A Summer Creative Mantra For You

Whether on a beach, in the mountains or in your own home town...time spent in places that set your spirit free is time well spent. 

Have you spent time in the places that set your creative spirit free this summer? 

Although I love to travel and thoroughly enjoyed my time in Colorado this summer, you don't need a trip to enjoy Creative Oasis Spaces. They can be found in your own backyard! 

A trip to your favorite bookstore, a museum, a concert or a new restaurant right in your own neighborhood can be just the ticket to inspire and delight you. 

Does the idea of exploring a few Creative Oasis Spaces and enjoying some more creative "me time" before summer comes to an end sounds good? Sure, you might be thinking BUT...

"Who has the time?" 

"The kids may be on vacation, but I still have to work." 

"My days are so full and fly by so fast, I don't even know where to begin doing something just for me." 

"I have too many responsibilities to do the things I'd really like to do ~ even in summer."

"Vacation ends up stressing me out more than relaxing me."

I invite you to experience more "me" time during the last few weeks of summer by tapping into summer memories of your youth. 

Simply click here to download a special Summer Dreamin' play sheet featuring prompts straight from my "Create the Summer of Your Dreams Kit" that you can use with right now.

Next set a timer for two minutes, fill out your Summer Dreamin' sheet and let the fun begin!

Before you know it you'll be well on your way to enjoying a few more quintessential summer moments and hopefully visiting a few fun Creative Oasis Spaces too.

That's the whole reason I created the "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Do-It-Yourself Creative Oasis Kit ~ to help you quickly and easily envision and enjoy more delightful "me time" this summer. And the best part is, you can get started in just 10 minutes a day!

Click here to grab your kit and start today.

Here's what Marney K. Makridakis, author of Hop, Skip, Jump and Creating Time had to say about her experience with "Create the Summer of Your Dreams." 

"Now, THIS is the way to start summer! Jill's unique kit is ideal to guide people step-by-step to set summer intentions and, better yet, keep them. Her playful prompts and delightful presentation are inspiring but never overwhelming. Thank you, Jill, for this simple, fun way to turn creative summer dreams into reality."  

My "Create the Summer of Your Dreams DIY Kit" will be available for another two weeks this summer and then back on the shelf until next year so if you'd like some simple, step-by-step ways to enjoy more of the summer experiences you crave in just 10 minutes a day purchase your kit here. 

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this 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.

I've Done This 107 Times. Let's Celebrate!

A few weeks ago while vacationing in Paris (I promise I'll stop talking about that someday) I let the second anniversary of my Mid-Week Oasis Moments come and go without a peep.

Truthfully, I was so caught up in planning our trip, then exploring and falling in love with Paris and mooning over the experience once we returned home, it just didn't register.

I'm so happy to celebrate the fact that I've created and shared 107 Mid-Week Oasis Moments! One each and every Wednesday for a little more than two years now. (If you don't already receive these weekly bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration and would like to, please let me know in the comments section below and I'll be happy to send them your way!)

If you've been with me since the beginning I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you've just recently discovered Creative Oasis Coaching, welcome!

I truly hope that my weekly messages give you inspiration, motivation and permission to enjoy more creativity in your busy life!

To celebrate and say thank you for being a loyal friend of Creative Oasis I'm offering a special gift bonus!

A free coaching session added to every new or re-newing 

one-on-one creative coaching package 

purchased in the month of April 2015. 

This includes VIP packages! 

Your bonus session is worth $81.25 to $181.25 

depending on the package purchased. 

Offer ends April 30, 2015.

Creative coaching has helped me create a life filled with creative joy and fulfillment.  It's now my passion to help others experience the feelings of freedom and satisfaction that come with making the time and space for living a creative life. I'd love to help you do just that!

Click here to see what my clients and colleagues have to say about their experiences working with me. And remember, if you're interested in learning more I'm happy to schedule a complimentary mini-session by phone to give you a better feel for my one-on-one coaching methods.

Creative coaching can help you live the life of your dreams...a life filled with time for creative fun and satisfaction no matter how busy you may be! Now that's cause for celebration, don't you think?

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

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this 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.

My Big (1,063-foot) Excuse for Dropping the Ball.

While visiting Paris last week (including a trip to the 1,063-ft. Eiffel Tower) I missed sharing a Mid-Week Oasis Moment with you for the first time in two years. I hope you'll forgive me. (Though I can't think of a better or at least more fun excuse, can you?) 

