Merry Christmas from my Oasis to Yours!

…a few of my favorite things from our oasis to yours this season!

M - dolls from my trip to Bhutan made by disadvantaged young girls in a program that allows them to use their creative skills to empower and employ themselves. (www.bhutanyouth.org)

E - from the cover of one of my favorite Creative Oasis journals

R - silly santa doll

R - magnet from the amazing Nick Cave Sojourn show we saw at the Denver Museum of Art this summer

Y - colored pencils

C- prayer flags from our hike in Vail to raise money for 
Love, Hope Strength this summer

H - crayons

R - is for Riley Anna (my daughter)

I - nutcracker we've had for ages

S - a longtime favorite scarf

T - a clay cross purchased from a local artist on the White Rock Artist Tour

M - old metal sign

A - peanut nativity scene Riley Anna made years ago modeled after one that my brother made decades ago and still hangs on my parents' tree

S - part of the YES logo 

H - from an old holiday comic book

A - the little Christmas tree in Riley Anna's room

P - Riley Anna's first point shoe

P - the arm of a Santa mug from our dear friend Miss Ruth who passed away this year

Y - BATMAN

2 - from our advent calendar

0 - Disco Snowman Riley Anna made at Studio Arts years ago

1 - Virgin of Guadalupe candle

4 - pastels

Hope your day was merry and your New Year is happy, healthy and bright!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

What Do You Really Want To Do?

When's the last time you asked yourself "What do I really want to do?" Whether in the grand scheme of life, as in, "What do I want to do when I grow up?" (no matter what your current age!) or on a much smaller scale, as in, "What would I like to do tonight?" asking ourselves what we really want is an important step toward living a happy, fulfilled life. And, I might add, it's a step that many of us often forget to take!

As Percival's quote implies, it can be all too easy for us to jump on the hamster wheel of life and keep running, never stopping to ask ourselves, "Is this what I really want do be doing?" And, if the answer is "No" asking ourselves, "Well then, what do I really want to do?"

One of my favorite tools we use in Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coaching is asking small questions. It's such a simple yet powerful way to tap into our own inner wisdom, spark awareness, and clarify our desires. And yet, how often do we take the time to ask ourselves what we truly want? Isn't it easier just to stick with the status quo? To do what we usually do?

I'll use myself as an example. On any given Friday night, you'd be likely to find me and my husband watching a movie while enjoying one of my famous homemade pita pizzas and a bottle of wine.  

Feeling fried around the edges after a long week of deadlines and commitments, the easy thing would be to slip into default mode and do what we usually do. 

But...when we remember to ask ourselves, "Is this how we really want to spend our evening?" other options come to light. We become aware of all of the possibilities and our night may take a very different turn. We may decide that rather than vegging out in front of a movie, it would be fun to play and sing a few songs together at the piano or dabble in some low-pressure art fun by drawing, painting or making a collage. We may decide to sit on the back patio and talk while the relaxing sounds of the fountain gurgling and splashing and the cicadas chirping help us to wind down our week.

We may still choose to watch a movie later, but by asking the question "What do we really want to do?" we've given ourselves the option to change things up a bit, reset our "default mode" and enjoy our evening in a more fulfilling, intentional way.

What if you asked yourself "What do I really want to do?" once or twice in the coming week? You may find that rather than saying yes to that party invitation that feels more like a "Have To" than a "Get To" you choose to stay home and do a puzzle or let your daughter give you a pedicure. You may realize that a quick trip to a museum during your lunch break sounds much more satisfying than gobbling down a salad at your desk. You may decide to open that paint-by-number kit you bought for yourself last year and have some low-pressure creative fun with it. You may choose to throw that impromptu happy hour for your neighbors you've been thinking about for months now or to curl up with a favorite book and read the entire thing in one sitting while drinking hot tea and eating gingersnaps. 

Whatever you decide, you can be sure of one thing, by taking the time to ask yourself what you really want to do you'll be treating yourself with the respect and practicing good self-care by giving yourself permission to jump off that hamster wheel and into a more authentically satisfying life!

