"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."  Lao Tzu

When I turn to my right I can look outside.  It's almost ten in the morning but it is really dark outside.  Today is one of the those rare dark dreary rainy days that I enjoy because it is rare. We have had a wonderful spring.  It has been sunny.  It has been cool.  I told someone that it is like fall but with beautiful flowers.  Because it has been so beautiful, I have not hurried through my days.  I have taken my time, enjoyed the moment, and yet actually did accomplish what I set out to do each day. 

When I reflect on what is different is my life - it's me.  I have just as much to do as I did in the past, the difference is now I do what is important, what makes a difference to me or my family, and what feels right.  I don't have to  hurry because I have learned to say, "no" to the things that don't make sense.  I am open to trying new things, meeting new people, and having new experiences but for all of the right reasons.  I don't have to fill my days with things to keep me busy because I have learned that slowing down and enjoying the sunrise or the sunset, the quiet moment, or the long conversation is much more important then what might come next.  Living in the moment, for the moment, is a freeing experience.  Not rushing through the day, but listening to the quiet sounds of the raindrops on the roof or the wind through the trees is relaxing and important..

I know that we are all different.  For some what I described above does not sound perfect.  For others, it sounds wonderful.  It's important to take time to figure out what is really important to you.  To know what makes each day special and then to create a life that supports who you are and what you love most.  It takes time to figure this out, but just like nature if we do not hurry everything can be accomplished!  

          Remember:  When you share your talents and dreams with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

                            "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."
                                                                                                                      Ralph Waldo Emerson

This week in art class we were working on the different marks you can make with pastels.  As I usually do, I try to follow the steps and the procedures but then before I know I get into the "zone" and I am not following anything but what feels right.  Yesterday, I just went with it and enjoyed the process immensely.  As a fairly new artist, I think it is important for me to gain as much knowledge as I can, I think it is equally important for me to go with the flow and see what happens.  We talked in class about the importance of knowing our own style and really embracing and celebrating that style. I am starting to do that.  I realize that we all see things differently.  We all react to things differently and we are all inspired by different things.  And that is what I am grateful for this week.  I am grateful for the fact that we are all different and unique and special. I saw this quote recently, "Don't forget- no one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories you have to tell."  Charles de Lint  I would like to add -  no one else can paint a picture, or take a photograph, or sing a song, or dance a dance the way you can.  We all have different ways to express ourselves and that's just one of the things that makes life so exciting. 
 
       Remember -  When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens!  Let the magic begin.    

                                               Linking to Paint Party Friday and Creative Every Day. 

                                          "I dream my painting and I paint my dream."  Vincent Van Gogh

As I take my walk each day, I think about so many different things.  Since becoming a creativity coach, I have met so many people who are living wonderful creative lives.  Some realize that each day is filled with creativity from the time they get up to the time they go to bed.  They celebrate cooking breakfast as a creative outlet. Or they celebrate writing a journal entry or choosing the clothes they wear that day as being part of their creativity. 

Others see their creativity in terms of the paintings they create, the songs they sing, or the stories they write.  We all connect with our creativity in a different way.  Some people have to be involved in a very definite creative activity to feel whole, to remember who they are.  Others are just beginning to recognize their own creativity while still others are changing careers or lifestyles to be able to embrace the creative person they want to be.

We all connect with our creativity in different ways.  The important thing is that we do connect with it, that we do embrace it and that we do celebrate our own unique style! 

Is there a special way that you connect with your creativity?   Is it in a class with other people, working alone in your studio, or walking in nature.  Is it while you are meditating, or in a yoga class, or having coffee with a friend? Does walking down a city street filled with noise, people, and bright colors inspire you to create something magical?  It is important to know what inspires you to create and then to make time for those things in your life.  Creative connections - what are yours?

                                        Remember - When you share your dreams with the world, magic happens!

If working with a creativity coach is something that you would like to explore, I would love to talk to you.  Let's work together to make your dreams come true.

