It's Never Too Late to Begin to Create

I read an inspiring article this weekend about Lucille Cummings, a Dallas woman celebrating her 100th birthday in good health, which is in and of itself something to admire. But what really delighted me was the fact that Lucille has been painting for the past 54 years. Do the math and that means she only decided to give painting a try at age 46!

Lucille still enjoys painting to this day and though she stopped entering juried art shows about 18 months ago, she continues to attend a monthly critique class.  (You can read more about Lucille here.)

I love hearing stories of people trying new creative endeavors no matter their age. I was in my mid-40s when I jumped in and enjoyed several first-time creative experiences including recording my solo CD, "Dancing in Limbo" so I can relate to the joy, excitement and fear of diving into new creative pursuits a little later in life. (more about my personal creative journey here)

(Listen to samples of my songs here.)

Helping people realize that it's truly never too late to begin to create is one of my greatest passions. I love sharing the message that spending time with creative experiences that make your heart sing and time fly (your Creative Oasis) can enrich your life beyond compare.

Check out some people who found their creative bliss later in life:

* Julia Child was almost 50 when she collaborated on her first French cooking book.

* Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved "Little House on the Prairie" series, published her first book of her at age 65.

* Harlan Sanders (you may know him as the Colonel of Kentucky Fried Chicken) was 66 when he began his KFC empire.

* Dr. Ruth was 55 when she published "Dr. Ruth's Guide to Good Sex" and launched her radio show.

* Artist Louise Bourgeois was finally recognized for her contributions to the art world with a retrospective of her work on her 70th birthday at the Museum of Modern Art.

I once had the privilege to know an amazing woman named Juanita Powers. She went back to school and started her own successful business in her 40s after her husband died. In her 50s she took up ballroom dancing. In her 60s she began to paint and in her 70s started writing poetry. She wasn't famous, but wow, was she happy, fulfilled and an absolute inspiration to behold!

Here's a quote that sums it up beautifully for me:

"For of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, it might have been." 

~ John Greenleaf Whittier

What wonderful creative experiences are you putting off because you're too busy...because you're afraid you won't be good enough...because you worry what people might think...because you don't know where or how to begin?

Why not take the next two minutes to write a quick list of all the creative experiences you long to try plus the passions you once enjoyed, but haven't touched in years? After you have your list, quickly circle the first three that call to your heart the loudest and ask yourself, "Do I really want these to be my might-have-beens?"

Of course, I'd love to help you make more time and space to enjoy your personal Creative Oasis! So if you'd like my help, please check out my one-on-one creative coaching packages here. Or join me for my upcoming teleclass, Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis. Or, if you live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area sign up for one of my Fall 2014 workshops or classes.

I'm living proof that you really can bring the joy of creative satisfaction into your life right now. It's never too late to begin to create!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post and would like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this in my Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Are You Making Enough Messes?

The marvelous mess above was created by the wonderful women in my Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis class last week.

The pigment splatters on the paint trays (recycled deviled egg trays from Whole Foods), the wadded up paper towels, the jars filled with colored pens, the torn paper scraps and scribbled notes blend to together to create a beautiful messy reminder:

“No chaos, no creation.”

Isn’t that what stops us from diving into our creative passions much of the time? Fear of making a mess?  Fear of adding chaos to our perfectly scheduled lives?

And yet, how many delightful creative moments are experienced without a little mess or chaos of some kind?

Case in point: my daughter’s earlier attempts at baking. (Come to think of it, her current attempts are none too neat, but that’s not the point, is it?)

The point is that usually

A Little Mess + A Little Creativity = A Lot of Fun

and sometimes a batch of tasty muffins in the bargain!

How might you make a little mess or create a little chaos today in the name of saying yes to your own creative joy? Don’t know where to begin?

* When’s the last time you experienced the joys of finger painting? There’s a reason kids love to finger paint – it’s all kinds of crazy fun! Bonus – when you complete your masterpiece you can hang it up on the fridge just like your mom used to do. (If that never happened when you were a child – all the more reason to do it for yourself – you’re the boss now. Woot!)

* What if you whip up a new dish for dinner tonight using whatever you have on hand in the fridge and pantry. Try to make it as colorful as possible and for bonus fun talk like Julia Child while you prepare it!

* Ever heard of a Chaos Garden? I recently read about this concept and just love it! You just toss random seeds out and plant them where they fall. Imagine how surprising and delightful it will be when random flowers and plants begin to pop up!

* Have some of random fabric lying around? Why not create a crazy quilt? You can use any material you like, cut into any shapes you like, using any stitches you like! Doesn’t that sound fun? (Want to lower the pressure even more – why not start with a crazy napkin – much smaller than a quilt!)

Here’s to making messes, embracing chaos and nourishing our creative spirits in the process!

Until next time, all the best from my messy 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 e-booklet 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!

Making Peace with Time by Making Time for Creativity

Last fall I enjoyed the transformative experience of making peace with time by making time for creativity. This digital photo collage was one of the many easy and fun creative pieces I made last fall while teaching my Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis class. It combines a photo of one of my favorite places on earth…a place that brings me peace and inspiration…the Blue River in Breckenridge, Colorado along with words written with the help of a creative prompt exercise. 

How would you like to make peace with time by making time for your creativity?

Even now when I look at this piece I experience a sense of calm and the powerful reminder that I truly have the power to go with the flow of time rather than fighting the clock. And when I do…I breathe a little easier…I feel more peaceful…I remember to be present in this moment…and I feel so grateful for my new relationship with time. 

Creating and sharing Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis was a life-changing journey for me. It provided a wonderful opportunity to dive deeply into the best-selling book Creating Time - Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life  by Marney K. Makridakis and really spend time with its wisdom and share that experience with a remarkable group of women. 

Together we enjoyed 12 weeks dedicated to exploring and practicing the brilliant concepts Marney puts forth in her unique book. We read, we wrote, we created, we doodled, we discussed, we laughed, we teared up and in the end we all agreed that we changed our personal relationship with time for the better. 

Here's what Debbie Stinson had to say about her experience:

"This class helped me think differently about time. I’ve made friends with time and even though we’re still working on our relationship, I feel it will only get better as I learn to use the tools shared in this fabulous book. I love how Jill guides the group in a serendipitous way. Her willingness to change and experiment with new ideas is contagious.” 

If you're ready to make peace with time and using creativity while you do sounds good, I hope you'll join me as I once again share Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis starting next week. 

Click here for all of the details for the tele class version and live classes being offered in Dallas beginning the week of January 27, 2014. 

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com