“Whatever you can do or dream you can begin, boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”  ~ Goethe

All the dreaming in the world won’t get you anywhere without – ACTION

Without action you will remain exactly where you are.  Nothing will change.

Often this is the stage that some of us may come unstuck on.

We may have lots of great ideas and dreams, perhaps maybe even too many.  We get confused, overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.

Choose one thing.

It doesn’t mean that you have to give up and ditch all your other ideas and dreams, but for now decide upon one and solely make that your focus.

Choose NOW.

What is your one thing going to be?

Write it down right NOW.

Get your pen and paper out & do it NOW.  Sometimes choosing which path to take is the hardest part.  Some of us are like kids in a sweet shop, we want to it all!

This has always been the part of the creative process I have most struggled most with.

I find it impossible to choose.  Choosing, feels like I am discounting all the other possibilities and options.  I feel as if I’m forgoing all the other possible paths and experiences.   What if I make the wrong choice?

It seems so hard to just choose one path, but choose you must.  Otherwise you will end up attempting to do too many projects, doing a bit of this, a bit of that and not actually excelling in any.  Jack of all trades springs to mind!

We end up flying in so many directions that we don’t actually end up going anywhere.

Beware of the curse of the high options!

“Think of many things, do only one.”

Have you chosen the one thing you have decided to focus on?  Don’t worry, this does not mean that you will never be able to pursue any of the other ideas, but for now this is where your creative energies are going to be directed.

FOCUS

The chances are, that within that one thing you will actually find all the pleasures, joy and happiness that you were hoping for.   Your life lessons could well be wrapped up and found in pursuing that very one thing.

In fact you will probably learn more from sticking with one thing.

Where your focus goes, your energy flows.

NEXT – BABY STEPS

The duality of dreaming big and acting small….

Break down whatever it is that you want to do into manageable steps.

Baby Steps.

They need to be manageable and achievable.

This is not about biting off more than you can chew.  If you had to eat an elephant, would you attempt to eat him or her all in one giant bite?  You wouldn’t would you?!  So why would you try to do the same with your creative dreams?

Start where ever you are and start small.

Small steps will help you overcome any creative blocks you have been experiencing.  It will help you overcome any fears and anxieties you have attached to creating.

You need to take action, but you also need to be patient and kind to yourself.

Softly, Softly.

When you do a little every day, eventually big things will start to occur.

Each time you take a baby step, and another tiny step, another you will grow in both confidence and creativity.  You will start to feel better about yourself. You will start believing that this is actually possible.  You will start to feel excited.

What small step could you do right this very minute to get you started?    There must be something.  Maybe it’s make a phone call?  Perhaps you need to buy some materials?

Whatever it is, decide to do it today.

RIGHT NOW.

Continuous effort & persistent-not strength, talent or intelligence is the key to unlock our creative potential

NO EXCUSES.

Remember there are always a million excuses we can use.

STOP.

Each time you take a tiny baby step you get that little bit closer to creating and making your creative dreams a reality.  Each time you take the smallest action you grow in confidence and self-belief.  Success begets success.  The more actions you take the more you will start believing in yourself.  Taking ACTION creates a self fulfilling success circle.  It creates momentum.  It is like a snow ball growing bigger and bigger as it speeds down the hill.  Getting bigger and bigger, until it is unstoppable.

Your ideas and creative endeavours will be just like this snowball once you begin to take action, continuous action.

They will grow and gain speed and momentum.  How great is that?  It is the law of nature, the law of the universe.  Your ideas and creativity will become larger and larger till you have created an avalanche.

Each time you take another tiny step, a tiny action you make yourself that little bit prouder.

& what’s  even better, each time you take action, however small the action is, you begin to shake away some of the anxiety and panic that is attached to creating.

Baby steps take away the fear of the blank page, the horrors and biggest hurdle, of not knowing where to start.

So what are you waiting for, get your creative shoes on right NOW….& tiptoe right past fear!

Before you know it you will be free flowing, rolling down that hill, creating a massive creative avalanche!

You will eventually pass the point of no return.  Just like how it is now too late for me to turn back, on writing this blog post.  I have written too much to ditch it, even though at times the going gets tough.  When I first started it was crazily difficult.  There was that little voice inside which kept telling me, “What’s the point?”  “No-one’s going to read it anyway.” “What do you know?  It’s too hard; I might as well not bother.”

Even now, at moments I struggle or wonder to myself if its all worth the effort and hard work. Yet I have passed the point of no return, and so will you.

“All great things have small beginnings.”

FINALLY –

KEEP GOING

Quote about perspiration.

It’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.  Don’t underestimate your courage.

Just think about how great you will feel?

How proud will you feel?

Keep those positive feel good thoughts in mind.  Use them to spur you on.  The more you do, the more the fear will lessen and lose its grip.  I think we could all think of an experience in our lives which shows this to be true.  FEEL THE FEAR & DO IT ANYWAY.

“Why not go out on a limb, is that not where the fruit is.”

There are two stages of creativity.

1. 1. Dreaming
2. 2. Doing

Dreaming –

“The truth lies in a man’s dreams.” Miguel de Celvantes

Like I mentioned at the start of this book, everything starts as a thought, a tiny pin-prick thought in someone’s imagination.  You have to give yourself time and ALLOW YOURSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DARE TO DREAM.

