10 Inspiring Ideas to Help You Create the Summer of Your Dreams

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Summer will fly by before you can say "fresh-squeezed" lemonade! 

Use my free "Create the Summer of Your Dreams" Wish List Fun Sheets to take your first small (fun) step to making sure your summer isn't over before you've had a chance to enjoy the relaxing and delightful creative experiences you desire. 

Click here to let the fun begin! 

All the best from my summer 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.

Where Will Your Creative Clues Lead?

I hope you had fun collecting clues for your creative scavenger hunt last week. 

(If you missed my invitation you can find it here: bit.ly/huntvid1)

This week I'll share what comes next...ways you can turn creative clues you collect into hand-on creative fun & fulfillment. Click here for next steps, specific examples and to let the fun begin: bit.ly/mwomnext.  

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.

Creative Oasis Scavenger Hunt Video Invite

Click here find to all the details to have fun with your own Creative Oasis Scavenger Hunt plus a free printable treasure map to collect all of your bits of creative inspiration. 

Big thanks to Elizabeth Gilbert for the inspiration! 

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.

Creative Humans Do These 3 Things

I'm currently reading The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer. If you're unfamiliar with Amanda (who is a creative force of nature!) I recommend you watch her TEDTalk which has now been viewed over 3 million times and was the inspiration for her book, The Art of Asking.

When I read Amanda's words I immediately thought of the painting "Dot-Scape" my dear friend (and another creative force of nature) Jessica Jane Lynch had just posted on Facebook. (She graciously allowed me to use it for this Mid-Week Oasis Moment.)

"Dot-Scape" was a collaborative piece created by a group of children ages (3 to 15) living with Type-1 Diabetes from two Connecticut chapters of JDRF (formerly "Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to be auctioned at this year's 2015 JDRF spring gala. Jessica served as the Children's Art Project Chair, conceptualized, artistically realized and photographed the piece. (I told you she was a creative force of nature!) 

The heemeesheemee (my word for serendipity) of all of this lies in the fact that Jessica's creative project so beautifully illustrates Amanda's observations and actually uses dots to do so!!!  

#1 ~ Collecting ~ Jessica collected inspiration for the piece from a cross-cultural look at meditative dot painting. The children were influenced by Australian Aboriginal Dot Paintings, Pointillism and dot artworks by pop artist Yayoi Kusama. 

# 2 ~ Connecting ~ Jessica connected the children to their own creativity as well as to the influences she'd collected to inspire them. She also connected her own creativity to a foundation near and dear to her heart, JDRF as a means of raising awareness and funds for them. The ripple effect of the connections continues as I connect "Dot-Scape" to Amanda's words and to you with this Mid-Week Oasis Moment. (Perhaps you'll share and continue the connections?)

"Children were guided in an artistic experience using circular stencils and brushes to create hundreds of overlapping dots using acrylic paints. Every dot, using this soothing technique, embodies the resilient nature that children and adults living with Type-1 face daily." 

~ Jessica Jane Lynch

#3 ~ Sharing ~ Jessica shared her creative connections with the children (now her co-creators) as well as me, you and everyone who attended the gala, saw her Facebook posts or reads this story. (That's the beauty of the internet.) She shared her hope for a future without Type-1 Diabetes. She shared her belief that we can use creative connections to make the world a better place. I couldn't agree more!

"Dot-Scape" ~ 30 x 30 gallery wrapped canvas

Inspired by Amanda's words and Jessica's works, how might you collect, connect and share using your creative spirit in the coming week? Or at the very least, what's one fun way you might play with dots? 

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.

Have You Seen Katharine Hepburn Skateboard?

Oh how I love this Katharine Hepburn quote! 

It paired nicely with this photo of her skateboarding the first time I saw it. 

This image, not surprisingly, led me down a bit of a google rabbit hole as I looked for other examples of the indomitable Hepburn doing things that clearly pleased her. They were easy to find. 

