Free Your Spirit Through Writing

On my recent vacation I set aside some time each day for something I love - writing in my journal. Although I still keep a journal, I've been spending a lot more time art journaling - playing with paint, cutting, pasting, and getting messy. So returning to the basics and staying simple with a black pen and white paper felt really good.

When I write in a journal, I do so without thinking. I place my pen to the blank page and just write. If I'm feeling stuck I'll write about the day. "Today I did this..." I may ramble on a bit, but I always feel lighter and freer by getting the words, the thoughts, the feelings - out of my head and onto the page.

After journaling regularly for over 15 years, I see the healing powers and benefits that come from a consistent free-spirit writing practice. And what I mean by free-spirit writing is simply writing and writing and writing - not from a thinking place, but more from a feeling place. When I write, I allow myself to clear up space in my mind. I allow myself the freedom to speak from my heart. The more I write, the more I can do so without thinking about it. The more I practice and stay with it, the more I connect to a place where my heart knows the answers.

And it's in this heart-centered writing place that I learn the most about myself. Going back through my writings, I've discovered the cycles I can't seem to brake. I am reminded of my dreams, my deep aspirations, and my secret wishes. By simply seeing my truth on the page, I awake to my personal strength, I gain more clarity, and I can walk forward from an authentic place, with a greater sense of confidence and wisdom. No matter what, I always feel better after writing.

If you are curious about journaling and would like to give it a try (or return to it), here are a few tips that have worked for me:

Free-Spirit Writing

1) Use a favorite pen and journal
I find that if I have a favorite pen (one that's fluid and allows me to write fast), and a journal that I love, I'm much more excited about writing in it. Take yourself to the office supply or art store and try out a variety of sample pens 'til you find the right one!

2) Set aside 5 minutes each day
You can find 5 minutes to wash your hair, brush your teeth, and eat a meal. (Most days, right?) So there has to be a way you can find 5 minutes to write in a journal, but you have to set aside that time for it. I find it really helpful to write at the same time each day (and of course I know that this may be impossible at times!) I try to make it a ritual to write with my morning coffee or tea. See what time works best for you.

3) Keep writing
No matter what - when you place that pen to the blank page - just write. Even if nothing comes out and your mind is telling you "I have nothing to say," keep your pen moving. You can draw shapes, lines, spirals...whatever...but keep that pen moving until something, anything comes out. If you stay with it, over time you will surprise yourself.

4) Be yourself
Your journal doesn't have to hold happy thoughts, sad thoughts or dark secrets. Your journal just IS. Let it be a place where you speak from your heart - speak your truth. Because for many of us, this is the only place where we can truly let go of our masks and be that brilliant, vibrant being that we really are. Doing this in a journal is a great first step towards living a more authentic life!

5) Protect it
Your authentic self will feel a lot safer knowing that your journal is a safe place to write. It's for you, and you alone. So keep it in a place where you know others won't read it.

6) Respect it
Show respect for your journal. Treat it like a good friend. Because that's exactly what it is...a friend that holds no judgements, one that simply loves you and wants you to live a vibrant, happy life.

7) Have fun
Writing shouldn't feel like a chore. Have fun with it! Write at your favorite coffee shop, write in the park, or write alongside your kids. When you feel ready to expand from the basic pen, check out the amazing art journaling magazines, books and websites out there to get inspired. (Including my creative adventure e-course!)

Your Personal Reflection: Do you ever feel like your mind is cluttered with thoughts, or your heart is cluttered with emotions? Give journaling a try and simply let yourself write, write, write.

Letting Go of Perfect

The past few weeks have flown by, with returning from a family vacation, to starting my spring session of Inside Out e-course, to reducing clutter in my home.

So I decided to take a much needed break and enjoy the sunshine with paints and my 2-year-old.  I have my paints ready and set out some for Kestan with his own book.  Ahh, great...everything is perfect.  The birds are singing, not a cloud in the sky, the flowers are in bloom and I'm enjoying a clean patio (that we worked all weekend on!)

