Inside Out Registration is Now Open!

The 6th session of Inside Out: A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery e-course opens today.  I am thrilled and excited and I sure hope you will join us!  Oh...and by the way...I know times are tough right now for so many.  I felt a tug at my heart to lower the price for this winter session.  SO...you will see the offering for class is $79 for 5-weeks. And if you find a friend to join you, the offering is $120 for two.

Visit HERE for more details and to REGISTER.

Visit HERE to read just a few testimonials from past participants.

Visit HERE to read why I created this class.

Are you wanting to make some changes in your life?

Are you ready to make 2012 the best year yet?

Are you a mom of young children and feeling lost?

Are you a mom of older children and are thinking...now what?

Are you a women desperately longing to find her creative passions in life?

Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed?

Are you ready to define your life's purpose and be of service to the world?

Are you wanting to slow down?

Are you interested in playing with paint but don't know where to begin?

Have you been creating your whole life but are needing some new inspiration?

Are you ready to find stillness?

Are you feeling a little blocked?

Are you feeling pretty darn good and happy but just want to regain clarity for a new year?

Are you curious about what "else" there is in life?

Are you wanting to express yourself but don't know how?

Are you needing some courage to follow your heart?

Are you ready to set some new goals in your life?

Do you have a big dream you are ready to manifest but are just needing some support?

Are you wanting to regain balance?

Are you seeking more adventure?

Do you feel alone?

Are you longing for connection and community?

Are you overjoyed and want a tribe to share your bliss with?

Are you ready to let go of "perfect," be messy, play more, laugh more and have more fun?

If you resonate with any of these questions above, than maybe this 5-week Inside Out e-course experience is for you.

Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions.  

All life is an experiment.  

The more experiments you make the better.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Feel free to email me with any questions.  livefreely@mac.com

We are packing up the kids, car seats, snacks, and winter clothes for a family adventure. I'll be back in a week or so after our vacation!  

Be well and have a peace-filled day.

Your Personal Reflection:  What action will you take today towards creating the life YOU love?

Day #29: Thank the Quiet Givers

We kicked off the Christmas season on Sunday at an annual holiday party with some friends.  I met these two women years ago standing in line at orientation for our new job (which only one still works there part time). We worked for the same company but didn't work in the same area, and yet, managed to remain friends.  Since our first day we've all gotten married and now each have two kids, so our holiday party has grown in numbers. This year we celebrated our 11th party with a wonderful dinner and gift exchange.  The kids had a great time playing and us parents enjoyed wine and yummy food.

And it wasn't until a day later that I started thinking about how much effort my friend who hosted the party must have put in to prepare for our visit.  She had us over at her house, which we all know means you have to clean.  She cooked the main meals, including an extra vegetarian option.  She made side dishes for the kids.  She had drinks and appetizers.  And she did all of this at the tail end of a holiday weekend where she even had houseguests.  Oh and did I mention she is a mom of two, with the youngest being a four month old baby girl who has acid reflux and who is fussy most of the time?  Oh yah, and her husband travels and was scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. the following morning.  We brought an appetizer and salad and my other friend brought dessert, but that was not nearly the amount of work as our gracious host!

Needless to say, this very giving mama deserves my thanks today.  So I have a handwritten note ready to go and will drop in a Starbucks gift card before mailing. Because even though we do things for others because we want to and it makes us feel good, it also feels good when they notice.

Your Personal Reflection:  Who in your life is always quietly helping others?  You know they aren't looking for acknowledgement, but take some time to recognize and give thanks for their kindness today.

Have you seen the 2-for-1 Inside Out e-course special I have going on until Friday? Check out Facebook for details.  (And if you don't do Facebook but still want to know about the special, email me at livefreely@mac.com.)

Happy day!

Mindless Creating Leads to Mindful Connections

I gifted myself the book Drawing Lab For Mixed-Media Artists by Carla Sonheim, and I'm so thrilled about it.  I love all kinds of art - felting, knitting, collage, art journaling, mosaicing, sewing, painting, photography...  And one medium that I am drawn to, yet scared to death of is...DRAWING!  In the past I've read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and I took a life-drawing class, but I just didn't feel inspired and my practice never really stuck.

This book is super exciting because the exercises are very simple and specifically for artists who love journaling and collage.  The first assignment is to draw 30 cats, quickly and from memory, while lying down.  I love this - using simple materials like a marker and paper, no pressure and no expectations, all while snuggled in a cozy bed!

This page is my first quick attempt...

Kestan saw me drawing and wanted to jump in the fun.  So we set up, side-by-side, in the art room and a special thing happened.

We talked.

Well, he talked mostly.

And I listened.

He opened up about things that have been on his mind.  I was amazed to hear his observations, his stories and his feelings about life.

He drew.

He made marks on the page without thinking twice, without editing, and without being critical or negative.

He simply let his intuition guide his way.  And this mindless activity, of making marks on paper, opened up a channel in him that allowed him to express his innermost feelings.

Together we doodled.  We explored.  We shared.  We made new discoveries.

And it reminded me just how important it is to incorporate more mindless creating and spontaneous play in my day.  It's usually in this space, between all the chaos and the busyness of life, where the true magic really happens.  Just as in meditation, where there is a space between each inhale breath and each exhale breath, and a space between our thoughts, art can provide that same experience.  It gives us the opportunity to enjoy the beauty that comes from s p a c e.  

Mindless creating and letting our intuition be the guide helps us connect to our heart centers.  And that's what this very simple exercise - drawing for fun - did for my son and me.  We let go of our vulnerabilities, embraced play and connected to ourselves and to each other on a deeper level.

And this is why I create...

Your Personal Reflection:  Give it a try!  Step away from the computer and turn off your cell phone.  Grab a marker and piece of white card stock paper.  Get cozy and lay on your bed or the couch and draw 30 cats from memory.  Have fun and let yourself to play like a child would - without thinking about it.  Just see what comes out.  And if you have children, let them join you!  Have fun in the space of the present moment and simply enjoy drawing for fun.