Your dreams are the doors and gateways to possibilities.

OPEN THE DOOR.

Don’t dismiss them.

Give them the space to flourish and open like a beautiful flower opening its delicate petals to the sun.

The dreaming stage is crucial.  This stage is about DREAMING BIG. In this stage anything is possible, there should be no limits.  NO restrictions.

DREAMS ARE EXTENSIONS OF HOPE.

If you have a dream, is it not worth giving it a chance to flourish?

We spoke earlier about human potential; I hope most of you believed that that we are capable of so much more.  If you agree, then you are also likely to believe that the power of your mind is virtually unlimited & largely untapped.

“I shut my eyes in order to see.”  Paul Gauguin

Give yourself space to dream.

We lose the art of dreaming because we are too quick to get realistic.

Your Dreams are precious

Give yourself permission to dream

Daydreaming is the soul food of creativity, even if you were told differently in school!

This stage is all about being as wild and crazy as you can possibly be.  There should be NO LIMITS.  EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.  YOU MUST DREAM BIG.

• Your plans at this stage do not, should not be evaluated, and certainly not picked apart or judged
• Give your inner-critic, that negative voice in your head the big heave ho

Are you listening?

You do not need to be realistic.

At this point do not even let it enter your head about how you are going to make your dreams happen.

This stage is all about getting a bit silly, a bit out there, a bit crazy.   Really letting go.

So here goes, more activities and exercises.   This means that you now need to stop reading, pick up your pen and paper and allow yourself the time and space to give the activity a go.   You can spare 15 minutes surely?

Remember, you only get out, what you put in!

• What one thing would you love to contribute to the world?  Be really honest with yourself.

Whether it is a book, a song, painting, arts, crafts, a story, a piece of music, it doesn’t matter.  Just write down, draw or doodle whatever it is that when you are in your eighties (hopefully?) and you can then look back with pride, and say I did that!

• What would you do if you couldn’t fail?

• What would you do if money was no object?

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

CREATIVE DREAM TASK

You will need some big sheets of paper, preferably A3 size or bigger.  Lots of coloured pencils, pens, paints, and crayons- whatever you would prefer to draw and doodle with.  Fix yourself a nice cup of tea/ coffee or wine if you fancy.  Ideally get down on the floor, spread out and make yourself comfy.  Set your stop watch on your mobile phone or a timer.  Allow yourself 30 minutes to draw, create and doodle.

YOU are now going to draw and doodle, You at your most uber amazing creative-ist.

Get silly. Get creative.  Have fun.  You could even invite a friend around to do the activity with you?

Do not think too hard, you are in the dream stage, so anything is possible. You can do or be who ever you want to be.

Imagine you at your most creative?  Imagine you are the Creative version of Wonder Women.

LIVING YOUR MOST CREATIVE LIFE

Where are you?

How do you look?  What colours? What is your style?

What are you wearing?

Who are you with?

How do you feel?

What does your life look like?

How do you spend your time?

What activities / past-times do you do?

What does you life look like?

How would you like your most creative life to be?

Here is an example of me at my most creative!  ….

One I did earlier…

CREATE A CREATIVE VISION BOARD

A great way to move towards and closer to your creative dreams is to create a “Creative Dream Vision Board.”

You will need lots of magazines, access to the internet, a big sheet of paper to stick all your images and words on, or a pin-board.  Pin-boards are very inexpensive and can be picked up for a few pounds from place like Pound Stretchers.

Search through all the magazines and tear out any images, pictures or words that you are drawn to.  Do not think too deeply about this.

Do a Google Search for images that represent your creative dreams, ideas or thoughts.  This could be things that you long to do.  Places you long to go.  Pictures of activities you would love to do, interest or just appeal.

Here is an example of mine;

As you can see I have included open fires and a stone cottage as my plan is to eventually own my own old stone cottage with an open fire and scenic views.  I have saved images of messy art and creativity, and at the time I didn’t even know I wanted to really create art!  There are pictures of places I would love to travel to, such as Venice and India.  I have included pictures of writing, workshops, books & animals.  There are images that are less than obvious and more symbolic of the values, dreams and aspirations, such as an image of birds been released from a cage and ..

Once you have completed your creative vision board you need to display it somewhere prominent, ideally in a place that you have to walk past every day.  Mine is in the hall and I must walk past it at least 10 times a day to get to the kitchen.

The idea is that the images and words will speak to your inner-creative subconscious.  Slowly but surely they will reawaken and ignite something in you, you will move towards the images and words without even realising.

• Without stopping to think write, doodle or draw list 20 things that you love to do or enjoy.

Do not stop to think, just write the first things that come into your head.  There are no wrongs or rights.  No pressure.   Just let go.   The aim here is not to think too hard or deeply.

So come on, without stopping make a list of twenty things you enjoy and like to do.  It doesn’t matter what they are, and you can include food and sex!

Interestingly, we probably had more of an idea of who we were, and what we wanted to do when we were very young.  A good starting point is to think back to when you were a child.  Think back to a time in your life when the everyday was more about play, having fun, been spontaneous, and doing what made you happy in the moment.