When I was taking the training to become a Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach from Jill Badonsky she said lots of things that spoke to me.  If you asked me if I was a perfectionist, I would have told you no.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was not a perfectionist in everything I did but there were times that I wanted things to be perfect.  So now when I feel like something is not "perfect" I take a deep breath and relax.  I look around me at the sun and the sky and the beautiful colors of the trees and flowers and slow down, breathe, and enjoy the minute.  Being a pefectionist is hard.  Taking a deep breath is free, it's calming, and helps us to remember what is important in life.  If you find yourself working towards perfection this week, try taking a deep breath and see what happens.

Did you ever look at something you have painted and not know why you liked it, but you do?  This is not something I would normally like but when I look at it I like it.  There are some things I might change but for now I am going to leave it alone.  It was the last piece we did in the class I am taking and it is different from the normal landscapes I love to do.  Maybe, that's why I like it - it is different. 

Each Friday I share what I am grateful for during the week.  This has been a sad week for all us especially the people in Boston.  So many lives have been changed forever.  I am grateful for all of the people who in the midst of the horror set such wonderful examples for us and our children by immediately stepping forward to help.  There are so many wonderful people in this world and for that I am very grateful. 

I am also grateful that I have met and have been able to work with incredibly talented people through my Special Moments In Time Creativity Coaching. What I like most about creative life coaching is that I meet wonderful people who may be going through a transitional time in their life, or who have an idea they want to explore, or a problem they would like to solve. Together we try to implement the many strategies that I have learned as a certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach to make their life just a little brighter.

                                    Remember:  When you share your dreams with the world, magic happens!  

I am linking my post to Paint Party Friday.  I did not realize it but it has been over a year since I first started sharing my paintings with this wonderful group of talented and supportive artists.  They have taught me so much in the past year and for that I am also very grateful!

Each Wednesday I like to share a creativity coaching tip that I use both for myself and with the wonderful people I get to coach.  It is usually a coaching strategy that I have used a lot in the previous week or that I have really thought about as I take my walk throughout the week.  "What's worked before?"  is a simple question that can open the door to a variety of answers.  Many times we know the answer to something we are struggling with but it is very normal to look outside for the answer rather than to look at what we have done in the past that has worked for us.  This simple question can help us solve problems in all areas of our lives. 

For example, if I am trying to lose weight, I know that by not buying the candy or the cookie mix in the grocery store it is much easier for me to eat healthy snacks.  It is really easy for me to forget this simple thing but if I am really honest with myself what has made a huge difference in my life is not having the junk food in the house.  So if I ask myself, "What's worked before to help you lose weight?" the answer would have to be don't have the junk food in the house. 

If I find myself not painting enough and I know I really miss it but somehow other things seem to be getting in the way, I can help solve the problem by asking myself, " What motivated or inspired me to paint before?" I would have to answer taking a class with a really supportive teacher and group of women.  Now that I have stopped comparing  my work to the work of others in the class, taking a class always motivates me to paint.  I always look forward to the class and seem to paint much more during the weeks that I am in a class.  So once more the simple question, "What worked before?"  helps me to solve a problem that I am facing in the present.

It is normal to face the same problem many times in our lives.  It is normal to forget what has worked for us in the past.  But when you ask the question, the answer usually comes.  Try it.  When you have a problem, ask yourself "What worked before?"  See if it helps.  I feel confident that you will find that it does.

As always it is fun for me to share what I think about on my walk.  If working with a creativity coach is something that you have thought about, I would love to talk to you. Just email me and we can set a time to talk about your plans and dreams!

                                   Remember:  When you share your dreams with the world, magic happens! 

                                              Hold the Vision.  Trust the Process        (annonymous) 

Sometimes it is hard to keep the vision, other times it is hard to trust the process, and some times it is difficult to remember both. But I have found that if I have a vision for my day, or week, or year then I have a road map for where I want to go and what I want to do. But I also know that life often takes a few twists and turns and that is when I have to remember to trust the process.  When I trust the process I ask myself, "What did I learn from what just happened?  Should my vision change or should I continue on the path I am going and see what happens next?  I am always open to changing the vision if it is time to change, but I truly believe that it often takes time to create a vision and that I need to give myself that time.  

