Name It & Claim It: I wanted a Chihuahua.

Name It & Claim It:  I wanted a Chihuahua.
I wanted a Chihuahua. A dog to fit into a bag. A travel companion who looked good in scarves.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Testify!

Hey, wanna help me prove that we create the world with our thoughts?

Here's how it will work:
Each week I'll put something out there to inspire you to consider how name it and claim it has worked in your life or how it can work...

Use the 'Comment' to share your name it and claim it moment.

What is Name It & Claim It?

In 1979 I left school, moved to San Diego, got a wonderful job in a social service agency and met my office mate, Lee Russel, who became a wonderful friend and mentor.

She lived by these words, "name it and claim it", which she explained was her philosophy of life. She said that dreams are our guides and that we create our lives, thought by thought, even if we are not aware of it.

I wanted to be a singer. She said I could be a singer. She said, "Tell the universe." BE A SINGER.

I became a singer.

I have lots and lots of these stories, myself...

Here's the story, morning glory!

1. Your life so far is the proof.

i was sitting down thinking about what i've got and i realised that everything (everything) i ever really, truly wanted and needed, i got. i wanted to live in california. i wanted to sing. i wanted to fall in love. i wanted cats. i wanted to paint. i wanted to travel. i wanted to dance. i wanted to have a relationship with my parents and a handful of fabulous friends. i wanted to live in italy. i wanted to teach. i wanted to write. i wanted a dog that fits into a bag. i got what i needed. i set it up, worked on it, believed in it, and it came.

2. Be specific.
tell the universe what you want. BE SPECIFIC**. i wanted to make a living as an artist and i wanted to earn just enough to survive and that is exactly what i earned: just enough to survive. (presently i am working on changing that one....) ** 'name it and claim it'.

3. P.S.
p.s. i was fortunate enough to be born in a country that encourages dreamers and i had the advantages of a middle class upbringing. i was also a product of a movement that gave women a voice and a choice. I recognise the advantages I have been given...

4. A lot to work with
...and, with all these advantages, i did not want to waste any time or any of my resources. hey, i made tons of mistakes along the way but have no regrets.

Think about name it and claim it and then, if you want, tell me,
What's your tale, nightingale?

7 comments:

  1. i don't know about you, but as an artist, a perfect place to work and dream has always been at the top of my fantasy reel. my childhood bedroom, which i occupied fro 18 years, was my first studio. after that, i've moved from magical place to place, each place possessing the quality i claimed for it in my imagination before i laid eyes on it. i've had some doozies.

    five years ago i was in the middle of a big life change. i was living in tribeca in my DREAM STUDIO (more on this another time), but i knew i had to make a change. it was a heartbreaking time, but even in the midst of a crushing sadness, my spirit was consumed with possibilities for a refined life in art. one afternoon i was taking my usual stroll through SOHO up towards washington square park. as i crossed houston heading north, and walked under the village trees and past the laundromat and the cafes, i said to myself, "i am going to get an apartment on this street and live there by myself." i said the street's name aloud; "thompson street". about four months later i was subletting a loft in DUMBO and stumbled across an ad on craigslist for a village sublet. i'd missed the open house, but called the girl anyway. she was a korean art student. when i stepped off the train and into the sunshine, and walked towards the thompson street address, i said to myself, "just as long as it's not a total shithole, i'm taking it." i climbed five flights of stairs to a high-ceilinged, light-filled trio of rooms, summer air blowing a crossbreeze over a small polish gas stove and claw-foot tub. there were little pieces of cut-out scrap paper flying about. she was packing up her work. the bedroom windows looked out and beyond the campus of NYU towards nolita - a skyscape of pre and postwar lowrises and SOHO billboards. i handed the girl a pile of cheques and moved me and my 5-foot baby grand piano the following week. I lived and worked in that thompson street apartment up until very recently, when again something stirred and adjusted itself. what is bubbling inside now?

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  2. Magic Sara, Thank you.

    P.S. I came to Lucca looking for an apartment, having learned the phrase, 'Sto cercando un piccolo apartamento in centro storico, arredamento.'

    I was walking down Via Santa Croce and thought it so lovely, I took out my little book where I wrote ideas and scrawled, VIA SANTA CROCE. As you know, that is where I live now.

    You said Thompson Street out loud.

    Say it out loud. Name it. Claim it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, this takes courage.
    I am saying out loud:
    March, 24 - then April, 7, 3pm 110 cum laude.
    I'll keep you posted.:-) gess

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  4. Wow, this takes courage.
    Here I am, saying out loud:
    March 24 instead of March 15 then
    April 7 at 3pm (maximum grade c.l.)
    I'll keep you posted, with details!
    gess*

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  5. Wow, Gess, you are right! This took courage. You PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Instead of sharing one of your MANY name it and claim it triumphs, you chose to let us witness your very crucial thesis moment! That is COOL.

    Keep us up to date.

    (I also did this in September. On my blog Back to School I challenged the theory, too. Set up the scene and went for it. Being specific is sometimes easier said than done. In Gess's case, the dates are the thing...so the result is measurable! I am proud of you, Gess! THANK YOU for participating in the experiement.)

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  6. Not just the dates are measurable, dear, EVEN THE GRADE: MAXIMUM C.M.= CUM LAUDE! you said BIG, sister, and here I am ;)

    ReplyDelete