The older you get the more likely you are to over-thinking and over-analyze things.   I have a tendency to over think everything.  Unfortunately over-thinking  is a big killer of creativity!  Your aim is to get back in touch with your inner creative-child.

• Now, take 5 minutes to think back to when you were a younger.
• What did you love to do as a child?
• What did you love to do as a child?  What about when you were a teenager?

• If there was a fire in your house, what would be the four things you would save?   If you were to save one photograph, one book, one object and one idea what would it be?  What four things are at the core of your being?

• Imagine you are a human cat.  If you had nine lives to devote to nine very different careers, what would they be?

Now look at what you have written.  Can you see any links patterns or themes?  Are there any connections?  Show a close friend, your partner or someone you trust what you have written.  Ask them if they can see any patterns or ideas emerging.  Only do this with someone who you know will be positive and have your best interests at heart.  You do not need any Doubting Thomas’s or negative comments at this stage in the proceedings!

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand.  Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

CREATIVITY IS ABOUT FINDING WHAT YOU LOVE….AND DOING MORE OF IT.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Well it may sound obvious, but actually many of us have forgotten the very things that really light us up.  The things that make us feel alive, fun and excite us.

Tapping into our own innate creativity is about finding what you love to do, and doing more of it.  This sounds so simple and obvious, yet for many of us we struggle to know what we love to do; we have lost touch with our inner essence, of who we really are.

It is not surprising as life can be pretty relentless.

We grow up, we listen to other people, we try to fit in and conform.  We do what other people and society expects of us.  Maybe we received little or no support or encouragement as we were growing up from our parents and teachers?

We begin to think that perhaps our childhood hopes and dreams were nothing more that fantasy, not based on anything real or substantial.  We are torn and pulled with the everyday pressure and responsibilities of living.  Hectic lives, busy responsible jobs, families and children to care for and support.  Pulled and tugged in many directions, our needs and desires can become secondary and slip down the priority list.

We may have had a longing to learn an instrument, to write a book,  make creative crafts or art, but we just don’t think that what we do will be good enough, so we then we think, what’s the point?  Why bother anyway? We convince ourselves that it’s a total waste of time.  WE GIVE UP.

What have you given up on?

Months and years go by, and before we know it we have convinced ourselves that it is too late now anyway.

If this sounds familiar, think back to what you thought first of all, when I asked you if you believed that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?  I’m hoping that you did think, and believe deep down that in each and every person there is the potential to be more than what they currently are.

Surely now is the time for you to tap into your potential? If you don’t do it now, when will you.  Life is short.  If you do have a deep-seated longing to do something shouldn’t you do your utmost to honour that need?

Okay, it might not be easy.  There are doubts, fears and anxieties that we all have to contend with.  The big one FEAR.

People, who will just not get it, just not get you.

It might be scary and overwhelming; you may not know where to start.  You may feel stupid.  Your inner voice will probably rear its angry loud voice and tell you time and time again,

“Who do you, think you are?  What are you doing? What’s the point?  You will never be good enough?”

At times we listen.  You will need courage to ignore, to keep going regardless.

You may have a struggle on your hands.  It will not happen overnight, it may take some time and effort.  You may have to accept that you are not going to be an over-night success, or be brilliant at whatever it is you want to create or do from day one.

The fact is, you will have to face the fact that at first you will be a beginner.  Being a beginner means accepting that you will not always get it right.   In fact more than likely you will get it wrong far more times than you will get right.  Can you cope with that?   You will make mistakes.  What you do will be far from perfect.  You may look at what you do and think that it is not very good.  You may find yourself comparing yourself to others and the comparisons will be unfavourable.  All these things are likely, but what is the other option?

The other alternative being that you wake-up one day, when you are very old, with little or no time left, and look back on what could have been.

I do not want to wake-up one day with these serious regrets.  Do you?  I do not want to wake-up knowing deep down that I could done more, that I didn’t even really try.

That I gave in, that I took the easiest path, the path of least resistance.

I don’t want to wake-up with the knowing that I didn’t even have the fight, drive or courage to give my dreams at least a fighting chance.

How will you feel if that is you?

I know I can’t bare that possibility.

You can push your creative dreams aside for as long as you want, like I have tried to do, but when it comes to the end of your life will you look back and think I did enough, or will you have serious regrets.  If there is the remotest chance that you will regret that you didn’t give it your best shot, you need to ACT NOW.

We have to make a start, start today, start exactly where you are right now.  Where you are right now is exactly where you should be.

Start where you are – Lots of people worry that everyone else will be so far ahead.  These people?  They started somewhere.

“Do not die with your music still inside you.”

Perhaps you are one of the lucky ones?

Maybe you already know what you love to do, what you love to create.  Fantastic, you’re off to a head start.  You know what you love to do.  You just need to find the time, space, and energies to pursue it.  Or maybe you need to work on some blocks and obstacles that are stopping you from really going for it and getting out there and making it happen.

The reason doing what you love is one of the secrets to creativity is that we simply tend to want to do more of the things that we find enjoyable.  We want to do the things that give up pleasure.  Not only do we tend to do more of these things, but we tend to put more energies, efforts and soul into them.  We don’t just go through the motions; we do them with spark and love.