Hepburn wearing pants at at time most women wore skirts and dresses. 

Hepburn riding a horse.

Hepburn making movies with Spencer Tracey. 

Hepburn playing golf.

Hepburn standing on Cary Grant's shoulders.

Of course, Katharine Hepburn did have a bit of a reputation for being a stubborn and selfish. But, it seems she was more than okay with the trade-off of that reputation for actually living the life she desired. Isn't that why she's such a beloved icon? 

Here's the thing, I believe we do creative self-care a major injustice when we label it (or let others in our lives label it) as selfish! And yet that's what I hear from my clients time and again. 

So many people are vying for their time. They feel selfish when they take time to enjoy their Creative Oasis ~ those creative experiences that energize and delight them.

They need the gentle reminder (just like I do and I'm guessing you do too) that saying yes to ourselves, to the creative experiences that please us, enrich our lives and make us more pleasant human beings, sometimes (make that often) means saying "No" to others. 

Does this thought of saying no to others make you start to hyperventilate just a wee bit? 

If so, this Creative Oasis Challenge is for you! (And I'll join you, I promise!) Practice saying "No" to someone or something that will open up a bit of Creative Oasis time for you this week. Need some examples? 

* No. I can't drive you to the mall right now. I'm practicing my ukulele. 

* No. I won't be able to sit on the committee again this spring. I'm taking a writing class.

* No. I can't meet for coffee today. I'm finally planting my garden. 

Another way you can say "No" to free up Creative Oasis time is to say "No" to yourself. 

* No. I won't check my email and Facebook page every fifteen minutes. 

* No. I won't binge watch "Orange is the New Black" tonight. 

*No. I won't go shop at Target to "pick up a few things." (Funny how that trip to buy the paper towels that are on sale can turn into a cart full of bath beads, summer shirts and a vase you didn't know you needed!)

Here's to practicing saying "No" to the things that keep you from your Creative Oasis and saying "Yes" to giving yourself permission to spend a bit more time with the creative experiences that make your heart sing and time fly! 

You certainly can't please all of the people all of the time. Why not take a cue from Hepburn and spend more time with what pleases you? 

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 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.

5 Ways to Add Your Creative Color to Your Life!

For the background of this Mid-Week Oasis Moment I used a photograph I took in the Chalkboard Room exhibit at the Centre Pompidou on my recent trip to Paris.

The exhibit invites you to step into a room with green chalkboard walls on all four sides, pick up a piece of colored chalk and add your own words or doodles or both.

The result is an exhibit in which you're enveloped by an impressionistic, modern work of art created by people from around the world including yourself. Wow! What a beautiful experience! 

I loved how the chalkboard exhibit felt so welcoming and made it so easy for people to put their own colorful creative mark on the ever-changing piece.

What was it about the experience made it feel so special and wonderful? Here's what I've concluded:

#1 ~ I was completely surrounded by color.  The blending of all of the colored chalk used over time created a beautiful collage of soft color on each wall. I love color, so for me it made for a very inspiring atmosphere.

#2 ~ I was part of a greater good. Because hundreds or more likely thousands of people had added their marks before me it felt good to join in and add my own colorful wishes for the world to theirs.

#3 ~ I was instantly creative. It was easy to jump right in, pick up a piece of chalk and write. The simplicity of the creative act allowed me to be instantly creative without overthinking the results. I spent less than two minutes in the room but I imagine I'll remember the experience for the rest of my life.

#4 ~ I was given permission. Here it is again ~ permission. The instructions to the exhibit gave me instant permission to contribute my creativity to the piece. Think about it. I would never dream of walking up to a piece of art in a museum and adding a splash of paint because I thought it would enhance the piece. But, in this instance, I had permission and as you've heard me say a hundred times, giving yourself permission to be creative is the first small step!

#5 ~ I was enchanted and inspired by something so simple and new. I've never witnessed or been a part of something quite like the chalkboard room exhibit. Immediately I began thinking of ways to recreate the experience on a smaller scale back home in my classes and workshops.