You've heard me talk about "exposure" before...the idea that by spending time with people, places and experiences outside of your normal day-to-day life you can fill your own creative well with fresh, inspiring stimuli.

Well, in my book, travel is the quintessential, king-daddy of exposure possibilities. 

When you immerse yourself in an unfamiliar environment filled with new-to-you culture, character and customs creative inspiration is one of the happy results.

During our week in Paris I found inspiration everywhere I turned. From the museums to the cathedrals to the architecture to the people to the language to the food and drink and even the general pace of life in the beautiful city energized and delighted me.

My creative spirit felt as if it were being rehydrated...a thirst-quenching glass of water on a warm spring day.

I'm sure I'll be processing the "exposure" of my trip for weeks to come and that my photos, observations and inspirations will find their way into more Mid-Week Oasis Moments in the days ahead. 

To help myself hold onto the effervescent feeling of life in Paris now that I'm home, I've used another creative coaching technique: acting "as if." 

For example, yesterday I made myself this lovely lunch to enjoy outside on my patio "as if" I were dining at a sidewalk bistro again. (Two important ingredients missing from most of my real Parisian cafes meals...bread and wine!) 

Nevertheless it was a fun way to recapture the spirit of the many lovely cafe experiences of our trip. I was even able to convince myself that the leaf blower that started up was merely the sound of Vespas cruising down a cobblestone street nearby.  

I invite you to think of ways you might use "exposure" and "acting as if" on your creative journey this week. 

You don't need to travel across the globe to find wonderful exposure opportunities. You can find plenty in your own city...museums, restaurants, parks...and even right in your own home...books...movies...magazines to name a few.

Until next time, all the best from my slightly jet-lagged, but very happy Creative Oasis to yours!

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this 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.

Finding Big Joy In The Little Things

This tiny little Buddha brings me big joy several times a day. He hangs around (literally) on the mirror by our back door where I keep my car keys. 

His impish smile and peaceful pose give me an instant happiness boost as I come and go from home. He was the ideal candidate to share on the final day of my #100 Happy Days challenge. 

Click here to see the pinterest board I created to share the fun variety of people, places and things that made me happy over the course of 100 days. You'll notice that I actually posted 103 photos. This is because I'm a creative rebel and math is not my best subject.

In the coming week, what if you stay on the look out for little things that can bring you big creative joy?

For example, yesterday while getting dressed for a trip to the museum with my family I played with putting together new creative combinations of jewelry. 

News flash! Even the simple act of choosing which clothes and jewelry to wear can add creative fun and fulfillment to your day.

If you let yourself think outside the usual creative outlets of things like art, music and crafts what other little ways might you experience creative joy in the coming week?

Light candles for your dinner table? Listen to music and dance while you clean house? Try a new recipe? Set out some shells you've collected on a beach trip in a pretty bowl? What sounds good to you? 

This photo of a bowl filled with some of my favorite beach shells was day 99 of my #100 Happy Days experience. Even looking at the photo now is a little thing that brings me big joy.

Here's to finding big joy in little creative experiences in the coming week!

If you'd like to share a little something that brings you big joy in the comments below that would be lovely! 

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

Jill

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please share on Facebook and twitter using the buttons below!  If you'd like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this 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.

Shift Your Attitude With Creative Gratitude

No matter how stressed out, overwhelmed or in a funk I may feel...when I remember to be grateful for something or someone in my life I instantly feel better. 

Even if it's just 2% better that's usually enough to swing me around to a more positive way of thinking and my attitude starts to shift.

There's a lot of talk about gratitude this time of year with Thanksgiving just around the corner and that suits me just fine. Can we ever put too much focus on being thankful? I don't think so! 

That's me in Breckenridge, Colorado during a beautiful hike with my mom and dad last summer. When I look at this photo feelings of gratitude come flooding over me. 

Instantly I'm grateful for so much!

~ Spending special time with my awesome mom and dad 

~ Calling Breckenridge, Colorado my home away from home for over 15 years now

~ Having the strength, health and desire to hike 

~ Appreciating the majestic beauty of nature

~ Hiking boots that have served me well for years and year

Here's a creative way to tap into your own gratitude quickly and easily the next time you're feeling wound up, bummed out or knocked down by life. 