That is what you need if you are serious about tapping into your most inner creative-self, you need to tap into that joy, passion and excitement.  I can remember my very first earliest memory, of when I truly felt totally caught up in the moment feeling of creating.

I was six years old and I had been told to write a story.  It was about a group of animals who go on an adventure balloon ride.  I may have only been six but I tapped into something that I knew, even then was very special.  All the other children had gone out to play but I remained in the classroom writing frantically, letting the story pour out of me.   It was important.  The experience that has always stayed with me, that I never forgot how at that moment I was totally in flow.  In fact I guess that experience stayed with me so much that it what I have been trying to recapture for much of my life!

It was effortless.  It was creativity at its most powerful.

I was lost in the moment.

I was in flow.

That is when we are at one with ourselves, when we are at one with our most creative and powerful selves.

They key to harnessing this creative energy is to first of all find what you love to do.

Let’s face it, if you try and do things that you think you think you “should” do or “must” do, you will soon get bored, fed-up and certainly not do it with any creative flow.  How do you expect to feel inspired, passionate or excited if it’s not something that even floats your boat!?

Here is a creative task:  Remember how I said at the beginning of the book, if you really want to get something out of this book than you are going to have to get stuck and give the tasks ago.  I know how easy it is not to bother.  You just want to read without to much effort or thought, & juts let the words wash over you.  This is all well and good but you can’t expect any significant changes to occur if you aren’t prepared to do a little bit of digging deeper.

WHO ARE YOU ~ CREATIVE TASKS

Spend 10 minutes on this next question.

• WHO ARE YOU?
• Why am I here?  I know that seems like such a massive, existential question but I think you will be surprised by what will come out of spending a bit of time just writing a stream of consciousness and attempting to answer this question.  Be as honest as you can be with yourself.  What ever comes from this is okay.

Write down the first things that come into your head.

Who are you really!?  We are always so much more than we think we are.

I know last year I had real difficulty answering that one very simple question.  I was at a NLP Practitioner training course and the workshop began with the usual getting to know you introductions & icebreakers.  We had to walk around the room, meeting and greeting people, introducing ourselves and telling them who we were, what we did and why we were here.

I felt like running away.

I did not want to talk about what I did or tell people who I was.  At that current moment in time I did not have a clue.  I felt really lost.  I was going through a serious transition stage; I had quit my teaching job, moved in with my then boyfriend, who just happened to be the course facilitator.  My head was in a mess.  I was definitely lost and the simple question, “What do you do?” sent my head into orbit.

For the record it is okay to be lost.  Accept.

We all feel lost from time to time.  Accept wherever you are right now as being the right place for you.

• Without stopping to think write, doodle or draw list 20 things that you love to do or enjoy.

Do not stop to think, just write the first things that come into your head.  There are no wrongs or rights.  No pressure.   Just let go.   The aim here is not to think too hard or deeply.

So come on, without stopping make a list of twenty things you enjoy and like to do.  It doesn’t matter what they are, and you can include food and sex!

Interestingly, we probably had more of an idea of who we were, and what we wanted to do when we were very young.  A good starting point is to think back to when you were a child.  Think back to a time in your life when the everyday was more about play, having fun, been spontaneous, and doing what made you happy in the moment.

The older you get the more likely you are to over-thinking and over-analyze things.   I have a tendency to over think everything.  Unfortunately over-thinking  is a big killer of creativity!  Your aim is to get back in touch with your inner creative-child.

• Now, take 5 minutes to think back to when you were a younger.
• What did you love to do as a child?
• What did you love to do as a child?  What about when you were a teenager?

• If there was a fire in your house, what would be the four things you would save?   If you were to save one photograph, one book, one object and one idea what would it be?  What four things are at the core of your being?

• Imagine you are a human cat.  If you had nine lives to devote to nine very different careers, what would they be?

Now look at what you have written.  Can you see any links patterns or themes?  Are there any connections?  Show a close friend, your partner or someone you trust what you have written.  Ask them if they can see any patterns or ideas emerging.  Only do this with someone who you know will be positive and have your best interests at heart.  You do not need any Doubting Thomas’s or negative comments at this stage in the proceedings!

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand.  Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

• Print off a copy of the post
• Get yourself a pen, paper and a highlighter
• As you are reading highlight any words which seem, relevant, important or jump out at you.
• Make notes in the margins.  This can simply be any thoughts, connections or ideas that come to you whilst you are reading.

For minimum impact you need to be an active reader.

For maximum impact you need to be an active participant.

After each CREATIVE SECRET there are questions for you to consider, and Creative Tasks and Exercises for you to try.  If you are serious about becoming more creative set aside at least 15 minutes to complete each activity.

*TAKE NOTE ~ the activities or questions that seem the most tiresome, difficult or challenging are likely to be the ones that will benefit you the most!

REMEMBER

~ SMALL STEPS EVENTUALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

~ KNOWING AND DOING ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS

~ YOU ONLY GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN

Be prepared to dig a little deeper.

