If Not Now, Then When?

This morning as I marveled at the splendor of the dogwood trees blossoming in my front yard I remembered, "These lovely flowers will be gone soon!" So I ran outside to snap a quick photo to share with you.

Dogwood blossoms only last for two or three weeks before they drop from the tree making their beauty all the more precious.

What a wonderful reminder from nature for us to seize the day...to enjoy what we have while we have it...to not put our plans on hold...to embrace where we are in this moment..to live the life we truly want right now! 

The quote "If not now, then when?" immediately popped into my mind. It's one I need to hear again and again. How about you?

You know how I love to use questions to motivate creative action, so here are three for you to ponder today. I hope they inspire you to stop waiting and start creating!

#1 ~ What's the number one creative project or experience I want to stop putting off? 

#2 ~ What's one small step I can take to begin enjoying this experience today?

#3 ~ How can I make that small step even easier and more fun? 

A gentle reminder, to celebrate the two-year anniversary of Mid-Week Oasis Moments, I'm offering a special bonus gift of a free session with every new or renewing one-on-one creative coaching package purchased this month ~ April 2015. Click here for more info or leave me a comment below to take advantage of this special offer. 

I'd love to help you seize the day, stop putting your creative dreams on hold and start living the creative life you crave today! If not now, then when?

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.

May Your Heart Shine Like a Peace Sign

I took this photo of our vintage marquee peace sign for Day 30 of my #100HappyDays challenge.

The idea behind the #100HappyDays challenge is simple and inspiring and that's why I love it so much! 

Each day I get to take a photo of something that makes me happy and post it. Easy-peasy! (Click here to visit my #100HappyDays pinterest board to see the crazy variety of things that have made me happy over the last several weeks.)

The purpose of the challenge is to help people realize that it doesn't take a lot of time to be happy.

As a result of #100HappyDays I'm focused on seeing something good in my life at least once a day. Even the simplest things like a fluffed up bird sitting in a tree or the fact that tasty orange cuties are in season bring me happiness. Focusing on what brings joy to my life, even for the few moments it takes to snap a photo and post it, also brings me peace.

This aligns so nicely with my philosophy that even small amounts of time spend enjoying your Creative Oasis (whatever makes your heart sing and time fly) is time well-spent! 

This is the time of year we often hear the message "Peace on earth ~ good will toward men." Ironically, it's also the time of year that can stress us out so much we end up spending much of the time feeling quite the opposite of peaceful! 

So, what can we do about that? How can we experience more feelings of peace during the Christmas holidays?

When we make our own self-care a priority that helps us handle all of the relationships and responsibilities in our lives with more grace, ease and joy. This in turn helps the people in our lives to also experience more happiness, grace and peace. And so on...and so on...and so on. (If you're of a certain age please pardon the shampoo commercial reference.)

As the Christmas season begins, I invite you to choose an easy-to-do, soul-satisfying, peace-inducing creative challenge of your own. Here are a few ideas to help you begin...

~ Join me for the #100HappyDays challenge 

(www.100happydays.com)

~ Choose one thing you're grateful for each day in December and

write it in your journal, post it on Facebook or simply keep it in your heart

~ Ask yourself "What's one easy way I can help myself feel peaceful today?" 

(*Hint ~ it could be as simple as taking a few nice deep breaths.)

~ Enjoy 5 minutes of "I Get To" creative time 

(Easy ideas: doodling, coloring in a mandala, writing a haiku, stringing popcorn & cranberries)

I wish you many peaceful moments and a season filled with lots of love, laughter and light ~ especially the kind that makes your heart shine like a big ol' peace sign!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ When I began playing with words to add to my peace sign photo for this post, I was delighted to realize that the "earth and heart" are anagrams. This felt like a special heemeesheemee to me. (*Heemeesheemee ~ my word for a serendipitous occurrence.) 

Looking at Life Through Crazy Glasses

The more I look at the photo above, the more I think I look a little crazy. And, I'm okay with that. 

It was taken a couple of summers ago during a super fun getaway weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado (my home away from home) with my dear friend Jane Baldwin. (Check out her wonderful blog here.) 

