"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities."  Jean Houston

As you look forward into the holiday season what new possibilities do you dream of?  Is there something you have always wanted to do to make your holidays a little merrier or easier or happier?  Are there traditions you want to let go of so that you have room to make new ones?  When you think of this holiday season, what comes to mind? 

Several years ago I decided to retire our big tree. No one enjoyed putting it up much less taking it down.  I replaced our big tree with a small tree that I decorate with tiny but pretty ornaments. I have fun doing it while I listen to music and enjoy being in the moment.    

We are all different. Our traditions are both personal and important.  When I think of the holiday season, I think of laughter and smiles and quiet moments.  I think of twinkling lights and if I am lucky a snowflake or two.  I think of chocolate chip cookies and on Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.  Our traditions are simple and they seem to get simpler with each year.  

What kaleidoscope of new possibilities can you imagine not only for this season but for the year ahead? Are there new doors you want to open and ideas you want to explore? Take a little time each day to stop, to listen, and to become aware of what is making you happy.  What makes your eyes light up and your heart beat a little faster?  What gives you energy and makes you smile?  Remember those moments. Write them down.  Look at them often. Use them to make decisions that will create new and wonderful memories.  And while you are doing all of this don't forget to laugh - the universe is waiting.

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


If you have a possibility you would like to explore, I would love to talk to you.  Creativity coaching helps to knock down barriers that you never even knew existed.  Now is the perfect time to schedule a free 30 minute session to learn all about Kaizen-Muse Creativity coaching and see if it is right for you.  Then when January first rolls around you will be ready to begin to unleash all of your creative dreams!  You can contact me at [email protected]

 Where the did the week go?  Thanksgiving is over and the holiday season has begun. Today I have been reflecting on the year that has almost passed so that I can determine what direction I want to take next.  

Looking at the pastel above is part of today's journey.  When I look at it I am reminded of what really being in the moment and enjoying the process means.  I remember not having any idea of what I was going to paint and just picking colors that spoke to me.  I can still remember the sound of the pastel on the paper and the movement of my hand.  I can remember working without thinking but really feeling what I was doing. And when I finished the piece I remember saying, "Wow, I love it!"  I hope to incorporate more of those creative experiences into my life next year.  I don't expect it to happen every time I paint but I do want to celebrate the joy of creating each time I pick up a paint brush or a piece of pastel.

Each Friday it is my practice to share what I am thankful for.  As I watch my husband begin to build furniture again, I am so thankful for his spirit and drive and determination not to give into a chronic illness.  I appreciate his love of creativity which has helped him be flexible as he continues to meet each challenge with an open mind.  Problem solving has always been a way of life for him - now he just uses those skills in a different manner.  Creativity is one of the gifts that we are born with that just keeps on giving if we let it.  I hope that you will use your gift in a way that not only brings you happiness but inspires the world around you.

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

Participating in Paint Party Friday is something that I always look forward to.  Although this painting is one that I need to leave alone and come back to in a few days, I thought I would share it as a WIP.  The past two weeks I have been painting with oil pastels and I am really enjoying them.  I still get messy but not as messy as with chalk pastels and the outcome is different.  I am going to take a chalk pastel class in January but I would love to learn more about oil pastels as well. If anyone has any hints or suggestions, I am open to learning as much as I can. 

I have a long list of things that I am grateful for this Friday but I think I will shorten it by saying I am thankful that I have found so many creative things that I love to do at this time in my life.  Many of the people I meet have been writing or painting or playing music since they were very young.  I did all of those things too as I was growing up but I never took any of them seriously.  Now, I do.  I enjoy the time that I spend expressing myself through my art or writing.  This week I am grateful that I have realized that being creative is an important part of who I am.  What are you most grateful for today?
 
      When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                               Ginny

What I love most about the Kaizen-Muse way of thinking is that it works not only when you are creating a painting or writing a book but that it helps me to create the life I want to live each and every day.  I love the holiday season but that wasn't always the case. There was a time in my life that it meant constant hustle and bustle.  Worrying about decorating and cooking and getting the perfect gift for everyone just came with the season.. By the time it was over I was exhausted just like everyone else I knew.  Now, I look forward to it. 

                            "People inspire you, or they drain you - pick them wisely."  Hans F. Hansen


As I continue my Sunday series of a quote to inspire me through the week and a question to reflect upon so that I as I head into the new year I know where I want to go and want I want to do, I realize that there are lots and lots of pieces that are involved in creating the life you want to live.  When you combine the fact that there are so many things to think about with the fact that we are always growing and changing it is no wonder that we sometimes get confused.  But I completely believe that the more we are aware of who we are and what we want to do with each day the easier it becomes to make decisions when choices are given and opportunities present themselves.  My questions for this week were inspired by the quote above.


.             Who are the people that inspire you?  What is it about them that inspires you?  

I am inspired by people who know who they are and what they want to do.  I am inspired by people who are unsure of who they are and what they want to do but who try new things and look at life in lots of different ways until they find the way that is right for them.  I am inspired by people who are curious and ask questions but then really listen to the answers. I am inspired by people who have lots of ideas.  I love the look in their eyes when they start to brainstorm and come up with twenty different possibilities but then are able to narrow them down into one idea that works. I am inspired by kind caring people who are generous to others but still know how to say "No" so they have time to take care of themselves. I am inspired by people who are passionate about what they do and are willing to explain it to me even if I have no understanding of what they are talking about. I am inspired by people who love their life and live it the way that makes sense to them.