Are you like me, do you believe that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?  Would you love to live a life that is true to who you really are?  A life that is more fun, creative and passion-filled?  Do you seem to never have the time, energy or motivation to do the creative activities you long to do?   Do you know exactly what you would love to do, but just don’t know how or where to begin? Perhaps you feel buried, deep underneath fears, doubts and anxieties?   Does it seem easier simply to put your creative pangs on the back-burner, not to begin, or to keep putting off even starting?  Maybe it even seems easier; to simply forget about any of your hopes and dreams?   Maybe you’ve managed to convince yourself that it’s just too much of a struggle and not worth the effort?   Have you convinced yourself that you are too just too old, not talented enough or too broke?  Do you tell yourself that you simply do not have the time to live a more creative life?

Perhaps you are already a very creative person in your day to day life?  Maybe you do a job or the type of work which allows you to express yourself creatively most days?

If so, great!

Not all of us are so fortunate.

Many of us have had our creative urges stifled, and even kicked out of us from a very early age.  For many, our innate creativity is buried deep under years of responsibilities, fears, doubts, negativity and “just not good enough’s.”

Some of us have stopped believing that we are actually creative; instead we have managed to convince ourselves that we have no need, or time for creativity in our lives anyway. That creativity is a luxury, for people who have lots of leisure time and/or money.  Or creativity is for people who are naturally predisposed to being creative, and that those people are in the minority.  People born with creative talents of gifts, who seem to have been naturally creative since they were a child.

Not people like you or me.

We may have distant memories of longings, forgotten or buried dreams, yet we have managed to do a great cover job on ourselves.  To brush our dreams well and truly under the duvet covers.  managing to convince ourselves that these past hopes and thoughts were just flight of passing fancy, pipe dreams nothing more.

Do you have a feeling that something is missing from your life?

Maybe for years you’ve had a niggling longing to do something, but you just haven’t known where to start?  Do you ever have a feeling that something is missing from your life?  That there has to be more to life that what you are experiencing now?  That you would love to do something more creative, if only you had the time, energies and finances?

Would you love to be more creative, but have too many other demands on your time, like your family and job?

In the past did you have dreams of writing a book, learning to play a musical instrument or creating art?   Have you decided it is now too late now?

STOP.  Take a moment and answer this;

Do you believe that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?

I do.  I believe that there is magic and creativity in each and every one of us.

Maybe now is the time to take the hunt, and go in search of you’re your missing treasure?  & go in search for your missing treasure chest of creativity, which I believe is buried deep, right inside you.

The time is perhaps NOW.

Dare to open up your very own chest of creativity.   I think you will be amazed at what you will discover and unearth.  Precious treasures lie in wait, waiting to be discovered.

But you have to be prepared to dig a little deeper.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CREATIVITY ANYWAY?

Because………..

SECRET ONE

“CREATIVITY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT”

YOU WERE BORN TO CREATE

We are all born to create.

Simply living itself is a creative act.

For prove that we are all creative……

Just take a good look around you.

Look at the home that you live in, your environment and the big wide world that we call Earth.  We have shaped and created our world, everywhere you look there is evidence of our undeniable human will to create, our instinctive need to create.

Almost everything you see right now has started of as single thought, a small spark of an idea in someone’s imagination.

EVERTHING!

From the desk that you are sit at, to the seat that supports you, the computer screen that you are reading this blog post from, the cup you drink your coffee out of……

I could go on.  All of these objects started off as a tiny lit spark of a creative idea, a light bulb of inspiration and creativity in someone’s imagination.

EVERYTHING.

CREATIVITY is primal.  It is our natural instinct.

Our urge to create is a so powerful, and we should honour this need.

IT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.

I believe we are all artists of some kind.  We all have a creative spirit, that spark within us.  If you think that this is some kind of new age bullshit take a look at children.  Perhaps you have children of your own?  If you don’t, take a moment to think about your nephews and nieces, or perhaps friends or neighbours children.  They are constantly creating.  They never stop.  They are constantly exploring and making sense of the world through play, games and creation.  Give them paper and crayons, and they will happily doodle and draw with fearless ferocity.  It is the most natural thing for a young child to do.

It is only as we get older that we start to lose that natural spark of creative energy.  Does this not show that creativity is not just something that is a gift or talent to a chosen few?  That we are all born creative.  We only lose our natural creative tendencies because life takes its stranglehold, we take many knocks and bumps and our creativity which is so susceptible to harsh words and negativity, so it goes into hiding.   By the time we hit adult-hood our creativity appear to be know where to be seen.

The great news is that our creativity has not  gone for goo, neither is it lost forever.   It’s like with anything if you don’t use it you lose it, and it becomes less and less easy to tap into.  We are all still naturally creative, it’s just that we’ve forgotten how to create, we are simply out of practise.

We are all still creative, our creative just needs a little, encouraging, coaxing, TLC.

Your creativity may need reigniting that’s all.

It is not only artists, musicians and poets who can be creative.  You, who ever you are, you who is reading this e-book have a creative need and urge that needs fulfilling.

We could all be so much more.  We already are so much more; we just need to awaken the stifled creative fire and breathe life back into it.

Creativity has for far too long been viewed as mysterious, magical and even divine.  Way too many of us have been led to believe, or brainwashed into thinking, that you either are creative or you are not creative, simple.  This is crazy thinking.

