Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Frame!

The word from my heart pocket is Frame.

A frame is a structure, an outline. It is the groundwork we set and the support we build, whether it is physical or mental. When we make a plan, we construct a system by which we get from point A to point B, etc. To frame something is to assemble it, to enclose it or mold it to our satisfaction. 

Framing is an important part of creating. It gives us a way to see what we will make without having to actually build it. We draw blueprints for buildings. We write business plans for new ventures. We draw storyboards and write music charts and create landscape designs on paper before haphazardly planting a garden. 

We don't readily associate a frame with concepts and sketches. We think of ideas as free-form and non-linear. It's true that our minds create best when they are free-associating and without restriction. But giving structure to our ideas moves us forward toward the final product. We are better able to see what could come next, what might be changed to make it better, more appealing, more functional.

A frame can literally focus a project. It can act as an oasis where the mind can rest or breathe or feel free to once again conceptualize. It magically takes chaos and puts it in perspective or makes sense of what was otherwise feeling jumbled. It causes us to stop and we can see patterns or the lack of them. We can pinpoint our next move. We see where we are. 

We frame our days with lists and agendas. We frame our lives with schedules and calendars. We frame so we can feel grounded and peaceful and safe.

The balance the action of framing offers is invaluable. We do it without thinking in most cases. It is a relief when we realize we can call on it at any moment that we are feeling unsettled or upset. When we frame a chaotic day by making a report either on paper or verbally listing events to a colleague, we soothe our nervous system and clear the clutter out of our brains. By summing up a meeting or gathering materials for the next step in a project, we frame the process for clarity and so we are prepared for what is to come.

Sometimes we have to reframe an idea. This doesn't mean we have to throw it away, although sometimes that happens. We rearrange variables, seeing how they look and feel somewhere else, changing the shape or direction of a project or notion. Reframing can save an idea from the cutting floor.

Today I framed ideas all day long. My brain was tired and didn't want to think about the ideas any longer. I lost momentum (in my brain) and inspiration all but disappeared. When I got out pen and paper and made some drawings, organizing and framing my thoughts in a different form, new life breathed into my project. I looked with satisfaction on my newly framed arrangement and I'll start where I left off with enthusiasm tomorrow. I also have a real sense of satisfaction of a job well done because I can see how far I have come.

Use framing as a tool to check where you are. Draw from it when your mind feels confused and upset. Write or draw or imagine in a linear fashion. Physically or mentally draw a frame around your words/pictures/imaginations. If there is still a feeling of confusion, break the ideas into smaller bits. Frame each part. Look for patterns. Connect the dots. Reframe to taste and satisfaction.

When you are complete, remove the frame to make sure your work stands on its own. You may want to keep the frame because it enhances the piece, but often, your work will surprise you with its singular beauty. Framing facilitates a positive way to process. Use it freely and with abandon. Enjoy it with all of your heart.