We came upon these silly sunglasses while shopping around town and snapped a few pics. 

This photo reminds me that it's so important to get away, spend time with a good friend and embrace that "childish enthusiasm" Fellini mentions.

In her book, Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard, Jill Badonsky introduces us to Bea Silly, the Muse of Play, Laughter and Dance. According to Badonsky, Bea Silly is the go-to muse when you need to:

~ Relearn how to play, lighten up, release rigid thinking 

and remember how to make creative expression fun

~ Remember and reawaken to the wonder of being a child 

and know the positive implications this has for your creativity

~ Release resistance towards your creative process because:

   A: You just don't seem to want to do it.

or

   B: You feel a childlike power struggle inside you. 

You want to do something creative, but you never  

        actually do.

Any of this sound familiar to you?

If so, I invite you to join me to put on your crazy glasses and tap into your own childlike wonder and enthusiasm today.

Need help getting started? Here are a few prompts to help with that:

~ Think of a creative activity you loved to do when you were a kid. 

Such as: 

* Coloring in coloring books 

* Dancing

* Playing in a treehouse with friends

~ Ask yourself, "What's one easy way I could enjoy that activity or something similar right now?"

For example: 

* Color in a mandala

* Turn on some music and dance

* Doodle plans for your what your dream treehouse might look like now

~ Then ask yourself, "What if I put on my crazy glasses?"

You might: 

* Draw a huge mural on your driveway with sidewalk chalk 

 * Turn on some music and dance ~ in your front yard!

* Create a space in your home (inside or out) that feels like a tree house 

~ Give yourself permission to spend five or ten minutes enjoying your chosen creative pleasure. 

(Remember that ten minutes is less than 1% of your day 

and you deserve to enjoy some creative fun!)

Until next time, all the best from my sometimes crazy 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.

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

Five Fun Ways to Expose Yourself

If you’ve ever taken a Creative Oasis class or been coached by me, you may remember that “exposure” is when we take time to step away from our own projects, problems and ponderings to experience or “expose” ourselves to the creativity of others.

If not, you may have been mildly horrified by this subject line. (Although clearly curious, because you kept reading, right?)

Here are five fun ways to embrace some easy “exposure” experiences of your own. Of course, the possibilities are endless, but these examples are a good start.

~ Try an ethnic food restaurant that’s new to you.

(Always do Italian? Opt for Ethiopian.)

~ Visit a festival, museum or park you don’t usually frequent.

~ Read a magazine you wouldn't normally pick up. 

(Swap your usual Vanity Fair for a copy of Psychology Today.)

~ Watch a style of movie that’s different from your usual choice. 

(Rather than your go-to romantic comedy, check out a documentary for a change of pace.)

~ Try a new workout on for size. 

(Trade your usual yoga class for kickboxing, or vice-versa.)

By exposing ourselves to new stimuli we energize our own creative impulses and open ourselves up to thinking about things in a new light.

Not to mention the fact that it’s just plain fun to shake things up once in a while!

What’s one small way you might expose yourself to something new and exciting this week?

If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area may I suggest visiting the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour? (October 11 & 12, 2014) This free two-day tour is a wonderful opportunity to expose yourself to more than 50 talented creative artists who work in a multitude of mediums as well as five creative arts centers/schools. 

To celebrate my third year as a sponsor of the White Rock Lake Artists’ Studio Tour, I've created a special Creative Inspiration Guide to help participants tap into their own creative spirit before, during and after the tour. 

The free guide includes a 20-page e-book plus three interactive fun sheets in a downloadable pdf format. Anyone may request a complimentary copy by visiting http://tinyurl.com/tourgoodies.

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

Jill

Creative Bliss in 3 Easy Steps

I have an idea! What if we reframe sunsets as mini-creative workshops? You may be wondering "How in the world would we do that?" and even "Why in the world would we do that?"

Well, sunsets are beautiful to behold, occur daily and they're free. More importantly, taking a few moments to enjoy a sunset happens to be an awesome example of exposure, an extremely important, but often overlooked step in the creative process –  not to mention a wonderful way to increase your personal creative bliss. 

