keeping ones word, but we are also very generous at the same time and that can lead to problems, mainly regarding commitment. Or rather over committing oneself.

Have you ever been to the circus or an event that has one of those special jugglers? The kind that twirl multiple plates on long sticks high up in the air? And some even have 3 or more going in each hand. Most days I feel like that and sometimes even like this photo below that I found on Flickr. You've heard the adage 'you've bitten off more than you can chew' or 'I have a full plate, or too much on my plate right now'? Well that is what life is like for me.

I want to do so much, for so many, yet there seems to always be so little time and I can't always depend on having the time as my medical condition doesn't allow for this on a day to day basis. The spirit is so willing but the body doesn't always cooperate. So I get to feeling like this photo, not only juggling too many plates but doing it while standing on my head whilst the blood rushes down and I can't think any longer. My creativity is cut off and I can't function.

Plate twirling acrobats
Originally uploaded by yewenyi

Some people have trouble making commitments (more-so men than women), but there are also those of the creative vein that have trouble with OVER commitment. That is were I fall and that is where I need to retrain myself to reach a happy medium. Being an INFJ, as you have seen, makes me of the type that always feels I could do better, could do more, and that is a very powerful drive. But in doing that I never get the chance to enjoy the accomplishments of the commitments I've made.


I have taken to rectifying that. I have a list of things that I've promised to do for individuals or groups and I am evaluating them one by one, and purposing to complete these obligations and promises while striving each day to cross at least one thing off that list. And I have promised myself to not add any more to that list until that has been accomplished.


Then I have promised myself, made a commitment to myself, because I need to find myself worthy of making a commitment to, to sit down after this has been done and to evaluate what direction I want to go in. To write a plan and stick to it, to learn to say 'no', to narrow my vision to excel in a few areas instead of trying to have so many plates spinning. I will only put on my plate (one plate) that which I find the most reward in. And at this point in the artistic side of my life I believe it to be in my bead work. I have always loved little treasures and I also love helping others to grow their creativity since being a Art counselor at my fathers summer camp so long ago. So I see this year ahead as being more dedicated to my making all the little treasures that lay in my designing book in my head and in my sketch book on paper into a reality with my Art Beads.

I have to tell you as I write this it is early morning of a crisp unusually beautiful Summers day. I am outside on my porch enjoying the peace and quite and the sounds of the birds singing, they too are enjoying this respite from the awful hot and humid weather we've had. I see Squirrels feeding in my backyard, baby Blue Jays being fed by their mamas, a wood thrush bopping around hoping to find a tasty bug. Our 'BIG bunny' who has just hopped out from the edge of the woods nibbles on grass and wild strawberries. A baby dove pecks in a flower planter as I listen to the bubbler on the small pond on my patio. Purple Finches singing to me from only 8 feet away on the feeder.


I am easily distracted these days to little joys like this, slowing down I guess from all the rush, learning to take time, no, make time to STOP and smell the roses. Which reminds me........... the Rose Garden only a few miles away from me is in full bloom right now. I think I'll take a drive over there tomorrow evening when the dew starts falling and enhancing the heady fragrance.
This is a commitment I make to myself, and I'm sure that more bead inspiration from this will materialize.

This is another commitment I can cross off my list.
I will write you in more detail about it later.

Here is a pair of earrings I made recently and they will belong to the one whose name I draw on July 25th. Just leave a comment on this post to be entered into the drawing. Thanks for taking time to read!



Have a JOY Filled and Creative Day!







Photo mosaics are of completed commitments meant this past month. More about them later. :)

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