An Alternative to Cyber Monday Craziness...An Invitation to Create the Christmas of Your Dreams

Like you, I’ve been barraged with emails and ads for Black Friday and Cyber Monday...for doorbusters and price slashers and midnight madness.

Sound more like horror films than the beginning of the Christmas season, doesn’t it?

If you’re already over the over-the-top commercialism and stress the holidays can bring, I invite you to join me for “Create the Christmas ofYour Dreams” ~ a creative teleclass and support group designed to help you embrace holiday happiness, creative joy and good self-care this season.
(*Note: Registration closes Wednesday 12/3/14 at 11am central)

This class if for you…

~ If using your creativity more than your credit cards sounds like a good idea.

~ If you’d like to make at least one handmade Christmas gift or card this season. (Perhaps one of the approximately 738 you have on your pinterest boards?)

~ If you wish you could release the need to meet other people’s holiday expectations. (Hint: Martha Stewart is not my role model!)

~ If you’d like permission to enjoy some good self-care, even when there’s so much else to do. 

(BTW - the top three self-care contenders from my holiday survey were meditation, walking and massage and we'll be discussing ways to weave those into your schedule too.)

~ If you look forward to doing some holiday baking and want to feel that using premade cookie dough & pie crusts is not a punishable holiday crime this is the place for you!

If you can relate to any of these Christmas wishes, then I hope you’ll join me for Create the Christmas of YourDreams.

Once a week beginning this Wednesday, December third, we’ll meet up by phone to enjoy some creative prompts and play and I’ll share simple ways to experience a Christmas season that feels the way you’d like it to feel.

Giving yourself the gift of just one hour of Creative Oasis “me-time” for the next three weeks will help you feel energized and joyful rather than Grinchy & stressed out this month.

For about the price of a mani/pedi ($49.94) you’ll enjoy three one-hour phone sessions, including a packet of interactive creative sheets for each call, lovely e-mail follow-ups.

   

Click the button below to register.

                            

I’m really looking forward to sharing these simple and fun creative coaching tools & techniques to help your Create the Christmas of Your Dreams. (*Note: Registration closes Wednesday 12/3/14 at 11am central)

Just click here to register and I’ll send your first creative packet right away. I’ll even send you the recording of the “Warm-Up” call we had before Thanksgiving if you’d like to get started before our call this Wednesday.

I look forward to sharing this special time with you. I know that together we can hit shift from feeling like “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to “It’s a Wonderful Life!”  

All the best from my “let’s all take a nice deep breath” Christmas Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Create the Christmas of Your Dreams!

Can you relate to any of these Christmas wishes?

You'd love to make at least one handmade gift for someone special

(perhaps one of the 867 Christmas projects you have pinned to your Pinterest boards?) 

~ You think it might be nice to use your creativity more than your credit cards this season

You'd like to feel energized and joyful rather than 

Grinchy and stressed out during the month of December

~ You'd love to create special holiday memories that you and your family will cherish 

~ You want to experience what’s most important to you rather than get swept up in the holiday hype

You wish you could release the need to meet other people’s expectations

(Example: you believe using pre-made pie crust is not a crime)

~ You'd like to embrace simplicity rather than giving into the "more is better" mindset 

You'd love the gentle support of a group of women with the same Christmas wishes as you

If you can relate to any of this, I hope you'll join me for Create the Christmas of Your Dreams.

What is Create the Christmas of Your Dreams?

A 3-week teleclass and support group 

to help you embrace holiday happiness, 
creative joy and good self-care this season

What does Create the Christmas of Your Dreams include?

~ 3 weekly calls with beautiful e-mail follow-ups
(all calls will be recorded and shared for those unable to attend live)

~ Enlightening creative prompts to help you 
easily and intuitively choose the Christmas experiences you most want

~ Printable interactive fun sheets

~ Easy and fun dive-right-in creative activities

~ Simple, low-pressure ways to help you enjoy your favorite holiday experiences

~ Permission to practice good self-care 

~ Gentle accountability and support from a compassionate 
group of women who'll be creating the Christmas of their dreams too

~ A private Facebook group for additional support and sharing 
(this is an optional bonus for those who like the idea of having a way to 
communicate and support each other throughout the week in addition to our calls)

If this sounds good, click the button below to quickly and easily register 
and give yourself one of the nicest Christmas gifts ever.

Our first call will be December 3, 2014
1 to 2pm (cst)

Special Early Bird Bonus!

Sign up for this special class by midnight Wednesday, November 26, 2014 and you'll receive a bonus one-on-one 15-minute creative coaching session during the month of December. (This is a special offer worth $25 and only available to members of the Create the Christmas of Your Dreams support group.)

You might be thinking, "Jill, this sounds really good, but..."

