"There is more to life than simply increasing its speed."  Mahatma Gandhi

I cannot think of a better way to begin the week than with a reminder to slow down and and enjoy the important things in life.  I hope that you too will enjoy what ever makes you the happiest.  I know for me it will be time to sit in the sunshine, read a book, talk with a friend, and just sit back and think about my paintings.  I am going to take time to enjoy the body of work I have collected and determine what I like most about it.  Instead of worrying about what I could do better, I am going to celebrated what I like best.  Does slowing down sound appealing to you?  How could you make that happen?

             When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                        Ginny

The last day it snowed was incredibly peaceful.  Everyone agreed that there was something different and very special about this snowfall.  Facebook was filled with snow pictures - one more beautiful than the other. As I wrote on Friday, I spent lots of time reflecting and thinking last week. Maybe it was the snow.  Maybe it was just time to sit in stillness and reflect.  

 It has begun to bother me that I am not finding working with my pastels as much fun as I used to.  When I cleaned up my studio over the weekend and put them all away it felt good.  I thought it must be time for a break and to do something different.  But that didn't feel exactly right either. So I sat on the couch and looked at the work that I had gathered over the past year and I figured out what was missing .  When I started using pastels I did not have any expectations of myself.  I was always surprised at what I created and often found that I was really pleased with my efforts.  Then slowly over time I began to put pressure on myself to get "better".  I started to look for growth in my work and worry that I was always painting the same or similar theme.  I became my own worst critic and slowly I began to lose the joy of painting.  

As I sat across the room looking at the work I hung on the wall I found myself rejecting the notion that it wasn't good enough.  I saw that although there was an ocean or lake or river in every painting they were all little different.  I was no longer  bothered that there wasn't a focal point or that the painting lacked that final pop of color. Instead I was encouraged by the peacefulness that each picture represented and the memories that they created when I looked at them.

It is easy to get discouraged when you start finding fault with what you create. It is easy to listen to those nagging critical voices that tell you it is time to get better.  But it is more important to remind yourself of exactly why you are creating.  Is it to always be chasing the dream of being the best or getting better?  Or is it to create something that you enjoy doing and that brings you happiness?  I'm opting for joy and happiness. How about you?

Wednesday's Kaizen-Muse Coaching Tip:  Take time to reflect.  Take time to sit quietly and remind yourself of what is important to you.  You can journal your thoughts or keep a reminder journal of what makes you happy now and what made you happy in the past.  Bring those things or attitudes back into your life.  Remember why you paint, or sew, or decorate your home.  Remember what makes you happy when you do these things?  Then celebrate the moments when you are truly creating from the heart!  It makes a difference.

This has been a fun week.  It was filled with snow and movies and just doing nothing because that is all we could do.  Starting on Monday everyone was advised to stay off the roads and we did.  I think everyone in Atlanta did.  People learned (at least for now) not to fool around with Mother Nature.  When the snow did come it was beautiful.  We were very lucky that the ice did not break a limb or two and we never lost power. Because of that we were able to stay indoors and just watch all of the beauty around us.  When you live in a state that doesn't see snow often it is exciting. I am sure that others do not feel the same.  I even enjoyed shoveling the driveway - just because it was something that I don't very often have to do.  

It's nice to have a break from what is my normal routine.  Today the sun is shining, the snow has almost melted, and it is back to business as usual.  I hope that everyone will have a wonderful Valentine's Day. I like holidays and always celebrate them but I really believe that every day should be treated as a holiday especially when it comes to telling those you love those three simple but powerful words, " I love you."  

The month is half over and my February coaching offer still stands.  You pick the coaching package that seems right for you as well as determining the price you can pay at this time. No amount is too little.  I am so grateful for the coaching support I have received that I want to pass that generosity on to others.  February seems like the perfect month to do just that.  If you have any questions about anything at all just email me at [email protected]  Hope to hear from you soon.