But, Kestan had other ideas.  He wanted to paint on mommy's paper.  At first I could feel a sense of resistance creep up.  "But this is my journal," I thought.  I took a deep breath and let go of expectations that this was going to be the perfect moment for creating.

As we started painting together, this experience turned into a new assignment for my class participants, which included encouraging them to explore their unique brush strokes.

In fact, Kestan gave me a great idea on how to make cool strokes with an old toothbrush!

I could have easily given up, put all the paints away and gotten frustrated that my perfect moment was ruined.  But instead, letting go of the idea that I must find the perfect moment for creating, I ended up discovering new things about my little boy and myself.  I learned that I still have tendencies to be uptight, despite my practice in letting go and implementing more play into my life.  And I was reminded, once again, that Kestan is my true teacher.

We both got lost in the moment - together.  We played.  We used our imaginations.  We had fun!  And we created something that is imperfectly wonderful.  

Your Personal Reflection:  Do you wait for the perfect moment to create?  Does that moment ever come?  How can you practice creating more in the middle of things, while letting go of perfect?

Give Yourself a Gift

Do you want to dream big, face your fears and change your life?  

Do you want to nurture your creative being and let your artist within be fully expressed to the world? (Remember - we are ALL artists - even if you don't feel like one, yet!)

Do you want to learn how to use new art supplies and to play, play, play with paint?

Do you want to create without perfection, without a "right" way, and with lots of messes?

Do you want to expand the possibilities in your life and follow what lives inside your heart?

Do you want more balance, peace, serenity, relaxation and harmony every day?

Do you want to rid your life of physical, emotional and mental clutter, so that you can know the deeper part of you - the part that is present, connected and authentic?

Do you want to get to know yourself better and discover what brings you great meaning and joy?

Do you want to explore through writing and creative play, while connecting to a like-minded community of bold explorers - others who know exactly where you are coming from, (and have a chance to meet new life-long friends?)

Do you want to live freely - being the REAL you?

Sign-up for Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery and remember what it really means to create and fully live the life you love.  

Starts Monday!  (Enrollment is open until Sunday, April 4th, Midnight US Central Time.)

Your Personal Reflection:

What are you waiting for?  Feel like you have no time or money?  Email me about your concerns and let's have a chat.  livefreely@mac.com

On a side note:  I am taking a week off from blogging to spend quality time with my family on a vacation to the north woods.  I will return next week!  Please share the link to my e-course with anyone you think would benefit from this creative, mindful journey.


Those of you participating in Reduce Clutter; Create Space, 2010 Challenge:  We are wrapping up the March theme of conquering our clothes, and the loose theme for April is the kitchen.

Self-Discovery is a Life-Long Journey

I met Hip Mountain Mama on Twitter last year, and we've become good "virtual" friends ever since.  She has been a wonderful supporter of my e-course, and she experienced some life changing moments from taking the class.  Please enjoy this honest, authentic reflection of a glimpse into her self-discovery journey.

Why were you originally drawn to signing up for Inside Out?
I am always looking for ways to tap into my true self...to live the life I really want for myself.  In this busy world we live in, it can be hard to take the time to work on YOU.  I was reading your blog one day and saw that you were offering an e-course on self-discovery...this appealed to me on many levels and I knew I wanted to be part of it!  I really liked that it was an online class that could be taken on my own pace, but that there would also be support from you and the other members.

Have you ever taken an e-course before?
No, this is my first one.

What did you enjoy the most from your experience in the course?
I really enjoyed the guided meditations!  Having the extra nudge to take 15 minutes for me each day was just what I needed.  I also really enjoyed journaling and the deep and thought provoking questions that we addressed.

Did you encounter any surprises along the way?
I think my favorite and most surprising day was when we were figuring out what was really important to us in life.  To do this, we first took the approach of what we did not value or like in our lives.  By doing this I was able to realize there were many situations that did not go along with my values and I needed to let a few things go in my life!  By letting some things go, I was completely surprised by how at peace and happy I felt!