Spark Gratitude with a Favorite Photo and Simple Creative Play

#1 ~ Find a favorite photo. 

#2 ~ Set a timer for one minute and write down as many things as you can think of that you're grateful for inspired by the picture you chose. 

#3 ~ Take a nice deep breath and really let the words you wrote sink in and allow yourself to truly feel the gratitude throughout your mind, body and spirit. 

#4 ~ Enjoy some additional creative delight: Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and let yourself play with some free-form creative fun inspired by your photo, your words and your feelings of gratitude. For instance, you might create a page in your visual journal, write a poem, doodle or enjoy some other creative activity. Pick something that sounds fun, easy and doable!

I hope you enjoy trying out this creative prompt and join me in embracing this season of thanks!

All the best from my grateful oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

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.

Put Away Your Credit Card & Boost Your Creative Cred Instead

When was the last time you received a handmade gift or card or even a hand-written note rather than an e-mail or text for that matter?

Do you remember how it made you feel? Pretty darn warm and fuzzy all over, right?

In this age of dashing into a supermarket to buy a gift card at the checkout counter on the way to a birthday party or quickly typing "HBD" on someone's Facebook page rather than taking the time to write a heartfelt message or even better, actually sending a real card by mail (gasp!) it's easy to see why receiving something created by hand feels like you've been given a treasure.

One of the awesome women in my recent "Living the Creative Life" class felt inspired to create lovely handmade presents (see above) for me and the other members of our group to celebrate our last day of class. As you can imagine, we were all absolutely delighted by her thoughtfulness and creativity!

A heartfelt message written on a piece of brown paper 

tied with twine and decorated with

 fresh sprigs of rosemary and lavender ~ 

truly a gift that touched all of the senses

 ~ not to mention our hearts!

How would you like to enjoy a bit of creative play, boost your creative "cred" and make someone's day at the same time? Sounds good, huh?

Why not create and send a personalized postcard to a friend, family member or even to yourself?

The photo above shows some examples of postcards I invite members of my classes and workshops to create at the end of our sessions. They decorate the front of the postcards then write a special message of encouragement or reminders from the class to themselves. At a future date I use my intuition to drop the cards in a postbox so the makers receive a beautiful piece of mail on (hopefully) just the day they really need it. 

Enjoy creating your own special postcards in 5 easy steps!

#1 ~  Click here to download the postcard template I've created.

#2 ~ Print out on an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of matte card stock then cut in half horizontally. Now you'll have two postcards to create. (Card stock is plenty hefty enough to decorate and send through the mail.)

#3 ~ Embellish the front blank space anyway you like. You may want to cut out images from magazines and use a glue stick to make a simple collage. You may choose to draw or doodle something. You may play with watercolors, crayons or markers. If you're more of a word person, you may want to use only words to decorate your card without any visuals at. 

There's no right or wrong way to do this! The main thing is just to have fun playing with the creative process and materials. 

#4 ~ Write a note to yourself or someone else on the back left side of the postcard. If you're not sure what to write, what if you just copy one of your favorite quotes?

#5 ~ Address your postcards and pop them in the mail! (If you want to send one to yourself why not ask a friend to mail it to you in the future?)

If it sounds like something you'd like to try I encourage you to give yourself permission to dive in and being right now. Just set a timer for ten minutes and go! You'll be amazed at how quickly you'll be enjoying the feeling of creative flow. 

I hope you have fun playing with this low-pressure creative experience. You're sure to brighten anyone's day who is lucky enough to receive your handmade, heart felt postcard!

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

Jill

3 Easy Ways to Creative Play Inspired by Mother Nature

As the temps continue to cool down a bit here in Dallas, I find myself drawn more and more to the outdoors. And, while I enjoy my walks and runs in the lovely fall weather, I'm once again inspired by the innate creative brilliance of Mother Nature.

In the same way flowers beautifully bloom 

(without asking anyone's permission), 

swans glide gracefully across the lake 

(without wondering if they're doing it well enough) 

and leaves seasonally change into their autumn colors 

(without second-guessing their choice of hue) ~ 

I invite you to embrace your own creative spirit with that same inherent knowing and ease.  

Here are three quick Creative Oasis prompts using nature's inspiration to help you do just that:

#1 Color Yourself Creative ~ Step outside and take a look around. After scanning your surroundings choose a color in your immediate view that appeals to you. 