       When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                                    Ginny

                                       "When the well is dry, we know the worth of water."  Benjamin Franklin

Do you ever have a day when all you need to do is sleep?  Do you give yourself some extra time to take a short (even five minute) nap?  Do you sleep in or go to bed early?  It is not always easy to get the sleep you need.  It can be a baby who needs you, an assignment that needs to get done, or a commission that needs to be finished that keeps you from feeling rested.  But what I know is that if you aren't getting the sleep you need, the nourishing food that fuels your body, or the exercise that energizes you, life can be much more difficult and creativity can suffer.

When I woke up yesterday after a really sleepless night I was totally uninspired to do anything.  I wanted to paint.  I wanted to write my blog post.  I wanted to clean up my studio but the energy wasn't there.  This is something very unusual for me and so at first I was unsure of what to do.  Then I thought of what I would tell a coaching client.  I would encourage her to take care of herself and  to catch up on the sleep she missed the night before.  I would encourage her to do what is best for her body and to see what happened.  So I gave myself permission to do nothing.  Sometimes I just sat in my favorite chair and looked outside and enjoyed the snow.  I watched reality TV and enjoyed every single silly minute of doing it.  I took a nap and I read.  I didn't answer emails, didn't talk to anyone, and just did what I felt would help me most. For me, this time, one day was enough.  I woke up this morning knowing what I would write about.  I am anxious to clean up my studio so that I can paint later.  I am ready to answer emails and to write to clients.  It is important to know when the well is dry.  It's important to know what you need to do to fill it up again.  And most important of all is to give yourself permission to take as good care of yourself as you do everyone else.  So, what will you do for you today?  

Wednesday's Creativity Coaching Tip:  Self-care is an important part of the creative journey.  Knowing what you need to keep your mind, body, and spirit in balance is important.  Giving yourself permission to take care of yourself is essential to creating the life you want to live.  If your life is out of balance, begin with one small step towards doing what you need to do to feel your best. As always I would love to hear from you.  Let me know what you are doing to take care of yourself.  Let me know what makes a difference in your creative life.  You can leave a comment or email me at [email protected]

               When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens!  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                                 Ginny

  "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint' then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced."
                                                                                                                        Vincent Van Gogh

I think we all have that little voice inside that from time to time decides to tell us we can't do something. It may be because of past experience or because if we can't do it perfectly we won't take a chance and do it at all.  It may be because we compare our beginning work to the work of someone who has worked a lifetime at his craft. It may be because we are afraid of failure or even of success.  It helps to know the reason so that you can overcome the fear but even if you cannot pinpoint exactly why that little voice began to appear you can begin to take steps to do whatever you want to do. One of the tools that I use when this happens to me, and it happens to all of us, is to say "Yes, I can!" out loud and then remember a time when I did something I never thought I could do.  I never thought I would learn to ski, but I did.  I never in a million years thought I would paint something and post it for the world to see but I am.  I didn't think I could talk in front of large groups but now I love it even thought I am as quiet as a mouse in a group of four.  It takes time, it takes practice, it takes determination and support but that thing you think you can't do.  You can do it!  So if you want to sing - sing.  If you want to dance - dance.  If you have always wanted to write a book - write.  Tell that nagging voice to go away and say as loud as you can, "Yes, I can!" and than take a tiny step to begin.   

             When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                                Ginny

I recently told a friend that I posted a painting on my blog that wasn't finished and I wasn't sure I liked.  She asked me why I would do that. I think it is because I am still learning and I want to share what I am doing with others.  I am hoping that someone who may hesitate to share their work will be inspired by me to take that step.  I have found that sharing what I do is empowering.  It's fun to see what others see in what I have created.  It's always nice to receive kind words as well as words of encouragement.  If I waited until my paintings were perfect, I would never be part of this wonderful community.  So I share what I have created and looked forward to seeing what others have made in their world.

