Creating 2015—Day 2: LAX at Midnight & Yes

“Just when you thought you didn’t have to listen to another Christmas song for 11 months,” Uh-mazing Romantic Partner says with a laugh as he sways and sings to, Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, in the lane, snow is glistening, a beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, walking in a winter wonderland.  I, too, assume the holidays are officially over as the clock ticks past midnight pushing us into January 2nd.  Los Angeles International Airport’s American Airlines baggage claim has other ideas.  Piped in loudly over our heads, holiday music cheerfully serenades us—a blurry-eyed gaggle of travelers eagerly waiting for the familiar startling churn of the carousel to wind up delivering the gift of luggage.  LAX at midnight is a festive madhouse.

2012’s Experiment in Prolific Creativity

We don’t normally fly home so late but we wanted to spend one last, full day with family.  The price for it:  we walk in our door at 1:10am.  So, Day 2 of 2015 is off to “a train ran over me” feeling start.  After not enough sleep and getting up to pee for the umpteenth time—I drank a huge bottle of water on the drive home from the airport—I immediately turn on my computer and start writing this post.  Taking this action surprises me!  But it feels natural and right and good.  Like riding a bike.  Am I going to set the intention to write a post every day in 2015 like I did in 2012?

Daily rituals are powerful.  They create results, from a calm mind to a savings account to a first draft to healthy gums and teeth!  Committing to the daily ritual of writing about my experiment in prolific creativity in 2012, although not always easy to fulfill, was transformative and magical.  I would love some transformation and magic sprinkled into my year of new beginnings!

Saying Yes to Myself!

And you know what a daily ritual really does, for me anyway?  It creates yeses!  And what is a new beginning?  It’s really just a “yes” you give yourself.  What a gift!  That was the whole point of my 2012 adventure in creating from what I had.  No.  More.  Waiting.  No more waiting!  Even if the rest of the world is telling me, “no.”  “No, you didn’t get the part.”  “No, your film didn’t get in.”  “No, you can’t do that.”  Well, yes, actually, I can!  Yes, I have control over my actions.  Yes, I have the ability to commit to a transformative daily ritual.  Yes, I have a choice to empower myself in any given moment.  I don’t need anyone’s permission or blessing.  Yes, I can create my own success!  I have done it before.  I can do it again.  Yes, you can too.

Until tomorrow, create from what you have…your own YES.

Kelli Joan Bennett is a filmmaker, actress, writer, entrepreneur, advocate for creative thinking and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Think Outside The Box Inside The Box Media.

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