Next, set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and create a color page in your journal or on a blank sheet of paper.  Creating a Color Page is as easy as filling every inch of space with the color of your choice using any creative supplies you like: collage, crayons, pastels, paints, markers or all of the above. 

I love Color Pages because they offer a super low pressure way to play with creative materials. It allows us to put the emphasis on the joy of using our creative supplies rather than worrying about the final outcome. There's no right or wrong way, so you get to dive in and play!

Here's an example from my Creative Oasis Journal. As you can see, even the "rules" of creating a color page are very loose, thus the splashes of gold and other colors on my primarily blue page.

#2 Shoot the Moon ~ or the sun, or the clouds or that spiderweb on your front porch. These days it's easier than ever to take photos with our phones and iThingies. 

Once you snap a shot of some bit of nature that catches your fancy you might choose to add a quote  or play with manipulating the image using a creative app. (Click here for a list of the top 32 photo apps via Creative Bloq.)  

I used the app "Photo Studio" to create the above image combining a quick pic of my Japanese Woodblock calendar and a simple haiku I wrote. It was fun, creatively satisfying and took about 5 minutes to do it all.

#3 Wok Out ~ Take a stroll through the produce section of your grocery store (or better yet, outside at a local farmer's market) and choose a variety of veggies solely on the basis of their color and shape. If you're feeling adventurous include at least one veggie or herb that you've never tried before.

Throw together a colorful stir-fry for dinner enjoying each step...choosing which shape to chop each vegetable...deciding on a sauce...even picking which plate or bowl you'll use to serve up your bright, delicious, nutritious, creative concoction. If you like, it might even be fun to create a special name for your dish as well!

Here's to taking cues from nature and looking for easy ways to add a dash of creative joy to our days!

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

Jill

Creativity, Oxygen & Chocolate...the Essentials.

If you're still laboring under the illusion that time spent enjoying creative endeavors is a luxury, I invite you to flip that belief upside down and consider creative time as a necessity to your well-being...as essential as oxygen, water and, in my case at least, dark chocolate.

As I love to say, your Creative Oasis is whatever makes your heart sing and time fly. It's any and all creative experiences that energize and delight you from writing to gardening to painting to meditating to cooking to choosing what jewelry to wear.

Too often our creative joy is the first thing to fly out the window when we find ourselves over-scheduled and under-nurtured, which quite frankly, is most of the time for many of us.

Here's a quick and easy three-step process I've created to help you practice spending a bit more guilt-free time in your own Creative Oasis starting right here and now.

#1 ~ Breathe. Yes, I know you're already breathing or you wouldn't be able to read this, but I invite you to take two or three nice deep breaths. You may even want to close your eyes to allow yourself to really focus on the fabulous, nurturing feeling that deep breathing can bring.

#2 ~ Listen. To your own inner wisdom that is. Now that you've enjoyed a few deep breaths and feel a bit more relaxed than you did a minute ago, ask yourself "What creative experience is calling my name right now?"

Perhaps you'd like to read an article you've been saving...enjoy some low-pressure doodling...flip through a cookbook to choose a new recipe to try...take a quick photo with your phone...write a note to a friend...maybe you want to simply sit quietly and enjoy a few more deep breaths in peace and quiet. What sounds good to you?

#3 ~ Begin. What if you set a timer and give yourself permission to spend the next five or ten minutes enjoying one of the the Creative Oasis experiences your wise inner voice shared with you just now?

I invite you to savor this time as you would a delicious piece of chocolate knowing that by giving yourself even just a few minutes to rejuvenate your creative spirit, you're taking a wonderful step toward good self-care, stress relief and personal fulfillment.

So, how about it? Why not step away from the computer for a bit and dive into something you've been longing to do but haven't had the time.

I promise that when you've finished enjoying your Creative Oasis moments your family, work and home to-do lists will still be there waiting for you. The only difference is you'll meet them with a renewed sense of energy, peace and satisfaction.

If you'd like to share something about your creative experience below in the comments section, I'd love to hear from you!

If you enjoyed this post I invite you to share it with your friends! 

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

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.

Double Rainbow Creative Connection

Earlier this week my daughter and I wanted to take some fun outdoor head shots in the wooded area behind our condo in the Colorado mountains. By the time we'd chosen outfits, put on make-up, fixed our hair and headed out, it started to rain.

