The Red Boa Perspective



Today in Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine
is my latest article called 


Perspectives are a lot like opinions in that everyone has them.  I am quite intrigued by perspectives.  Much like our opinions, our perspectives are also formed and influenced by our perceived identities and our life experiences.  Yet just as our identities can change during the course of our lives, so will our perspectives transform and evolve.
However, I have this suspicion that the one perspective at the core of them all is the one you have of yourself.  Do you think highly of yourself?  Do you think you are lovable? Do you love yourself?  Do you see your beauty?
Did those questions make you pause or did you feel immediate conviction in your answers?
Buddha quote and photo by Michelle Fairchild

Buddha quote with photo by Michelle Fairchild
To read more come visit this article at Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine

Mojo Monday ~ Who Are You?

Who Are You?
Next month the theme for Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine will be Identity.  I thought it would be fun to revisit a Mojo Monday post from a couple of years ago that asked the question “Who are you?”
A few years back the fost-adoption agency I work for brought in a presenter for a two-day management training. We did some interesting interactive activities. I wanted to share some of them because I thought they might prove interesting for you to try at home with a family member or a friend. Additionally it can be interesting to try it in a group as well. The process can lead to some interesting discussions and realizations about yourself and those you know or think you know.

The first activity was to start off by pairing off with another person. Before we were given the question we would be asking we were to choose who would ask the question and who would answer. The question was “Who are you?” and one of the persons had to ask this question over and over for a minute, with the other person answering again and again, maybe with a different response, maybe repeating some answers. After the minute the partners then switched and went through the same process for another minute. Then finally they would switch back and forth for one more additional minute.
The next question we asked and went through the same process again was “When you are afraid who do you pretend to be?”
Following these exchanges we then gathered back into a larger circle and we then had to take turns standing behind our question & answer partner and introduce our partner as if we were he or she by stating the following.
Hi my name is: ___________
I am a ____________ person.
In order for me to feel safe I need ________________ from the group.
Later we did another rather fun activity. This one will require you to write down some simple answers and later I can reveal more about what your answers mean.
1) Write down your favorite color. Now list three adjectives for this color.
2) Write down your favorite animal. Now list three adjectives for this animal.
3) Write down the word “Night” and list three adjectives.
4) Write down the word “Water” and list three adjectives.
I will tell you more about what these mean below.  Be sure not to peek
😉
Another very interesting test to take is the Human Metrics Personality Test
The results will tell you the following:
  • Your type formula according to Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers typology along with the strengths of the preferences
  • The description of your personality type
  • The list of occupations and educational institutions where you can get relevant degree or training, most suitable for your personality type – Jung Career Indicator™
Share your answers to the questions above and if you take the Human Metrics test come back and share your results.

If you take the time to try the “Who are you?” answer and question exchange with a friend or family member share what came up during the exchange.


Scroll down for answers to questions.










Answers to questions:

1) Your favorite color and descriptive words represents how you see yourself.

2) Your favorite animal and the adjectives represents how others see you.

3) The word “Night” represents death and the adjectives describe how you feel about death.

4) The word “Water” represents sex and the adjectives describe your thoughts/feelings about sex.


My results from the questions were as follows:

1) Fav Color – Black: deep, profound, inclusive

2) Fav animal – Lion & Eagle: Lions majestic, strong, confident; Eagle free, adventurous, visionary

3) Night – contemplative, restful, peaceful

4) Water – Source, life-giving, spiritual

My Human Metrics/Meyres Briggs test resulted in INFJ (introvert, intuitive, feeling, judging) which is referred to as the Idealist Counselor.

Mojo Monday ~ Personal Mission Statement


Last night while neck deep in writing my latest Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine article I came across something that made me pause and note it down in my journal.  I had been visiting the web site of artist and author Kelly Rae Roberts.  I have been an admirer of her art for several years now and I adored her book called Taking Flight: Inspiration and Techniques to give your Creative Spirit Wings.  I have one of her prints hanging in the living room and I have given many items from her art collection as gifts.  The thing that made me stop and pause was her simple, yet very powerful Mission Statement that was tucked into the side panel of her web page:

“My mission is to create beautiful,
meaningful artwork that tells the truth.”

I loved the focus, the honesty and the sheer simplicity of it.  I had an article to keep writing, but I knew I wanted to return to this topic and this idea of writing a Personal Mission Statement.  Now, this isn’t a new idea.  In fact if you do a search on-line for that very topic you will find all sort of cool articles, blog posts and creative artistic renditions of these intimate statements of purpose.  

If someone was to ask YOU, “What is your personal missions statement?”  Would you even know where to begin or would you very matter-of-factly proclaim it, because you just happen to know your mission by heart?  


by Courtney Mellinger

If you are still contemplating yours, consider following these step-by-step guidelines by Courtney Mellinger on her web site called BlogGraphicDesignPortfolio.

  1. Create a list of words that describe you. These should be aspects of you that you’re proud of. They could relate to your personality, your relationships, your profession, your religion, etc. The great thing is, it’s all about you so you can focus on anything you want.
  2. Use these words to craft a sentence (or two) that describes your mission in life. It should be a statement that is specific to you yet can be applied to any area or facet of your life.
  3. Type it on your phone, write it down and put it on your desk or screen background or somewhere where you will see it everyday. (Mine is on a note in my phone and a post-it note on my computer.) Having this daily reminder of your overarching goal in life will help you focus more on what really matters to you and less on the trivial things you face.
  4. When you’re faced with a difficult decision or a tough situation, refer back to this statement. If the result doesn’t align with your mission, it might not be the best use of your time and efforts. I’m not saying that every single thing you do from this point forward should revolve around your mission, but it can be a great tool to use down the road.
Go explore other personal mission statements, and consider looking at those of some businesses too.  The foster adoption agency where I have worked for over 9 years has this as the mission statement:  To ensure a child’s opportunity for permanence in a safe and nurturing family.”  In addition they have selected a core set of values by which the agency is guided and these are: Vision, Integrity, Partnership, Excellence and Leadership.  Perhaps an outline of your own personal values will also assist you in formulating your mission statement.

Consider then the Mission of Cosmic Cowgirls:

Our Belief is that each of us has a Vision with a calling and a purpose to fulfill and we believe that, through collaboration with other women, manifestation of that Vision becomes more possible.

Our Structure is comprised of a revolutionary membership-based publishing media house owned by girls and women worldwide, headquartered in the United States. 

Our Purpose is to empower one another to live legendary lives.

Our Mission is to establish Cosmic Cowgirls as a powerful community and marketplace where women’s creative offerings equal livelihood, abundance, and recognition.

Our Focus is the gathering of women’s collective wisdom to be shared through the collaborative creation of products such as: art, cards, music, DVDs, film, coloring books, journals, workbooks and workshops designed to inspire, inform, and illuminate the journey of a woman’s life.

Our Intention as a collective of visionary women and girls, is to publish media that will bring education, creativity, and our sacred wisdom to those in need of information, healing, and transformation.

More recently we have seen the birth of The Red Thread Nation, whose mission is to Nurture the Soul through Art and Education.  Here are several more examples for you to peruse:

By Donna Miller on Creative Musings


Lastly check out this energetic and creative video slideshow one young teen put together for her personal mission statement.

After some thought have you come up with your own personal mission statement?

Will you share it here?

Now how about taking it and turning it into an art project, maybe a paper altar, or perhaps you can capture it in a photo, or even a video?