Creative – LotusUSA

Finding Simplicity In A Very Non-Simple Time

admin — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 17:07:47 +0000

Well, here we are. We’re officially in the Christmas season and, as always, it seems to fly by and catch us off guard to a certain degree. People everywhere are preparing in some fashion for this season – decorating a tree, stringing lights on the house, shopping for gifts, entertaining guests, feasting on seasonal delicacies and working extra hard to get time off and pay for the many expenditures. We all celebrate and prepare in different ways; many of us are anticipating with joy the influx of family gatherings and parties, while for others, this time is a difficult and complicated one. There is something about the waiting time before the big day on the 25th that can fill us with sentimentality, reminiscent of childhood’s delight. We recapture these sentiments with the delicious baked goods or savory treats that line the table. We hustle and bustle around stores that play Christmas jingles, while each of us tries to be cheery to other shoppers in our way. We even buy candles labeled “Pumpkin Spice” or “Christmas Sugar Cookie” to fill our houses to the brim with holiday atmosphere. But what happens when maybe we’ve lost that feeling of joy and simplicity? How do we get that back?

This may sound harsh, but we can’t ever really recapture childhood. We may search the world for ways to be “as a child” again, but it seems to elude us, leaving us feeling disappointed and searching once again. We look to changing traditions, adding more or new things and people to associate ourselves with. Or maybe we try so hard to do things right, we find ourselves frustrated and lashing out in anger at the very people we love most because we’re tired and spread too thin. Many people wiser than I would say that one of the most important ways to do this is to slow down. Haste and busyness are key factors to losing sight of the simplicity of Christmas. Though we may not all be organized people, per se, there is something wise in making things externally simpler so we can slow down a little more. Containers or boxes or crates that help temporarily organize and carry us through wrapping gifts, storing unwrapped gifts, or transporting goods and goodies from place to place is a wonderful way to be able to focus on the internal things at play. Why not give it a try?

Perhaps our focus and our expectations of the holidays is what really needs to change, instead of what we do, how we do it, and with whom we do it. Perhaps, just maybe, our attention should not be set on nostalgia alone, but on the invitation to reflect on who and what’s around us, as another year comes to a close.

Instead of adding this on your “to do list”, take time to let go of some things and make space for creativity and kindness. Find the “right” for your Christmas this year.

Anna Lewis / December 20, 2019

The post Finding Simplicity In A Very Non-Simple Time appeared first on LotusUSA.

Savoring the Sweetness of Halloween

admin — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 18:50:08 +0000

Well, guys, it’s that time of year again. We’ve made it through another cycle of winter, spring, and a long, hot summer. The air is getting a chill, and so are many of us parents as we think about what’s in store for us this busy holiday season. So…Halloween. This is our first installment of madness. We all celebrate or do not celebrate Halloween differently, and for some reason, this is my children’s most cherished and beloved holiday. I’m not sure how I feel about that, but I believe their affection is due mainly to the uninhibited consumption of candy. What’s great about watching kids at Halloween is their childlike excitement that possesses much anticipation yet little expectation, because this is what children do so well and we adults simply don’t.

Last year, I failed miserably getting ready for Halloween. I didn’t carve pumpkins with my kids. I didn’t even put up fake cobwebs. We were hurried and my kids were disappointed to the point of tears that I didn’t help them with costumes. It wasn’t my lack of production that hurt the kids, but rather my lack of participation. When I lay down my worries or complaints of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I am able for a few moments to be a child again, excited and full of anticipation as I dress and paint them (and sometimes myself), plotting our route of looting.

Whatever it is that you find yourself doing or not doing for Halloween, let’s remember there are plenty of things we must do, but there are also plenty of things we must not do in order to simply engage and be present for one another. Let’s make bigger margins this season for less stuff and fewer to do lists. I know I, for one, will not be disappointing my kids this year the same way I did last year, because if nothing else, I will be trucking along behind them stealing Snicker Bars and AlmondJoy wherever I can (yes, there are still people that eat those, kids).

Anna Lewis / October 17, 2019

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Trusting the Process

admin — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 16:29:21 +0000

Process. The word means so many things. We process thoughts and actions in our brain. We process what someone else has said or done. We process grief. We process differently. We process food. We process animals. We process enguiniety. We process chemicals. We process that which we can see physically and that which we cannot see both mentally and emotionally.

Everywhere we look we see processes occurring and most of the time, there is a period of fear, grief, or uncertainty intertwined in them. Fall is a vivid example of a process from summer to winter. Leaves turn to vibrant colors before the pre-winter winds carry them off. In winter, all is laid bare and the trees are naked, seemingly dead and vulnerable. In keeping with nature’s way, we also are often challenged to a new season or unexpected change in life, leaving us, as well, vulnerable and feeling exposed. How we process these times say a lot about us and our willingness to trust what needs to happen to carry us to where we need to go. You don’t have to buy into a system or group or idea to go through a necessary process. For example, you might not be a neat or organized person and this system of life doesn’t have to what you aim for. But you might be going through a process that is teaching you something about living with less stress, becoming more focused, or dealing with anxiety or fear in more directed way. In all honesty, every good thing we do, achieve, or let take place in our lives involves a process that is uniquely demanding of our time and affection.

As this school year starts, many of us will be putting our kids back in school or taking them out; kids are going to college, as are many adults. These are all processes and though each is unique, it can be equally exciting and scary. We trust the processes of school to get us to the next grade or year, yet there is always a certain amount of uncertainty as to how to graduate to the next level well. I have one child that struggles with the classroom, while the other does not. This is sometimes a great weight on my shoulders as I want to make things right and solve the issues at hand. I want to control their process! Yet, each of my kids and I are learning how to let go and trust instincts, parents, caregivers and teachers alike to help guide the way and hold hands through the process itself. Many of us may be about to encroach on a phase or task in school that doesn’t seem to be working out the way we wanted it to. We may have placed a system upon ourselves or someone else (hint, our children) that we have expectations will be met within a certain time frame or within a certain context; we are severely disappointed in such cases. The system is not what we must aim to please, but rather, we must submit ourselves to the unique process that changes us and changes others as their process unfolds.