Our creative plans foiled, we went back inside to wait out the storm, I'll admit, more than a little disgruntled. We were losing precious "golden hour" light and grumpy about having our mother/daughter photo shoot put on hold by Mother Nature.

Soon enough the rain let up and I suggested we bypass the muddy woods and take some shots by the gorgeous flowers at the front of the property. We never made it to the flowers.

Upon stepping foot outside we were stopped in our tracks by the truly glorious, choir-of-angels-singing-hallelujah sight of an amazingly vibrant and wide-arching double rainbow.

We were delighted by the brilliant prismatic display. Mother Nature instantly forgiven, we snapped dozens of photos of the rainbows and each other before heading back in, creative itches well scratched.

I love the metaphor of the rainbow. The natural example of sunshine (or happy times) and rain (or dark times) coming together to create something so beautiful and hopeful.

"When it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. 

Without the rain, there would be now rainbow." 

~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

After looking up rainbow quotes I had fun coming up with one of my own. As you can see above, I combined it with one of my photographs and Creative Oasis Mantra #3 was born – my double rainbow creative connection! 

How might you shine your creative light into the storms of life this week? 

* Stuck waiting in a long line or traffic jam?

What if you transform a frustrating moment into a pleasant pause?

* Dealing with a troubling health issue?

What if you create a quick collage in response to the way you're feeling?

* Have a spat with your partner?

What if you write an apology in haiku form? 

I'd love to hear ways you choose to use creativity to shine a little light onto any dark days  you may have in the coming week. Please feel free to share in the comments section below if you'd like.

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

Jill

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.

Which Creative Oasis Places Inspire You?

I snapped this photo on one of my glorious, solo sunrise beach walks during our vacation last week. Just looking at it now I'm compelled to take a deep breath and relax a bit. (If you just took a deep breath  and relaxed a bit too – yay!)

I am a beach lovin' gal…no doubt about it. I can honestly say that break-of-day beach walks are one of my absolute favorite pleasures in life. 

Perhaps one reason they're so special is the fact that I don't actually live at the beach so that heavenly feeling of my toes sinking into cool soft sand usually only happens once or twice a year at best. (Much more frequently in my dreams though.) 

A week of early morning beach walks can energize me for months! The same can be said of my early morning runs by the river in Colorado. There are just certain spots on this planet (my Oasis Places) that always re-energize, delight me and set my spirit free. I believe with all my heart that time spent enjoying them is time well spent!

Though my beach and mountain times are fewer and farther between than I might like, I'm blessed to live a short ten minute walk from a lovely little lake here in East Dallas. My sunup walks and runs always contain a dash of vacation feel and a nice a way to enjoy a boost of Oasis Places energy.

Even though we can't live our lives in permanent vacation mode, we can tap into the rejuvenating feeling right in our own home anytime we like!

What's one small way you might spend a little time enjoying some Oasis Places Energy today? 

*Perusing through some favorite vacation photos? 

*Five minutes googling places for a "dream" trip you'd hope to take someday? 

*Creating a quick collage using images from magazines that give you that special vacation feeling? 

If you feel guilty about spending time in your Creative Oasis Places, why not practice using the mantra above as a gentle reminder? 

"Time spent in places that set your spirit free is time well spent."

How about you? Where are your favorite Oasis Places at home and abroad? Where have you traveled again and again? Where do you dream of visiting someday? I'd love to hear - if you'd like to - share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. – You'll find easy and fun ways to tap into the creative pleasures of your favorite summer oasis places using my Create the Summer of Your Dreams Do-It-Yourself Kit. 

Click here for all the details if you like! 

Creative Oasis Mantra #1

I'm so excited to begin sharing my new series – Creative Oasis Mantras – simple thoughts to inspire small doable steps to help you embrace a more creative life. Look for them to pop up randomly in
Mid-Week Oasis Moments through out the year.

If you like, use the following prompts to ponder the mantra above and see how you might infuse a bit more creative joy into your life this week:

* One of my favorite simple pleasures is…

* Thinking of simple creative moments makes me feel…

* Though I haven't tried this yet, I love the idea of simply…

* I haven't done this since I was a kid, but I used to love…

* One small step I could take to revisit this childhood pleasure might be...

Here's to filling our lives with the creative pleasure of simple moments (like flowers in a mason jar) and saying yes to our own Creative Oasis in the process!

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 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!