We are led to believe that creativity should be some effortless act.  We grow up thinking that if it doesn’t flow or happen easily then we are simply not creative.   Creativity throughout history has been seen as the trait of only a select group of people, in particular people who we term “Artists”.   Individuals, like writers, musicians and poets people who we imagine are born with particular gifts and talents.

This is total nonsense!

We all need to make sense of our world.   Everyone needs to find their place in the world.  It is essential that we can explore and work out whom we really are.

This is why creativity is so powerful, because it offers us an outlet, a means of self-expression which allows us to do just that.   When we tap into out creativity we start to be able to express ourselves more freely, and we begin to understand who we are.

CREATIVITY IS THE KEY

It is a magic key.  It is the KEY that can unlock  OUR own TREASURE CHEST.

The creative process has the potential to enable us to tap into our, sometimes hidden, or hard to express or understand feelings.

Creativity is a key to our very own personal treasure chest.  The key maybe old, rusty, unused or even lost , but with a bit of fiddling and fumberling, perhaps in the dark, the key will eventually fit the lock, turn and, who knows what treasure you find….

REMEMBER DIG DEEP.

“Finding the joy and freedom to express through dancing, writing, painting, music and singing will unlock the magic and wonder of your soul.”

This place where you are right now
God circled on a map for you.

~ Hafiz

I saw this list shared on Facebook today. It is so simple and moving that I felt compelled to share it here. I invite you to share your thoughts below.

1. My life is likely to last ten to fifteen years. Any separation from you will be painful: remember that before you get me.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me—it is crucial to my wellbeing.

4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment.

5. You have your work, your entertainment, and your friends. I only have you.

6. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I understand your voice.

 

7. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget.

8. Remember before you hit me that I have sharp teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you.

9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out too long, or my heart is getting too old and weak.

10. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old. Accompany me on difficult journeys. Never say: “I cannot bear to watch” or “Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there—even my death.

Remember that I love you.

When I was 18 years old I was a senior in high school with a raging drug and alcohol addiction. I was deeply depressed and lost, and had no understanding that I had anything of value to offer the world. I didn’t relate to others around me and had a deep painful void in my soul that I was desperate to fill.

A required art class changed all of that for me. The art teacher, Mrs. Burke, told me that I was talented and needed to keep going with this art thing. It was the first time I felt like I had something I could do, that I enjoyed doing, that was uniquely mine. It was life changing.

After I graduated high school, I checked myself into drug treatment and then enrolled into a 4 year art college. I studied photography and it became a way for me to really dive into my inner world and figure out how to say visually through images what was so painful for me say verbally. I received a BFA in photography. More importantly, I had figured out that life was worth living, sober, and that I could express myself fully through my art.

Today I have 23 years of sobriety. I have a photography business that focuses on eCourses and Retreats for women who wish to get back to a Soul*Full way of living.  I’ve been honored with being published on the cover of National Geographic Magazine. There have been awards and kudos from Photo District News and other national magazines. I’ve showed my personal work in galleries around the country. I believe these awards, etc. are all just the universe sending me external evidence that I’ve been following my passion. I’ve also had the privilege of working with Miguel Ruiz , author of the Four Agreements,  as my Spiritual Teacher. This work continues to enrich my life, teaching me ways to love more freely. On top of all of that I am also married to a great guy that you can learn about on his website, and we have a 2 year old son, Max Harrison who happens to have Down syndrome. Max is the brightest light I’ve ever met. Yes, Max has ablog!

Doing what I love means – feeling very passionate about my artistic pursuits, losing track of time while working on projects, being totally focused and engaged. People come in to my office or studio and I can barely hear them talking because I’m so “in it”. I love creating, whether it’s a piece of artwork, a photograph or a new eCourse or retreat. I just feel filled up inside even when at times it’s hard work. The key to doing what I love is remembering where I came from and what a gift my life is now. I allow myself the time to create my art and to spend time being present with my family. When I notice I’m overwhelmed or stressed it’s usually because I’ve forgotten to trust my intuition, make action plans, reach out to my tribe of supportive friends and team of professional experts and take it one step at a time.

I have several big dreams right now. One is to show my series of Nap photos in a gallery soon. These are photos I’ve been taking with my iPhone during my son’s nap time.  I’m also excited about my Soul*Full eCourse that’s starting this Fall and leading my women’s retreat to Zion, Utah next Fall.

[All images courtesy of Catherine Just. To find out more about Catherine and her e-course Soul*Full visit her website here.]

Before you begin…the picture above is actually a queen painted on a tree.  Unfortunately you can’t see the crown, and I haven’t got the IT skills to resize!   You will just have to take my word for it.  The picture was took today whilst I was enjoying the sunshine in Hyde Park in my home town of Leeds.  It may only be March but it’s been bloody boiling. Bring on the sunshine, three cheers for summer!  :-)

This is a speech made by Oprah Winfrey….BE A QUEEN.  We are all queens, and I don’t mean that in the gay sense!

Be a queen. Dare to be different. Be a pioneer. Be a leader. Be the kind of woman who in the face of diversity will continue to embrace life and walk fearlessly toward challenge. Take it on! Be a truth seeker and rule your domain, whatever it is—your home, your office, your family—with a loving heart.