Part of my creative vision for this year is to continue to grow as an artist.  I want to paint more, learn more, and while getting better, not take myself or my painting so seriously that I am not having fun. Part of the process for me has been to post my work on my blog.  It was really scary to do this at first, but the more I share my paintings, the good, the bad and everything in between the more comfortable I feel talking about my work and what I am creating.  So by trusting the process I am strengthening the vision. I am learning that the more I paint, the more I want to paint.  I am learning that I don't like all of what I create and sometimes I can improve upon what I have done and other times I need to start over.  I am learning that I love the support of other artists as well the inspiration I get when I look at their work. I also know that this is a journey that  has no ending.  It will go on and on and that is exciting.   

                                   If someone asked you , "What is your vision for your creative life?" what would you say.   

                                       Remember:  When you share your dreams with the world, magic happens. 

I love the above quote. And this week, I did exactly what the quote said to do.  I held my vision of what type of painter I want to become and I am trusting that through the process I will get there.  Today I had lots of fun painting the above picture.  Most of the time I have been trying to get everything just right.  For some reason, this time it didn't matter.  I used the wrong kind of paper, my old pastels, and my trees are what many of my teachers have told me not to paint - lollipop trees and yet when I look at the painting it makes me happy.  And that is what this all about - having fun and painting something that makes me happy.

It's almost Friday which means it is also time to reflect on what I am grateful for this week.  We have had a beautiful sunny week but the air is filled with pollen and everything is covered in it.  Tonight it rained and the pollen has been washed away.  I know that a lot of people will be feeling a lot better and for that I am very grateful.  I am also so grateful for the time I get to spend with my grandchildren.  Their smiles and their laughter light up the room and my heart.  It is amazing how much fun it is to play tag with a fifteen month old.  He laughs at everything we do and for that I am also very grateful.

I hope that you have had a wonderful week filled with simple but special moments.  If you would like to share one or two, I would love to hear about them.

I am linking this post to Paint Party Friday and Creative Every Day.  Please stop by and say "hello" to a very talented group of artists.

Wednesday's walk is the day I share with you some of the things I think about as I take my walk.  This week I have been thinking a lot about one of the principal's of creativity and that is Now is the time.  Go for it.  Take action.

  So often we think about something we want to do.  We research it, we make our plans, and then when it is time to take that final step we stop and let the voices in our head or the voices of those around us stop us from moving forward.  What I have found is that if I listen to my intuition I know when the time is right to take that final step.  It does not mean I am not scared but when everything is saying, "Now, Now is the time" it usually is.  There are lots of steps to the creative process but the one that we often miss is the one that can make a big difference.  It's the last step, the one where you take the final plunge and jump in.  Are you ready to take that step?  Is the quiet voice inside your head telling you now is the time? Is your heart and your intuition telling you now is the time?   What is it that you want to do?  Have your researched an idea?  Have you started a book?  Do you want to make a change?  Is now the time?  Listen to your head but also listen to your heart.  And when the time is right, take the step that can make all the difference in the world.  Take the step that can change your life forever. 

If you have ever thought of working with a creativity coach, now may be the time.  I would to learn more about your dreams and the possibility of working with you.  If you  have any questions about creativity coaching, I would love to hear from you. 
Ginny

                      "You're off to great places.  Today is your day.  Your mountain is waiting.  So get on your way."
                                                                                                              Dr. Seuss

I love to find quotes that are filled with positive energy!  This reminds me that we are always on a journey and it can be to great places if that is what we set our mind to.  Those places don't have to be far away.  They can be the same places we go to each and every day. I believe  it is how we start our day.  Is it filled with excited anticipation?  Is it filled with curiousity and and a "I can't wait to see what today brings?"  What if everyday we started with the thought, "Today is my day!"  How would your day be different?  Would it be how you spent the day or how you perceived what you were doing?  Would you change something about the day or change your attitude?  Would you let the day unravel as it wanted to or would you plan your day? 

We are all different and we are all are leading different lives.  There are some things we can change and some things that have to stay the same.  But we can always change the way we see things. It's not always easy.  But it always worth the effort.  So remember:  Today and every day is your day.  Make it exciting, make it fun, make a day that you will remember.  As Dr. Seuss said, "Your mountain is waiting.  So get on your way."

Have a wonderful week.  I would love to know what mountain you are going to climb and what is waiting for you at the top.