I invite you to use the following creative prompts inspired my experience in the chalk room to have some creative fun of your own in the coming week:

# 1 ~ What's a creative experience in which I can surround myself with color?
# 2 ~ What's a creative experience that will help me be part of a greater good?
# 3 ~ What's a creative experience that will allow me to be instantly and easily creative?
# 4 ~ How will I give myself permission to enjoy a creative experience?
# 5 ~ What's a simple and new creative experience I can try?

Click here to download your complimentary printable version of these prompts. 

If you choose to play with these prompts, I'd love to hear about your creative experiences! Please feel free to share in the comments below.

Here's to being brave and sharing your creative colors with the world! The world could use more colorful creative energy, don't you think?

Until next time, all the best from my colorful 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.

Off To Paris With All My Heart!

Paris...City of Light...City of Love...place I'll go with all my heart (and my husband and daughter) this weekend to make a lifelong dream come true. 

But I'll be honest, along with the joy and excitement of my impending trip comes the shadow of overwhelm and worry. 

Thoughts like, "You're not packed yet!" and "You haven't stopped the mail or the paper yet!" and "You still need to pick up your euros from the bank!" and "You don't speak French!" jump around my mind like young, unattended children given espressos and free kittens. 

Once again I get to use the Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching methods I love so well to talk myself off the ledge.  Here are five I've used today alone as I prepare for my upcoming trip! How they might help you on your creative journey?

1. Quick Lists ~ Nothing helps calm me down faster than taking the whirlwind of thoughts twirling around my mind and writing them all down as quickly as possible in a list! (I visualize my overwhelming thoughts like the twister in the Wizard of Oz that Dorothy imagines after she's hit on the head.) Once I've written everything down and moved it from my mind to the page I can see it and instantly feel I have more control over the situation. 

2. Asking Compassionate Questions ~ What can I let go? What can I delegate? How can I make this more fun? How can I make this less stressful? Etc... Asking myself these kinds of questions helps me take action from a place of compassion rather than panic. 

3. Small Steps ~ "Pack" may seem like a small step, but I can actually break it down into eight smaller steps: check the weather in Paris next week...choose outfits...choose shoes...choose accessories...choose books...fold clothes...bring out suitcases...pack suitcases. This lowers the stress and makes packing easier. 

And going back to small questions if I ask "How can I make packing more fun?" I could listen to a podcast about Paris travel...I could light a candle...I could enjoy a cup of warm tea or a glass of wine while I pack. 

4. Mindsculpting ~ By taking a moment to close my eyes, take a nice deep breath and visualize myself snuggled on the airplane between my daughter and husband, reading a good book, enjoy a glass of wine and leaving behind my day-to-day schedule and worries as I fly across the ocean to one of what I believe will be my favorite cities in the world!

5. Credit Check ~ When I step back and take look at those scattered thoughts I shared above and think about what I've really done so far I realize though I haven't packed, I have everything I need. I've also added stop mail and paper to my list. I've ordered our euros and can pick them up from the bank today. And though I'm certainly not bilingual, I've been playing around with DuoLingo and learning a few French phrases for several weeks now...certainly enough to be polite and attempt to speak in the native language while ordering my croissants and cheese! 

Many of us tend to focus on what we haven't accomplished. That's human nature. Taking a minute to do a credit check (really a reality check) helps me release my freak out and feel much better about my situation. 

By using these same methods I use in my creative coaching, classes and workshops I'm already feeling much more peaceful about my trip. It's really amazing how quickly and how well these methods work! 

Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to your creative dreams and desires? If so, I invite you to play with these creative coaching methods for yourself. I can tell you from personal experience (and the feedback of my happy one-on-one coaching clients) they work wonders! 

Well, that's all for now. I get to run to the bank to pick up my euros. 

Now I'm really ready to go to Paris with all my heart! 

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.

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.

7 Ways to Love Your Life a Little More

Are you in love with your creative life?