It is hard to be a perfectionist.  It stops us from creating and from becoming all that we can be.  Things can always be improved but I have found that when I start to get that feeling of I know there is just one more thing I should do to make this better than the best thing I can do is stop. Often after stepping away for even a short time, I realize the painting is good enough just as it is. Other times I realize just a little more work will make it just a little better.  And many times I ask for help from someone who knows more than I do.  This painting looks very different in person than it does on the screen. So I think I will take some time, leave it alone, and see what happens when I look at it again.  It's not perfect.  It's probably not finished.  But I like it and most of the time that is enough.  It feels good when you realize that your painting does not have to be perfect and neither do you.

           When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                                Ginny

  "Your capacity for delight is in direct proportion with your willingness and ability to experience joy in simple                                                                                            things."
                                                                                                                                           Jill Badonsky

I started my blog post this morning and then had to leave to have my first session with a wellness coach.  One of my goals for this year is to continue to build a healthier lifestyle.  When I saw that our local hospital offered the services of a wellness coach I thought I would take advantage of it and see what happened.  It was amazing.  We talked about lifestyle and food. We talked about exercise and stress.  We talked about how balance is so important. We talked about the importance of devoting time to just yourself doing things that are important to you. The word awareness came up over and over.  It is a word that I love and that I use often.  I think one of the reasons that I am attracted to the quote above is that it reminds me not only to experience joy in simple things but to be aware of what makes me feel joyful.  I need to be aware of what brings me delight and be sure to take the time to fully experience the moment.  This morning a beautiful picture on facebook instantly brought me a feeling of delight.  Just looking at the snow bathed in sunlight made me want to go outside and take a picture.  Buying fresh fruit today inspired me to fill a bowl with fruit.  It is now out on the table just waiting for us.  So much better than the cookies that are in the dark closet.  The vision of the bright fruit on the table produces a feeling of simple joy.  It is this type of feeling that I want to create more and more of. I want it to be part of my lifestyle.  I want it to shine through in my painting or my photographs.  I want to express it with my words or my actions.


 Simple pleasures produce delight and delight inspires me to create.  We can go through life day by day not really experiencing all there is to experience. Or we can choose to nourish ourselves and our creativity with all the world has to offer.  It does not have to be expensive.  My session today was unbelievably inexpensive in terms of a dollar amount.  But in terms of what it did for me it was priceless.  What nourishes you?  How can you incorporate more of that into your day.  What tiny step can you take today to begin to experience and delight in the simple pleasures that are there for you if you take the time to notice them?


Wednesday's Coaching Tip:  Each day take just a minute to stop and notice the world around you.  Begin to recognize the simple things that bring you joy.  Write them down.  Celebrate them.  Find ways to bring them into your life as often as you can.


       When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin! 
                                                                                                                           Ginny

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember you  have the strength, the patience and the passion to                                               reach for the stars to change the world."  Harriet Tubman

I always enjoy beginning the week with a quote. We all have dreams. Some of those dreams are for ourselves, some for our family, and others extend out into changing the world.  Having someone tell you that you have the strength, the patience and the passion to make those dreams come true is empowering.  Having someone believe and support you and your dreams makes the journey a little easier and definitely a lot more fun.  Sometimes we are lucky and that support is there from the moment you share your dream with someone else. Sometimes the support comes from people you hardly know but because of a common interest a friendship grows and a bond forms.  Sometimes you have to follow your dream alone until the support finds you.  Reaching out to others, and sharing your passion can be uncomfortable at first. But as you become more comfortable saying words like "I am a writer."  "I am a painter."  " I am a dancer."  "I am a photographer."  " I am a coach." it gets easier and easier.  One of the things that I have found is that when I share my dreams others feel it is ok to share their dreams

On Friday's blog post I made a special offer.  If creativity coaching sounds like something you have always been interested in, I hope that you will take a moment to scroll down and take a look.  My dream is to share what I have learned in my Kaizen-Muse Creativity training with others. What are you dreaming of today?

             When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                                           Ginny