If children miraculously go through thousands of intricate developmental processes of growth, who’s to say you can’t continue through maturing processes as well? How we change, as we watch our kids go off and face the many challenges of life is key to inviting patience and wisdom into our own lives. If there exists patience to watch seedlings grow into trees or tiny mole-sized pink things into majestic animals, there is room and space for you as well. And giving that same patience to others around you could be one of the biggest processes you may face in life. Never trust a system. Always trust there will be a process for all things at all times

Anna Lewis / August 27, 2019

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Beyond the Box (Learning to Organize from Within)

admin — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:39:02 +0000

Ever wonder why some people just seem to go with the flow so easily? Or why others seem to have it “together” better than the rest of us? I certainly do. Actually, I marvel at those individuals’ ability to seemingly float through so much chaos and disorganization, bringing order and peace to all types of circumstances and ordeals. First, let’s take a step back and remember that no one escapes life’s problems. Not one of us. In fact, one of the only guarantees in life is that we will all face hard times and a few crises, at the very least. How is it, then, that some people navigate those times with better responses and outcomes? I believe that this phenomenon comes from within. You see, life isn’t just about putting everything in its proper place and making sure we take all the right steps to avoid conflict; it’s also about learning to organize our inner self, taking intentional steps towards the training of our mind and emotions to grow in resilience, strength and courage for whatever challenges we face. Because, believe me, we will.

How do we organize from within? I’m not sure about you, but I’ve had many moments of brief (or less than brief) paralysis, where I simply don’t what foot to put forward first. Whether it’s an existential crisis or an unexpected friend/family issue, having our minds and thoughts renewed and ready to face what is in front of us, often makes our reactions beneficial to the issue at hand, as opposed to chaotic, lost, or destructive in nature. Learning to take time daily, before any crisis has arisen, to focus on how we think, what we think, and what we let ourselves manifest, can bring forth life, peace, and order when we open our mouths or step forward towards an ordeal. Sometimes this may mean putting aside thoughts that hound us. I actually envision a nicely sealed box that I open up and put my thoughts in for a later time. As ridiculous as this may seem, breaking certain cycles or thought patterns that we all have, is a great start to allowing new patterns and thought cycles in. I once heard someone say that it is easier to change our thinking through our actions than it is to change our actions through mere thinking. Therefore, DO the task of actively letting things go mentally or DO something else when you find yourself sinking into a negative thought/action pattern. This may mean taking a quick walk instead of picking up your phone, or it may mean picking up your phone and calling someone instead of mulling over a previous text or conversation.

There are countless ways in which we all must learn to organize from within. And from this, what we begin to do and say flows naturally as a result, instead of a more typical case where we might muster up strength and courage (or sit in paralysis), trying to figure out what to do next. Beginning with a few minutes a day, organize your strengths and weaknesses, put them in mental boxes if necessary, and pick out what you need from those boxes daily, possibly even throwing some of its contents in the trash. A life well organized is available for each one us, regardless of our age, our past, our circumstances, or our current stage of life. Who knows? You might even see better organization in your outside world at some point…then again, let’s start small.

Anna Lewis / July 10, 2019

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Summer Life. Well Organized.

admin — Fri, 24 May 2019 16:20:14 +0000

We all hear catchy phrases about organizing and tips on how to do this better. In a perfect scenario, we would all have to time to think, plan, and organize our particular areas of life that need a bit of attention and order.

“Life. Well organized.” — this is Lotus’s motto. And it’s a good one. Well, what happens to life well organized when the craziness of summer sets in? What about organization when there are no more packed lunches, carpools, bus rides, and days in the office or at home to keep things on track? What do we do when we are faced with the collision of crazy, fun, and disorganized summer vacations and work schedules?

I am a mother of two boys, a dog the size of a horse, living in a small house, and a perpetual wishful thinker when it comes to organization. I don’t know if anyone can relate, but my trips to the beach look like a person juggling their life’s belongings on their two arms and two legs, as they journey far into the unknown seeking a better life. Or maybe I more resemble a nomadic tribe, traveling from town to town, setting up and taking down an entire household with each move. Regardless of how others view us, I do know the stress of trying to be organized in a less than organized climate as kids, dogs, snacks, things, and more things just keep piling on.

I might also mention that I hate chaos. And I love peace. Not the kind of peace that comes from just looking at the ocean with your feet in the sand as your loved ones play nicely, but the kind of peace that comes from not spending valuable time in search of your necessities or trying to always gather everything and everyone up and move on. I want to ditch the chaos of frantic packing and embrace the peace of being organized, at least somewhat.

So, how might I do this? There are many ways to organize and group and assemble our lives. It’s not easy choosing what’s best for each person or family unit, but one that works for all of us is starting with some basic good tools of consolidation. So, whether you need to pack a lot or a little, attaining some crate or boxed tools to fit your needs to go as far or as close as desired are a life saver for all. Organizational boxes that can perform multiple tasks and take on multiple forms truly allow for the flexibility of whatever or whoever comes your way! If I can cram (or neatly pack) everything I need for the day(s) into a collapsible crate with wheels and a handle, I might even resemble a well put together individual, organized, happy, and ready for all the summer craziness that comes my way. Or I might just put that craziness into my box and keep moving along.

Anna Lewis / May 24, 2019

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