~ I'll be too busy during the holidays. This one hour a week will help make the other 167 hours so much more pleasurable and peaceful. And 3 hours of class time averages out to less than 10 minutes per day! As I love to remind my clients, 10 minutes is less than 1% of your day. Don't you deserve something that energizes and delights you for at least 1% of your day – especially during the holidays? Math may not be my strong suite, but I have to hand it to myself in this instance. :)

~ I shouldn't be spending money on myself now. For the price of a mani/pedi you'll enjoy three weeks of creative experiences, compassionate support and a peaceful perspective on an otherwise somewhat crazy season. Doesn't that seem like a reasonable gift to give yourself? Not to mention the fact that by showing yourself good self-care, you'll much less likely to be Grinchy during the holiday hustle and bustle...something your friends and family are sure to appreciate as well.

~ I've never taken teleclass before. Have you ever talked on the phone with a friend? That's what I thought. You've got this! Join me for the free "Warm-Up" call on November 19th to check it out and see how you like it. (Click here to take my quick 5-question survey and register for the free call.)

I'm truly looking forward to helping you Create the Christmas of your Dreams!

Ready to say yes to doing things differently this December? 

Click the button below to join me. 

                                          

If we haven't worked together yet, this is a great, affordable way to experience Creative Oasis Coaching with me. And if we have, welcome back! I'm excited to have you be a member of what I know will be an amazing group!

Remember, if you sign up for this special class by midnight Wednesday, November 26, 2014 and you'll receive a bonus one-on-one 15-minute creative coaching session during the month of December. (This is a special offer worth $25 and only available to members of the Create the Christmas of Your Dreams support group.)                                                                                                    

                                   

creativeoasiscoach@me.com

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Want to Create An Instant Holiday Oasis for Yourself?

Since December can feel overwhelming for so many of us…too many obligations…too many presents to buy…too much sugar to ingest…too little time for yourself, I’m offering a virtual Creative Oasis Day Trippers experience for the holidays that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home whenever you like rather than my usual in-person excursion. (click here to learn more about Creative Oasis Day Trippers)

I’ve given you lots of options below, so you can create an instant Holiday Oasis that feels just right for you, and even included a permission slip to get you started. Now, please pick up a candy cane, raise your right hand and repeat after me:

* I hereby give myself permission to enjoy five or ten minutes of my own personal holiday oasis.

* I hereby further give myself permission to actually spend even more time than this if I am even remotely able.

* I hereby give myself permission to thoroughly enjoy my Holiday Oasis without guilt, without attempting to multi-task, and without further ado.

How to Create Your Own 

Instant Holiday Oasis: 

#1 – You get to decide when you’d like to enjoy your Holiday Oasis.

         

 A.  Right this very minute! (Good thinking!)

 B.  I get to put this on my calendar for sometime in the next week. (That’s fine…but please take a moment right now to write it in your planner…type it in iCal…or add it to your official schedule in whatever form that takes.)

C.  I’ll get around to it after I’ve finished all my shopping, wrapped all the presents and baked all the goodies on my list  – oh wait a minute no I won’t – please go back and choose either A or B. 

#2 –     You get to choose the atmosphere in which you’d like to experience your Holiday Oasis.

         

A. Snuggled up in front of the fireplace. (substitute with fireplace screensaver if you don’t have a real fireplace)

B. Cozy in my favorite chair next to a delicious smelling candle

with a cup of something yummy

C. In my car at stop lights while running some errands and         

frantically crossing things off my To-Do list – oh wait a minute,

that won’t work, will it? You get to choose A or B. 

#3 – You get to pour yourself a glass of cheer by enjoying one of the following:

A. Hot tea, cocoa or coffee

B. Eggnog or wassail

C. A glass of wine or champagne (with a large glass of water on 

             the side to maintain proper hydration)

#4 – You get to do something that you love to do during the holidays, but usually never get around to doing because of your busy schedule. Some ideas would be:

A. Sit and stare at the lights on your Christmas tree and let them

hypnotize you. (deep breathing recommended for this one)

 B. Pull a beloved holiday book off the shelf and enjoy reading it

and/or looking at the pictures

C. Write a letter to someone you haven’t seen lately who you miss just to let them know

D. Peruse favorite holiday recipes and choose something delicious to make sometime within the next couple of weeks. (leaving the cookbook or the recipe out on your kitchen counter could be a good reminder that this is something you’d really like to do)

E. String popcorn and cranberries like the good ole’ days

F. Make a chain out of colorful construction paper and for each chain think of one thing  for which you’re grateful

G. Run around like a chicken with your head cut off trying to make everyone in your life happy by fulfilling their every holiday wish and desire, saying yes to every invitation and obligation while ignoring your own needs and dreams and...wait a minute...wow this thinking is insidious isn't it? Please ignore G completely and choose something from A to F instead.

#5 – You get to make a quick list of some things you’d really love to do this season that will take longer than 5 or 10 minutes. Then you get to circle your very favorite one – the one that makes makes you feel like a kid again and add that to your calendar as well. (Pinky promise yourself that you’ll really do it or why not invite a friend to join you for added support?) Some ideas would be:

A.  Watch your favorite Christmas movie. (Mine is The Bishop’s Wife with David Niven and Cary Grant)

B. Look at Christmas lights on foot or by car

C. Have your picture made with Santa

D. Bake a pie from scratch

E.  Read an entire book in one sitting, stopping only to refill your

holiday beverage of choice and refill your snack plate (how amazing does that sound?)