Be a queen. Be tender. Continue to give birth to ideas and rejoice in your womanhood… my prayer is that we will stop wasting time being mundane and mediocre… we are daughters of God—here to teach the world how to love…

It doesn’t matter what you’ve been through, where you come from, who your parents are—nor your social or economic status. None of that matters. What matters is how you choose to love, how you choose to express that love through your work, through your family, through what you have to give to the world…

Be a queen. Own your power and glory!

Oprah Winfrey. Chicken Soup for The Woman’s Soul.

International Women’s Day has been observed since in the early 1900′s, a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies.

1908
Great unrest and critical debate was occurring amongst women. Women’s oppression and inequality was spurring women to become more vocal and active in campaigning for change. Then in 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

1909
In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman’s Day (NWD) was observed across the United States on 28 February. Women continued to celebrate NWD on the last Sunday of February until 1913.

1910
n 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named a Clara Zetkin (Leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) tabled the idea of an International Women’s Day. She proposed that every year in every country there should be a celebration on the same day – a Women’s Day – to press for their demands. The conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, representing unions, socialist parties, working women’s clubs, and including the first three women elected to the Finnish parliament, greeted Zetkin’s suggestion with unanimous approval and thus International Women’s Day was the result.

1911
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women’s Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic ‘Triangle Fire’ in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women’s Day events. 1911 also saw women’s ‘Bread and Roses‘ campaign.

1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women’s Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen’s Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women’s solidarity.

1917
On the last Sunday of February, Russian women began a strike for “bread and peace” in response to the death over 2 million Russian soldiers in war. Opposed by political leaders the women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. The date the women’s strike commenced was Sunday 23 February on the Julian calendar then in use in Russia. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was 8 March.

1918 – 1999
Since its birth in the socialist movement, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. For decades, IWD has grown from strength to strength annually. For many years the United Nations has held an annual IWD conference to coordinate international efforts for women’s rights and participation in social, political and economic processes. 1975 was designated as ‘International Women’s Year‘ by the United Nations. Women’s organisations and governments around the world have also observed IWD annually on 8 March by holding large-scale events that honour women’s advancement and while diligently reminding of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women’s equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life.

2000 and beyond
IWD is now an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar (for women only), Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zambia. The tradition sees men honouring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, colleagues, etc with flowers and small gifts. In some countries IWD has the equivalent status of Mother’s Day where children give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

The new millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation. Many from a younger generation feel that ‘all the battles have been won for women’ while many feminists from the 1970′s know only too well the longevity and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. With more women in the boardroom, greater equality in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as impressive role models in every aspect of life, one could think that women have gained true equality. The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.

However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD has, for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a celebration of the positives.

Annually on 8 March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate achievements. A global web of rich and diverse local activity connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatric performances, fashion parades and more.

Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones. For example, on 8 March search engine and media giant Google some years even changes its logo on its global search pages. Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’.

So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.

internationalwomensday.com website

internationalwomensday.com is a global hub for sharing International Women’s Day information, events, news and resources.

One Day – David Nicholls.  Amazing modern story that follows two teenagers (Emma and Dex) from university through to their 40’s.  Beautifully written.

The Book Thief – The story is set during the Second World War, it is of a little girl who steals books as a way of ‘dealing’ with the stresses of being separated from her parents and living though the war. Written by ‘death’.   Amazingly written and gives fabulous history and insight into the goings on at that time.

Tuesdays with Morrie – The story of a lovely relationship between a university lecturer and the lessons of life that he teaches his student every Tuesday. Beautifully simple.

Siddhartha – Written by Hermann Hesse!! The Buddha’s story. Magically written.

The Monk who Sold his Ferrari – Lovely book about a very wealthy lawyer who falls ill one day in court, as a result of the incident he decides to sell all he owns and go to the Himalayas. He returns some years later and shares with his junior what he learnt from the sages. Lovely, simple little book.

Eat, Pray, Love – Classic.  A woman’s ‘journey’ through Italy, India and Indonesia. 

Who will Cry When I Die? – 102 thought provoking chapters that point out the benefits of being a lovely person to both yourself and those around you. Not as depressing as the title may indicate!!

Letters from Burma – Letters written by Aung San Suu Kyi which uncover the truth behind what was going on in Burma, before she was placed under house arrest.

Three Cups of Tea – in simple terms…. an inspiring story about how one person can make a difference.

A Beginners Guide to Changing the World (For Tibet with Love) – One woman’s journey from London to Tibet to meeting the Dalai Lama. This gives a fabulously detailed history of Tibet.

The Four Agreements – A lovely book that highlights four agreements… many say….the agreements, if followed properly, afford the reader freedom, happiness and love…. recommended by about a zillion travellers!!!

The Human Zoo – A story about a man called Morris who finds remarkable similarities with captive zoo animals and looks closely at the aggressive, sexual and parental behaviour of the human species under the stresses and pressures of urban living.

Don’t Sweat Over the Small Stuff – 100 reasons not to sweat over the small stuff. Nice, easy and fun…. and pretty true.

The Art of Happiness – A book written by a western psychologist, his view on the art of happiness ‘against’ the Dalai Lama’s view on the art of happiness. Lovely and very thought provoking.