If your reaction is "What creative life?!?!" we need to discuss the possibility of doing some one-on-one coaching together! 

In the meantime, here's something you can do on your own in the coming week. I invite you to ponder the prompts I've shared below inspired the Osho quote in today's Mid-Week Oasis Moment.

If you keep a written journal you may want to answer the questions each time you sit down to write. Observe if and how your answers change over the course of the coming week.

If you keep a visual or art journal you may like to create a page inspired by each question.

Or, if you like, you can click here to download this free printable I've created for you.

#1 ~ What do I love about my current creative life?

#2 ~ What might help me love my creative life even more?

#3 ~ What's one small, doable step I can take to set my answer to question #2 in motion?

# 4 ~ What's one easy, affordable way I can add some beauty to my life?

#5 ~ How might I enjoy a bit more music in my life?
       (Even if you don't think of yourself as musical.)

# 6 ~ How might I add some poetry to my life?
        (Even if you don't consider yourself a poet.)

#7 ~ How might I energize my life with dance?
       (Even if you don't consider yourself a dancer.)

I truly hope that these questions spark some ideas that will help you dive into some creative joy and love yourself and your life a little more! 

With lots of love 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.

Gifts From the Sea, Van Gogh & Me

I'm so happy to share a few gifts from my trip to the sea paired with 

blessings to inspire your creative journey this week! 

May you find inspiration in the beauty of nature!

The beach is one of my favorite Creative Oasis Places. Walking along the shoreline never fails to reenergize and inspire me. 

To create the Mid-Week Oasis Moment above I took a photo of the beach then gave it the "Van Gogh" treatment using a fun app called "AutoPainter" and added a quote from Vincent himself that I just love. 

May you continue to grow and find strength from your creativity!

The sun came out for our final morning beach walk and we encountered all sorts of treasures. I found this beautiful, blue-grey nautilus shell (a symbol of growth & strength) my lone souvenir of our trip ~ well, other than a few new laugh lines. 

photo by Ashley Thames Brown

May your creative spirit take flight like a feather on the wind! 

My friend, Ashley, found this white feather along with some lovely bits of sea glass. She left other pieces to continue tumbling in the surf and sand to smooth their sharp edges and become treasures for future beach combers.

And finally, may you find many opportunities to "flock together" with kindred "birds of a feather" on your creative journey! 

Non-stop laughter that makes your cheeks hurt and your sides ache in the best possible way...

Heartfelt conversations where you know you're truly heard and understood...

Unconditional love that reminds you you're not alone on this crazy ride called life...

All that and more filled a brief beach getaway with a few fabulous girlfriends and proved to be just what my spirit needed last weekend! 

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.

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.

White Rock Artists' Tour Goodies Galore!

I'm delighted to share a special Creative Inspiration Guide I designed to help you tap into your own creative spirit while enjoying the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour this fall. What better way to celebrate Creative Oasis Coaching's third year as a proud tour sponsor?

Click the "Grab Your Goodies Here!" button below to request your free guide plus a complimentary copy of my recently updated e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101." 

Consider them a Welcome to Your Oasis gift from me.
But grab 'em soon, because this special Creative Inspiration Guide will only be available to download for free through October 13, 2014. 

Grab Your Goodies Here!

I recently redesigned and expanded my ebook "Permission to Be Creative 101" to contain three new pages of easy and fun creative prompts to help you enjoy more time with the creative endeavors that make your heart sing and time fly ~ your Creative Oasis. Be sure to click "Grab Your Goodies Here!" to receive all of these special creative freebies for yourself.

I hope you have fun exploring this year's White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour using this playful Creative Inspiration Guide. If you happen to see me out and about on the tour, please to introduce yourself and say hi. I'd love to meet you in person!

Remember to request your Creative Inspiration Guide above today. It will only be available to download for free through October 13, 2014. 

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

Founder Creative Oasis Coaching

Singer/Songwriter

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com