I was taught that the colour yellow in psychology, is known as the colour that brings cheerfulness and inspires original thought and inquisitiveness. For me, yellow gives me optimism, which is just what I feel now that spring has arrived. The towpaths along the canals are lined with these pretty wildflowers, and this makes being outdoors more uplifting and makes my practice of visualising more effective.
Some people prefer the colder months of winter, however, I think that the grey, dark short days of winter can make one dreary; Whereas springtime, makes everyone feel vibrant and re-energized; with strong desires to do things for self-improvement and personal development.
I am a highly motivated person with good self-discipline, and I gain inspiration from simple things. However, I am not a superwoman/ human, so I do find myself feeling dull on some days.
I do not dwell on those dull days though. I take them in strides and embrace them, while at the same time I try to get a better perspective on what might have taken away some of my positive vibes.
The reason why I do this is that perspective and association, both have a big impact on how I approach situations in life.
For example, when I see the colour yellow, I associate it with laughter and happiness, both positive; I also associate the colour yellow with lemons, and the phrase, "when life throws you lemon...", always comes to mind, and motivates me to push harder.
Life is full of obstacles and humans are fallible. We sometimes get too hard on ourselves and focus on the challenges and problems, which disables us from finding solutions. I think the onus of the outcome of our lives, is on each individual, as our actions and reactions strongly determine the direction of our lives.
What inspires and motivates one person, might differ for another. Some people need greater incentives to feel motivated, but I am thankful that I am an intrinsically motivated person. Therefore, I do the best of anything I set out to do, without relying on external affirmations to be motivated, and without thinking of what profit, or rewards I might gain.
Inspiration from Visualising
My visual, and feeling senses are dominant, with strong intuition and a great imagination. So, with some practice, visualising comes easier. The mere ability for me to visualise happiness, relaxation, and positive emotions through putting things into perspective, makes me better able to manage my emotions, by leading my thoughts where I want them to go, and this helps to keep me inspired.
Visualising improves my focus and concentration. This gives me the inspiration and confidence to set achievable goals, with the motivation to work towards those goals.
Effective ways for improving my ability to visualise
- Meditation is one effective way for me. I meditate anywhere at any time. So while walking and admiring these plants, I meditate by tuning my mind and thoughts to a specific thing (in this case these lovely yellow flowers, and what they emit and alter my feelings).
- Harbouring positive thoughts also play an important part in keeping inspired. How could I not feel good from seeing these lovely yellow petals?
- Looking closer into nature, and appreciating what the changes of the seasons bring, also help with my visualisation. This is especially so, after seeing the area barren during the winter.
(The reappearance and blooming of these yellow flowers help to give me hope and I visualise that things will get better).
Our thoughts influence our feeling, and our feeling influences our emotions.
The body is made up of different layers of energy, and one of the layers that I pay close attention to, is my emotional energy layer. When this is (chakra) area of my body is in check, I function better - my aspirations and desires are improved, my ability to feel emotions subjectively are improved, and my ability to imagine positive things into existence; even from simple things such as a particular colour.
In essence, inspiration can come from where we least expect, if we only take the time to see.
I think it is important for us to find things that reduce our stress levels, and lifts our moods for relaxation, as having harmony in our bodies is vital to our well-being and health.
I am always keen to hear different ways that people find inspiration to do things even when different elements try to deter us.
Please feel free to share them with me:)
All images are mine.
Taken along the canals leading to Whitchurch, Shropshire;
After leaving Llangollen, Wales.
March 21, 2022