It would be unfair and unwise to think that everyone I share my day or life with could be all of those things all of the time. But as I go through each day and meet new people I am going to become more aware of the people that I interact with.  I am going to look for the kindness in someone's eyes or the laughter that they share.  I am going to feel their passion as they explain what they do and ask questions about their adventures.  I am going to learn to say "No" to what is not important and "Yes" to what makes a difference.  Inspiring people are everywhere.  We just have to look for them.  Who inspires you?

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

This has been a week filled with wonderful opportunities to paint and play and take pictures.  From chalk pastel to oil pastel to learning how to take better pictures with my IPhone the week has been filled with new adventures.  My goal for the month of November is to play with as many mediums as possible.  The above work-in-progress was done at our Unleashing Your Creativity workshop on Tuesday.  When it was time to choose something to work with I chose oil pastels because I have not used them very much, I really don't know how to use them, and the few times I did use them I was not sure I liked them. But much to my delight I found myself really enjoying how they felt as they moved across the paper.  I enjoyed layering them and seeing how the colors changed.  

Tonight I went to an meet a new artist in our area. As soon as I saw her beautiful chalk pastels I knew I would be getting mine out again soon.  She did a demonstration painting and it was magical to see how quickly she could change a white piece of paper into a beautiful and colorful work of art.  

The fall is my favorite season.  I love the cool crisp air and the beautiful colors that nature shares with us.  This Friday I am grateful for all of the artistic opportunities that have come my way this fall.  I find that the more open I am to doing and trying new things the more things come my way to do and try.  I don't think that is a coincidence, do you?  

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

It always amazes me how fast the weeks go.  It seems like just yesterday I was sharing my Wednesday's Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching strategy.  Yesterday I hosted a creativity workshop called Unleashing Your Creativity with three friends and coaches.  It has been awhile since I have given a workshop and it felt so good to be doing it again. One of the strategies that we explored was the importance of keeping a Reminder Journal.  This is a journal where you keep reminders of the things that work for you.  It focuses on the positive.  I write only one or two sentences on each page.  It is an easy way to highlight the important things in your every day life.  If you make one entry per day, at the end of the 52 weeks you will  have a journal filled with  positive thoughts, quotes or happenings for every day of the year. I believe that reflecting back on what works is a wonderful way to move forward with joy and hope.

Our brain tends to go naturally to what went wrong rather than what went right.  But a Reminder Journal is a great way to retrain the way you think.  You might mention the beautiful sunset that inspired you to paint, a phone call or visit from a high school friend, or a quiet walk where the only sound you heard was the falling leaves.  As you notice and record what makes you feel happy, or peaceful, or inspired you will become more aware of what you want to include in your life each day.  You are creating your life. Be sure to include all of the things that make you happy.  A Reminder Journal is a simple way to make that happen.

Coaching is something that makes me happy.  Hearing about someone's dreams is exciting.  If you have a dream or goal that you would like to get out into the world, but for some reason can't get started, let's talk  I love to share Kaizen-Muse Coaching strategies because I know they work.  . Contact me at [email protected].  I would love to hear from you

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

“Everything changed the day she figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in her life."
                                                                                                                        Brian Andreas 

This is the third part of my Sunday's quote and a question series.  The quote is to inspire me throughout the week and the question is used as I reflect upon the past year and begin to plan what I want to do next.   

 This week's question is:   Have I left enough time in each day for the important things in my life? 

It amazes me that each week as I begin to answer my question everything goes back to how aware I am of my own wishes and desires.  I have to be totally aware of what is important in my life before I can begin to leave time for it.  We are all surrounded by people and advertisements that tell us what we should have or what we need to be happy.  But it is only when I leave time for quiet reflection that I remember what is important to me and what I should make time for each day.  As I spend time this week reflecting on how I spend my time and what adjustments I may need to make, I realize that there are some things in my life that I may have to say goodbye to.  If I have to say ”No." to something that no longer serves me or my family, I am comfortable with that.  Because I know that by saying, "No" to one thing means I can now say, "Yes!" to something else.  And that something else will be something that enriches my life and the lives of those I love.

I hope that you will join me this week in seeing if you are leaving enough time in each day for the important things in your life.  It will definitely be time well spent.

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

 

Did you know that asking questions increases your creativity?  Questions engage our curiousity which is vital to creativity.  If I am honest, I am a person who does not like change all that much.  I think it is great to be satisfied but I also realize that making changes can be a good thing.  So today as I used my watercolor pencils I kept asking myself, "What if?"  What if I used this color instead of that one?  What if I added more water and let it puddle?  What if I stopped now?  What if I kept going even though I like the way it looks? What if?  I realize I need to push myself more especially since I've dedicated this month to playing with my art. So the question, "What if?"  is going to be part of my every day language from now on.

I'm just curious.  Are you a person who changes often?  Do you experiment with your art?  Do you try new things all of the time?  I'd really like to know.

Each Friday I take time to reflect upon what I am grateful for.  This week I have had wonderful opportunities to collaborate with people I really admire.  It is so nice to be able to work with people who are passionate about what they are doing and share that passion with me.  Julie Jordan Scott from Julie Unplugged shared this quote with me today.  "For all that has been, thanks.  For all that will be, YES."  Dag Hammerskjold.  I think that is a perfect way to express exactly how I feel today.

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