While I was painting

When do you get your best ideas? Your creative thoughts? Your new directions? Usually, that all happens for me while I am either walking, watching television, falling asleep, or, as it turns out, painting.

After recently painting virtually our entire house and taking it from plain old white to lush contemporary taupe, pier and sateen, we offered to paint a friend's apartment. She had been trying to finish off her place for months, but, well, let's face it, it's always much easier and more fun when there is more than one painter at work - especially if they've already practised on their own place.

Anyway, it happened on New Year's Day while I was trimming her living room wall, taking it from off-white to stardust - where do they get such telling names for paint these days?! I was in my own space thinking about the sabbatical I was on and wondering why it had stalled. True, I had achieved much during the past few months, but I had not been able to voice my spiel, define my message, identify the link between each of my keynotes. I needed to proclaim my platform.

"What is the problem?" I asked myself. "Why is it so difficult? Are my concepts so obscure that not even I can see what I am about?" Time was a premium - I had to ramp things up quite a bit in January or I would not achieve my goal of relaunching my speaking career before I was less than a blimp on the circuit radar.

And then it happened. My brother's words, spoken for something entirely different, suddenly came into thought, resonated in my head for a few minutes, and obviously fell into line. And I knew. I knew I had found what I was searching for. And I knew that I knew because I did not miss a beat. I continued painting without pause or hesitation and simply smiled. Slowly, broadly, confidently. I smiled and I smiled and I smiled.

Now I am back on track with the last piece of the puzzle firmly in place. Everything flows together, everything makes sense, and it will all take shape with me at the helm instead of trailing far behind.

So, if you're stuck looking for that idea, thought or direction, try painting. You never know; it might be all you need to do. And if you're looking for a canvas, there are a few walls left at our place waiting to help you find your way!