The Art of Living – written by Goenka!! A beautiful book whereby Goenka (G) explains in simple terms Vipassana meditation, a little bit of Buddhism and affords the reader a few stories of his own about life.

The Gracious Flow of Dharma – written by Goenka!! A simple book focussed on the five precepts.

A Fortune Teller Told Me – A book that follows one man’s experiences with a number of fortune tellers. Yet to read but recommended by a number of lovely travellers.

The Golden Compass – Mmmm no notes in my journal about this number, but I wrote it down so I reckon it must have sounded interesting… maybe look on Amazon before purchasing. 

The World Peace Diet – Mmmm a very interesting book about meat eating.

Buddhism Plain and Simple – A Buddhist life style and views explained ‘plain and simply’.

Snow Boarding to Nirvana – A book recommended by a fabulous travel friend that I am yet to read, but I trust that it is a ‘must read’, explanation in the title.

Zen and the Art of Motorbike Maintenance – A story of two men and their motor bikes and how they maintain them, one is all Zen and peaceful and the other is not so much so. Interesting, funny and light.

What Makes You Not a Buddhist? – Fabulous read!!  Written by a Tibetan monk. Inviting, funny and clear as to what makes you not a Buddhist.

How to Meditate – Guidance and simple instruction on how to meditate. 

Awakening the Kind Heart – Yet to read but recommended by my meditation teacher in India.

Attention Revolution (Alan Wallace!!) I believe that Alan Wallace is a scientist and he researches Buddhism from this angle. Fabulous reputation in the India Dharma field. Recommended by some good traveller friends.

How to See Yourself as You Really Are – A fabulous book written by the Dalai Lama, not read it but again saw a lot of travellers reading it. Also it was recommended to me by my Tushita lecturer.

The Middle Way – Another book by His Holiness. Yet to read.

Tantra – The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra – Yet to read… recommended by my teacher at ‘Tushita’.

Introduction to Tantra – Lama Reshi – written by a very well respected Lama and recommended by a very well respected meditation teacher.

Mind in the Balance- Meditation in Science, Buddhism and Christianity – Alan Wallace! Recommended by a traveller friend.

Essential Education – 16 Guidelines of Buddhist Values – Not yet read… recommended by a travelling friend.

Guided Meditations on the Path – Recommended by my mmm Tushita teacher.

The Highly Sensitive Person – How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You -A really good book that I found educated me about myself and about my perception of others! Also that its ok to be sensitive…..

Who Moved my Cheese – A little book about two lil’ people and two mice who live in a maze, needless to say…. someone moves their cheese, it’s a lovely lil book that focuses on the human mind against the simple mind of the mice. Short, sweet and can be read within an hour – so perfect for reading with a cuppa.

Everything I have ever done that Worked –does what it says on the tin really – a lovely book for bedside reading or to keep in the car in times of stress!!

Mindfulness – in Plain English – Brilliant book. I read this after doing my first vipassana and it TOTALLY explained my experience and supported me massively in facing the challenges that came (and still come) during my struggles in meditation. Love it!!

A New Earth – Brilliant book by Eckart Tolle. This was recommended to me about two years ago and is quite an academic approach to the mind and the ego…. wonderfully written…. it took me a while to get into it but once I was into it I loved it…. worth persevering!

The Power of Now – Another book by Eckart. Loved this too… although New Earth created more of a shift with me! Still brilliant. Nice short chapters and very insightful!

Shambhala – The Sacred Path of the Warrior –I recived this book as a gift….I didn’t read it for ages as I thought it seemed like a bit of a ‘boy book’. I found it when I was unpacking after my trip and started to have a lil read… I wasn’t able to put it down. Lovely light and nicely written – by a Tibetan Monk.  I also use this as a bit of a flick book – if I want an answer there and then to something that’s going on for me…. lovely lil book!

The 8 Human Talents – BRILLIANT book. All about the chakra’s. Gurmukh seems to perfectly reflect on life, yoga and the chakras. Brilliant!!

I am A Woman – meditation and yoga techniques for every occasion!! Love it! Brilliant for choosing out 40 day practices/ or something that will work for you on that day and / in that moment!! This book is becoming a bit of a ‘bible’ to me in and my kundalini yoga practice.

A Woman’s Book of Yoga – brilliant book explains Kundalini yoga very well! As well as going through the female life cycles and how Kundalini and the brain work – together.

Yoga Nidra – a lovely explanation of the beauty of yoga nidra as well as all of the yoga nidra’s written by Swami Satananda Saraswati.

Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha – an introduction to Hatha yoga, as well as asana practices, benefits and lots of pictures.

Teachings from Tibet – as the title suggests really. Teachings from the Dalai Lama and his other lama friends. Lovely book. Well written and short chapters so easy to dip in and out of!

How Yoga Works – A story about yoga which is beautifully written and not too heavy!

The Illustrated Light of Yoga – BKS Iyengar rocks!! Brilliant book for understanding hatha postures , the benefits and exactly how to do them properly!

Yoga for Real Life – Maya Fiennes is accessible and brilliant! An easy to read yet very insightful peek at the chakra system.