Exposing ourselves to the wonders of nature as well as other people's art, music, writing, recipes, ideas…in fact, all manner of creativity...shifts our focus from our own pursuits (and how much progress we're making…or not making…with them) and helps rev up our creative energy! 

It's so easy to get caught up in measuring the progress of our creative projects that we often neglect our desire to soak up our sponge with creative goodness in other ways. (Plus, it can be so damn fun that we may feel guilty even considering it.) Allow me to help alleviate that guilt for you. 

Consider this…doesn't it make sense that Van Gogh spent a good amount of time simply gazing at the golden beauty of sunflowers before he was able to paint some of his most well-known masterpieces?  That Julia Child sampled copious amounts of buttery sauces before perfecting and sharing her own? That Aretha swayed to the gospel of many a church choir before gracing us with R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

When we stop to appreciate the beauty around us we nourish our creative spirit.

How might you treat yourself to some inspiring exposure this week? 

What if you...

 Listen to the birds outside your window…

Savor your morning cup of coffee or evening glass of wine…

Take flight in a pretend rocket ship to the moon with your niece…

Watch a documentary art film…

Listen to some world-beat music...

Stop to smell the honeysuckle blooming in your backyard…

Listen to the rain on the roof in the middle of the night…

Try out that new Cuban restaurant around the corner...

Can you come up with three ideas to practice exposure that sound good to you? 

I'd love to hear them in the comments section below!

Until next time, all the best from my sunset 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!

The Happiness Secret

I came across this photograph I took at a friend's place years ago. It always makes me smile and seemed like the perfect image with which to create this Mid-Week Oasis Moment:

"Learn to let go. This is the secret of happiness." 

– Buddah

Reading this quote, this question came to mind:

When giving ourselves permission to spend time with the creative pursuits we love, what would be helpful for us to let go? 

What if we practice gently letting go of:

* the need to please everyone else

* inner critic voices

* perfectionism

* comparison 

* judgement

* self-doubt

If these seem too daunting, what if you practiced letting go of them just 5% more? 

What if you start by simply reading the words, feeling a glimmer of hope and thinking: 

"Hey! Wouldn't that be awesome if I let go of 5% of my perfectionism today and just enjoyed my creative process?"

Here's to letting go of the thoughts and feelings that don't serve us and embracing our creative spirit instead! 

All the best from my Happy Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

p.s. – If you’d like to receive Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration) as well as my e-booklet, “Permission to Be Creative 101” with my compliments, you can sign up for both right here.

Mid-Week Oasis Moment – Say Thanks to a Teacher

For this Mid-week Oasis Moment, I was inspired by the 

The Awe-manac – A Daily Dose of Wonder by Jill Badonsky. 

(From the page for February 27th)

Written in the style of a Farmer's Almanac, each day of the Awe-manac offers Soul Vitamins (quotes), Awe-servances (Birthday shout outs to inspiring peeps through the ages), Aha-phrodisiacs (fun ways to turn on your creativity), Doses of Mirth (funny stuff), Journal Juju (creative prompts) and more.

I love that I can flip open the Awe-manac on any day of the year and find a little creative inspiration. Today I happened upon the image above in black and white and decided to have a little fun creating a colorful toast of thanks to Jill Badonsky, since she's been one of my great teachers. I'll also share today's Journal Juju with you.

"Make a list of teachers or other people who have 

had an influence on you and beside their name 

write a word of two of how they inspired or helped you."

In my case I would write, "My teacher, Jill Badonsky, inspired me by introducing me to the world of Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coaching, helping me get out of my own way and back to music, writing and discovering a wholly unexpected new career as a creativity coach and teacher myself. Thanks, Jill!

Jill Badonsky and me at a reading for her latest book
The Muse Is In: An Owner's Manual to Your Creativity in Austin, Texas

Cheers to all of the wonderful teachers we've had throughout our lives! 

What's one small way you might honor a teacher who has had a positive impact on your life?

(Hint - it doesn't have to be hard - even remembering them with a smile would be nice, wouldn't it?)

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!