Did you learn anything new about yourself and what are some of the things you've discovered in the course that you've now applied to your daily life?
I learned that I am great at stuffing my feelings and going along with things in my life that need to be put aside.  I have learned that I need to feel and that it is OK to feel and to let these feelings out.  As I said in an earlier answer, I have let some things go in my life that caused me stress and allowing myself to do this has been life changing!

Would you recommend this course to others?  
Absolutely!  Whatever place you are in your life, this is a class that everyone can learn from.  It is amazing to hear how the class affected other people and how everyone takes from it what they need.


Anything else you'd like to share, especially to those who are wondering if the course is right for them?
One of my favorite things about taking the class was waking up knowing I had a friend to go to each morning.  Reading the post for the day, answering questions, journaling, meditating, doing some artwork...I never knew what was going to be in store for that day's class and that was really exciting and fun! Take a leap of faith and see what this class can do for you!

Thank you, Suzy, for sharing your enthusiasm for life with us!  I remember one of her favorite guided meditations from class was the one that focused on creativity.  I'd like to share that meditation with each of you.  Click here to download the audio podcast, set aside 10 minutes of quiet time, get comfortable and enjoy the gift of stillness.

Your Personal Reflection:  Think about the last time you took a leap of faith.  What big, healthy risks have you taken in your life that have changed you?  Are you ready for a new one?

This Adventure Called Life

"I am an artist."  It took me years before I could say that without cringing or laughing, or feeling just plain weird about it.  I can now say it with confidence.  I can also say that I am actually living, for the first time, the life I've imagined.

It's taken me years to get to this place.  I'm the happiest I've ever been.  But believe me, it hasn't come without struggle. Over 10 years ago, I was living in Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by the most amazing nature.  To this day, I still get so much of my inspiration from the mountains.  I can smell a ponderosa pine and feel like I've just gone to heaven.  When I was living there, I was struggling to find my place in the world. I didn't really know what to do with myself and my mantra was, "I'm not good at anything."  Then, a beautiful soul entered my life and she introduced me to The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.

We gathered 5 amazing women, and for twelve weeks, we dove deeply into the book.  Every week we took turns leading each other in creative experiences.  Sometimes we felt vulnerable.  Sometimes our fears and worries were exposed. Many times we discovered new things about ourselves.  Things we liked. Things we didn't. And the community we built together changed ALL of us.

It took a lot of practice, but soon, my "not good at anything" mantra changed.  I started believing in myself, and discovered a whole new world of expansion and endless possibilities.  Ultimately, I learned to open my heart and TRUST my intuition.

This trust led me down a new path.  I moved back to the Midwest.  A 5-year relationship came to an end.  I dove deeply into all forms of creative expression.  I journaled like crazy.  I discovered yoga and meditation.

I've been teaching yoga for over 9-years and have embraced it as part of my lifestyle.  For me, yoga is about celebrating the present moment, connecting more deeply to my heart center, and living life with compassion.

Practicing yoga has taught be that I am the creator of my own life.  I now know that everything in my external world is a reflection of my internal world.  So the more I take time to journey within, the more peaceful and happier I feel.  Believing this has led me to some bigger, more recent changes, like leaving a job with a consistent paycheck, to run my own business, and stay home with my son.

I truly believe that we ALL deserve happiness.  We ALL are creative beings.  We ALL have the potential to live more fully, boldly and freely.  And, the more I learn and grow, the more I want to share with others.

The e-course I've created, Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery is a culmination of my life's searching, reflecting, exploring and discovering.  I've combined my love and appreciation for the creative process, art, writing, journaling, yoga and meditation, into this course as tools for self-awakening.  I know from experience that only so much can change when we start externally. The real change, the deep change, the ever-lasting change - the kind that breaks cycles, and thought patterns, and self-sabotaging behaviors - happens when we start from the INSIDE, and work OUT.

I am an artist.  I am a yoga teacher.  I am a creativity coach.  I am a mom.  I am an explorer.  But mostly, I just AM.  I am a student of life, and I'm so excited to share my journey with you.

I have extreme enthusiasm to meet you and to learn about your journey...

Your Personal Reflection:  Are you ready to create the life you love, from the Inside Out?
(psst...My course starts Monday, January 18th!)