A Quick Sunday Read and a bit about Consistency
A Quick Sunday Read and a bit about Consistency
A newsletter to tickle your thoughts and your words
Hello Friend!
I’m on my patio being serenaded by a chorus of birds, the thrum of muted traffic, and an odd popping sound in the distance that I prefer to leave as undefined.
Above all, I feel surrounded by activity as I sit here quietly, capping a week I’m glad to leave behind as I was sick in bed for most of it. But I also realize there are gifts in that too. It caused me to pay much closer attention to signals and signs, internally and externally. Even in the brain fog of fever, coughs, earaches, and antibiotics, small insights landed, mostly through reading or listening to the inspiring words of others.
It got me through. Back to feeling hopeful and full of possibility again.
What helps to inspire you and fill you with possibilities?
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.
A Quick Word - Words have power. Use them well.
This week's word: Consistency
I ran across a post on LinkedIn that described the one crucial thing missing in the efforts of those seeking to expand and grow their work: Consistency.
Consistent. What a steady word.
I think about this a lot in my work as a writer and creative. For me, consistency means showing up at my laptop or notebook every day. Ritual. Habit. Discipline.
"Consistency is the glue that holds love together."— Toni Payne
Consistent is an adjective that means "constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc." Or "holding firmly together; cohering." Or “always behaving or happening in a similar, especially positive, way.” Or “marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity: free from variation or contradiction.” Or “showing steady conformity to character, profession, belief, or custom.”
Congruous. Consonant. Harmonious. Conformable.
Consistency is the gateway to productive habits.
"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” — Octavia Butler
I also think consistency provides the structure for a smooth flow of inspiration. I mean I get, as a creative, what it means to strike while the iron is hot, to jump on inspiration when it sparks the spirit to create. But the consistency of showing up no matter what invites the inspiration and spark to be at the ready.
"Being consistent means showing up over and over and over again, even when it’s inconvenient, especially when it’s uncomfortable and regardless of whether or not anyone else will see it."—Joe Rinaldi
Consistency fosters reliability. Trust.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."— Aristotle
It also brings to mind other ways to be consistent, besides building healthy and productive habits.
Be consistently kind, loyal, and generous.
Connect consistently with important people in your life.
Stay consistent with your values.
Stay true to your commitments, and reexamine them when they no longer feel in alignment with your truth.
"Above all else be consistent."— Stephen King
Take a moment this week and examine your consistencies. Something to think about.
Journal Prompt
Prompt: How does consistency show up in your life? Positively and negatively. How can you shift things to be more in consistent alignment with your purpose?
My newest journals available:
Open Sesame: A Manifestation Journal for Opening the Doors of Your Life
The Open Sesame Journal: To Manifest the Life of Your Dreams
A Quick Share
Here are a few things I thought worth sharing this week:
I sat with this Rainer Maria Rilke quote that
shared in a post recently. It spoke to me: “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final ... Nearby is the country they call life.” ―Rainer Maria RilkeLoving the new Hulu series, “Under the Bridge.” It’s based on a true story and adapted from Rebecca Godfrey’s book of the same name. “The hidden world of the teenagers accused of a savage murder reveals startling truths about the unlikely killer.” I was hooked before the first episode was over. Juicy and twisted storytelling. It stars Riley Keogh and Lily Gladstone, in a lovely sophomore role, after her debut in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
If you’re looking for a heartwarming, poignant, and beautifully told story about family secrets and the twists that hold people together—and tear them apart—you’ll enjoy Ann Patchett’s “Tom Lake.” It’s one of my favorites of hers. It’s simple, yet rich and layered.
Tuesday, April 23, features a Pink Full Moon (named in the Farmer’s Almanac for Spring wildflowers) positioned as a full moon in Scorpio, and according to one astrology, this moon “brings great attention to how we share resources in our lives and within the world.” Good things to be mindful of during the full moon and always.
A Creative Quest
What do you want to create?
Perhaps a Creative Jam Session is the key to opening the portal to your highest imagination.
Now's the time for your Projects, Passion, and Purpose™! Book a year of creativity with me and you'll be amazed at what you accomplish.
You can also bring me on as a writer. Need help with a story, treatment, screenplay, bio, website, outline, newsletter, or profile? I’m your ghost. :)
Email me to chat about it. cindy@cindyyantis.com.
I hope you have a great week filled with examining consistencies. And, kindness.
Happy Passover if you’re celebrating! And, Happy Earth Day. Both tomorrow.
Keep creating, abundantly,
