This Could Be Your Greatest Creative Project

I agree with Mr. Kaye! How about you? 

The way I see it, your life is your greatest creative project of all. 

As Kaye says, life's a big old canvas, so why not leave your own special mark?

And there are so many wonderful ways to do that in addition to using actual paint! 

Your preferred pallet might be a colorful array of fruit, veggies and spices in the kitchen, fresh cut flowers assembled in a bodacious bouquet, living room furniture and knick-knacks rearranged to greet a new season, or accessories and clothes combined in a new way to create a fresh look.

I fell in love with this quote as soon as I saw it and have been a fan of Danny Kaye since my first viewing of White Christmas as a child, so I was delighted when I did a little research and discovered the many different ways he practiced what he preached. 

In addition to being a beloved actor, singer, dancer and comedian, Kaye threw a lot of paint on the canvas of his life in many different ways:

* Conducting ~ He regularly conducted world-renown orchestras though he couldn't read a note of sheet music! (He once used a fly swatter as a baton while conducting Flight of the Bumblebee.)

* Cooking ~ His specialities were Italian and Chinese. He once taught a Chinese cooking class in San Francisco restaurant and even had the theater and demonstration kitchen named after him at The Culinary Institute of America in New York City. 

* Flying ~ Kaye was an aviation enthusiast and owned many different types of planes throughout his life.

* Baseball ~  A lover of the game, he was also part-owner of the Seattle Mariners for a time.

* Golfing ~ He was an avid golfer.

* Philanthropy ~ Kaye was an ambassador for UNICEF for many years as well. 

Clearly Kaye's life was filled with an amazing array of Creative Oasis Moments! 

When we give ourselves permission to color our days with creatively fulfilling experiences that energize and delight us, we create lives truly worth living. 

What's one small, doable way you can throw some paint on the canvas of your life this week? 

Need a little help moving past blocks like procrastination, perfectionism, inner-critic voices and feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list to enjoy more time in your own Creative Oasis? 

If you live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area I invite you to join me for one of my fall classes, workshops or coloring parties. 

Live outside of Dallas or looking for more personalized guidance? Contact me in the comment section below to schedule a complimentary call to explore the option of one-on-one creative coaching with me.

Here's to adding a splash of creative joy to your life, whatever that looks like for you! 

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours, 

Jill

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please feel free to share. 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.

It's Never Too Late To Create!

Though I've shared this before, this is one of my favorite Creative Oasis Mantras and worth repeating!

It's a gentle reminder that no matter your age or stage of life ~ it's never too late to try something new or return to something you once loved and CREATE!

Helping people realize it's truly never too late to explore their creative desires is one of my greatest passions. I believe that spending time with experiences that make your heart sing and time fly (your Creative Oasis) can enrich your life beyond compare. (Creative Oasis Classes & Workshops are a great place to begin.)

Here are some people you may have heard of 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!

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.

(Listens to samples of my songs here.)

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?

If you're ready to stop waiting and start creating I invite you to join me for one of my upcoming classes or my next Creative Oasis Coloring & Wine Party.

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post please feel free to share. 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.