Since this is your very own, personalized Holiday Oasis – you can also ignore every single suggestion that I’ve given you and come up with something that makes your heart sing…something that the very idea of doing fills you with peace or delight or energy or some other wonderful emotion.  If you’re anything like me, you’re to-do list this time of year is as long as Santa’s and not half has fun. Why not take a moment to put yourself on the nice list and luxuriate in some much needed self-care and holiday cheer?  Even spending just ten minutes doing something nice for yourself can lift your spirits enough to help you sail through the rest of the day with bells on. (and 10 minutes is less than 1% of your entire day – don’t you deserve that?)

I’d love to hear about your Holiday Oasis moments and hope you enjoy taking a little time for yourself to create them this season with my best wishes!

Lots of love and light from my Holiday Oasis to yours,

Jill

p.s. H O –H O – H O! (how's that for subliminal advertising?)

Just Say No-No-No to Ho-Ho-Ho Overwhelm

Take a deep breath and repeat after me – “I will relax and delight in the holidays this year.” (Perhaps it would be a good idea to repeat this little mantra three or four times – especially if the idea sounds ludicrous or you feel like the woman in this photo.)

The craziness that overtakes us in the United States between Thanksgiving and New Years is the stuff of legend and cliché. We eat too much. We buy too much. We commit ourselves to too many social events. We set Martha Stewart expectations for ourselves. (even though we don’t have access to her multi-media empire or enormous staff – hardly fair!) And we make mile-long to-do lists that only stand a snowball’s chance in you know where of being accomplished if we commit to making due with a mere three or four hours of sleep a night. Baking and shopping and wrapping – Oh My!

As we take on more and more, we may find ourselves anything but jolly. In fact, we may feel a bit more like tripping anyone so much as resembling an elf if they get in our way during our frantic errand running. (Unless it’s David Sedaris, reading his Santaland Diaries – God love him!)

Allow me to share three small steps that may help you loosen your death grip on the reins as you gallop headlong into the holidays.

1. Give Yourself Permission. Permission to say no, to do less, to breathe more, to lighten up, to curl up in your favorite chair and watch your favorite Christmas movie from beginning to end – not while addressing envelopes, or wrapping presents or baking cookies, but while simply sitting on your tuckus, wrapped in last year’s Snuggie from Aunt Bertha (come on, you know you love it) while drinking a cup of hot cocoa or tea or toddy. (your choice!) It may help to say this out loud or write it down in your calendar – “I hereby give myself permission to…insert something here that will delight you.” If you find if too difficult to do for yourself, perhaps it will help if you receive a more “official” permission. So, allow me to give you permission (as I do for my creativity coaching clients).

"I, Jill Allison Bryan, creativity coach (trained and certified by the official Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching program), and founder and head chica-in-charge of Creative Oasis Coaching, hereby give you permission to… insert something here that will delight you.”

2. Let Go & Visualize. Take a look at your holiday to-do list. (I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume that it’s very long, and has quite a few things that you’re really not looking forward to doing on it.) Now, find a nice red pen and cross something off that list. Just one thing. (for the moment) Next close your eyes and imagine that you're holding a large red balloon, written across it is the thing that you just marked off your list. Let the balloon go. Watch it deflate and fly away. (now would be a great time to take another deep breath) Visualize how nice it will be to not feel that pressure/dread/stress that this “to-do” item was going to cause you. (You didn’t really need to make three different desserts for that party anyway, did you?) If that felt good, and relatively painless, perhaps you can let go of one small thing a day during the season in this same way. (or every other day…small steps ☺)

3.Give Yourself the Gift of Five Minutes. Each day, allow yourself just five minutes to do something that brings you true seasonal joy. Read a favorite holiday book with your kids. Light a candle and let yourself be hypnotized by it for a few moments of relaxation and unplugged joy. Print a coloring page off the Internet and color…with crayons or markers or pencils…color outside the lines if you feel like it. See if you can take a full five minutes to eat one single Christmas cookie. You may be surprised how that short span of time can re-energize you for the rest of the day. (There are 1,440 minutes in each day – you can spare just 5 of them for yourself!) If you're feeling really generous, give yourself the gift of a free 30 minute introductory creativity coaching session with me. (Sign up at jill@post-op.com.)

That’s it. Three simple ways to help relieve a little of the pressure we often put on ourselves this time of year. I promise I’ll join you in trying to cut myself some slack in the days and weeks ahead. First up - five minutes with a cup of hot peppermint tea and a book. Ahhhh.... Remember your mantra, “I will relax and delight in the holidays this year.”

All the best from my creative holiday oasis to yours,
Jill

p.s. - In the spirit of the season, I'm offering a special Creative Oasis Coaching coaching package through the end of the year - Six One-on-One Creative Life Coaching Sessions for the Price of Four. (you save $150) Schedule to begin now, or after the first of the year. A great gift idea for the struggling creative in your life - or split it with a friend and enjoy three session each. Contact me at jill@post-op.com for more information today.