Menna Van Praag's Blog, page 27
February 18, 2014
“Genius at first is little more than a great capacity for receiving discipline.” ― George Eliot
Discipline is a dirty word for most of us, since we don’t relish being given orders, even if we’re giving orders to ourselves! But discipline is really no more than saying “yes” &, all the glorious delights of life spring from saying “yes”. I don’t know about you, but I have a default inertia – an internal, automatic “no” – that might run & ruin my life if I let it. When you’re willing to say “yes” to whatever life requires of you then the whole world & all its beautiful possibilities will open up to you…
Pic: my morning of letter writing, banana bread & chai tea 
February 17, 2014
“We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving. We all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.” ― Louisa May Alcott
Do you believe you have the power to make your own wishes come true? I believe we all have that power. But I must admit that, from time to time, especially after a significant setback, I lose faith in myself. And then, of course, everything goes into a downwards spiral. There’s nothing like losing faith to show you the importance of keeping the faith! When you believe once more, & start acting accordingly, then life will reflect that and start spiralling upwards again. If you believe you can do it, you can. If you believe you can’t, you won’t. That’s the beginning, middle & end of it all.
Pic: more stationery research at Anthropologie on the King’s Road, London.
February 16, 2014
“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe
Courage is vital to living a fulfilling life & fulfilling your dreams. When I self published my first book, I went from bookshop to bookshop with chocolate flapjacks I’d baked as bribes for them to put the books in their windows. Some booksellers told me to bugger off, others are still friends to this day. The years to publication, and beyond, have been full of delights & disappointments, successes and rejections, and many moments when I’ve wanted to give it all up & crawl under a rock. And so I know that, of all the traits an unpublished writer needs to become a published one, courage is THE one. Courage above style, courage above substance, courage above talent, courage above all.
Pic: HOPE to celebrate Hope Street coming out in paperback on 26th March! Taken at Emma Hope shoes, Sloane Square.
February 15, 2014
“We must do that which we think we cannot do.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt
I used to think I couldn’t do any of the things I wanted to do: get published, travel the world, have a happy marriage, be a good mum… I had thousands of thoughts on the subject of how incapable & flawed I was. Then I learnt that 99% of thoughts are negative nonsense. And, gradually, I stopped believing them & I found myself doing things I’d never dreamed I could do. And, the more I did, the more I believe I could do. I’m absolutely sure – if it isn’t already – it will be the same for you!
Pic: Elizabeth Street, near Sloane Square, London. A pink cupcake shop – what could be cuter? 
February 13, 2014
“I dwell in possibility…” ― Emily Dickinson
Do you believe you are able to do anything? Do you believe you can reach the stars or change the world? If you believe you can, then you can & you might. If you believe you can’t, then you can’t & you won’t. What you believe sets the limitations in your life. Some people set their limits at the stars, other people set their limits at the end of their streets & some, the happiest among us, set themselves absolutely no limits at all! Dwell on that…
Pic: Sweet Paper in California – I’m SO loving researching this new book about magical stationery shops
February 12, 2014
“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid & deeds left undone.” ― Harriet Beecher Stowe
Day 43: I’m amazed by the passing of time. A year seems to vanish in a second. It’s unwise then, to postpone what you want because, before you know it, the opportunity will be gone. So, why do we put things off? Is our fear of failure, disappointment or embarrassment really so great we let it lay waste to our dreams? Perhaps. But we also procrastinate because we believe we’ll live forever. We think we’ll always have tomorrow to do what we didn’t have the courage to do today. But, of course, one day we won’t. So don’t wait to do all the things you truly want to do!
Pic: Harry Potter’s very own book shop
February 11, 2014
“If you hold your hand closed, no good can come in.” ― Biddy Mason
Sometimes we think we have to do it all alone, we forget to ask other people for support, we believe that reaching out our hands implies weakness. Just the opposite it true. To be open takes courage. To open your hands, your heart or your mind makes you brave indeed. You have to look people in the eye, you have to connect & allow yourself to be touched by the kindness & beauty of another person. If you keep your hands closed you’ll lead a lonely life. If you can find the courage to connect, then the world & its people will open up to you in turn & shower its delights upon you.
Pic: we had an AMAZING Instantaneous Transformation international call tonight – talking a lot about the magic of the Costa Rican adventure
February 10, 2014
“There’s no going back in life. No return. No second chance.” ― Daphne du Maurier
“There’s no going back in life. No return. No second chance.” ― Daphne du Maurier
I don’t agree that we don’t get second chances. If we’re lucky we get many. But the point is that you can’t undo the days. If you let them pass you by, if you postpone your dreams, if you wait until “the time is right” then you’ll waste your one life. A day disappears in an instant. A year is gone in a moment. A life is gone before you know it. So don’t put off what you want. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you have forever. You don’t. None of us have. Your life is a finite, fleeting, precious gift. And, if you don’t absolutely love it now, then do whatever it takes until you do.
Pic: Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, Brazil – Alessandro Roncatti – a place on my must-visit list
February 8, 2014
“Sometimes our greatest gifts grow from what we are not given.” ― Erica Bauermister
Erica was writing about her father, how she longed to connect with him & found a way through the written word. She writes: “I am a writer. It was a gift from my father.” I love that. Probably because it’s so close to my own experience, my own heart. That great gifts can come from hard conditions is a wonderful thing, one of the beautiful nuances of our complex, colourful world. Reading Erica’s quote reminds me not to judge my circumstances, not to despair at life’s challenges. And, of course, a hopeful, optimistic perspective is a gift in itself.
Pic: another gorgeous one by the incredible Claire Rosen: www.clairerosenphoto.com
February 7, 2014
“The most important thing is not to think very much about oneself.” ― Virginia Woolf
As advice for living, it doesn’t get much better. When you’re thinking about yourself you’ll sink into stress, worry and fear before too long. For, no matter how lovely your life is, if you start analysing it you’ll find fault, you’ll criticise & compare, you’ll worry you’re doing it wrong. Such is the way of the mind. But, if you don’t stop to take stock of your life but just keep living it, you’ll find everything working out wonderfully…
Pic by Claire Rosen: www.clairerosenphoto.com