Here's to all of the Creative Oasis moments (the moments that makes your heart sing and time fly!) that await when we remember to ask ourselves, "What do I really want to do?"

Click here to learn about how I had the opportunity to meet one of my favorite artists, Nick Cave, in person when I asked myself "What do I really want to do today?" and ended up experiencing one of the most amazing creative moments of my life! 

Until next time, all the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

P.S. – If you'd like to have Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite-sized bonbons of creative inspiration) delivered each week please sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html

You'll also receive a free copy of "Permission to Be Creative 101" – my short e-book that will help you take the first small steps to make the time and space for creative fulfillment – your Creative Oasis – in  your busy life!

  

How Making Time for My Creative Self Led to Meeting a World-Renowned Artist

photo from TIME Style & Design

 When I read the article “The Noisemaker” by  Richard Lacayo (Spring 2012 Time Style & Design issue) I fell in love with the artist Nick Cave. I was instantly enchanted by his sound suits…the way they look…the way they sound…imagining the way they must feel. I was inspired by the way his world-view informs his art. I was intrigued by the way he incorporates sculpture, sound, and dance into his performances pieces. And I was thrilled to learn that Cave’s latest work, Heard, would be performed both at the University of North Texas (my alma mater) and the Nasher Sculpture Center.

Though I was unable to make it to Denton for the UNT performance during the week, I held out hope that I would still be able to make the Sunday performance at the Nasher. There was a lot going on that weekend…work, my daughter’s dance photos, obligations, and more excuses…excuses…excuses… Yet, something kept pulling me towards this experience. I wrote it on my calendar in red ink. When the day finally came, I felt compelled to make it happen and get myself down to the Nasher.

I felt guilty about not being able to take my daughter or husband. I felt guilty for not scheduling this as a Creative Oasis Day Trippers event. I felt guilty for taking an hour out of our precious weekend time to do something just for me, but I still went. (all these years of coaching and being coached has paid off!)

Portrait of Nick Cave by Xenobia Bailey 

When I first arrived, I noticed the street directly in front of the Nasher had been blocked off. I approached a cameraman to see if he could suggest the best vantage point for watching the action. He told me I was standing in the best spot – so I stayed put.

photo from huffingtonpost.com

As the crowd began to grow, and the employees of the Nasher parted the sea of people to make room for the 60 people dressed in the 30 spectacular sound suits. They looked like magical horses made of shining, shimmering raffia. Then I spotted Nick Cave across the sidewalk. As the drum-line kicked in and the dancers made their way into the street he moved closer and closer until before I knew it, he was standing right next to me! The feeling flowing through the crowds was positively electric! I couldn’t believe I was standing beside the person who had conceptualized and brought this piece to life. (with the help of many talented UNT students, professors and the Nasher Sculpture Center)

Me trying to sneak a shot with Nick

At first I tried to snag a photo of Nick by shooting one of myself with him in the background, but after we actually exchanged a few words about the performance, I just went ahead and blurted out, “It’s incredibly serendipitous that I am standing here next to you. Would you mind if I take our picture together?” To which he immediately and graciously accepted as you can see below.

Ask and you shall receive – Me & Nick Cave! 

I took this as a very handsome, talented sign, that I was absolutely justified in carving out an hour of a very busy weekend (when are our weekends or weekdays not busy I ask you?) to feed my creative spirit with this amazing experience and to be immersed in a sea of people who also believed that making time to experience art so visually stunning and emotionally stirring was important and joyful and certainly a worth every moment.

 How will you feed your creative spirit today? It doesn’t need to take an hour. Maybe it’s just watching a few minutes of the video above and enjoying a bit of the magic I experienced with Nick Cave. (You might even be able to hear me ask him - does this make you happy and his resounding "YES!" If you can't watch the whole thing I suggest fast forwarding to the point where the horses split into two and keep dancing – so cool!) Feed your creative spirit and it will bring you and the people in your life joy a hundredfold!