Slow Down – You Move Too Fast

If you’re of a certain age, or a Simon & Garfunkel fan, you know what comes next – “You got to make the morning last just kickin’ down the cobble stones, looking for love and feelin’ groovy.”

This song has been stuck in my head lately for a few reasons. First it was used by the leader of my business coaching group, Mapping and Mentoring with Marney, a few weeks ago as a prompt to tap into ways to “feel groovy” while growing our business – which resulted in a very energizing and inspiring mind-map for me.

Next, I had three turtles visit me in one day last week – my little niece’s stuffed turtle, a large snapping turtle on a country road and a smaller lake turtle on the side of the highway. I decided it would be fun to check out an animal symbolism website or two to see what the message might be.

You won’t be surprised that the turtle can be seen as a message to slow down the pace of your life (not the first time I’ve received thismessage - so apparently I need to hear it from time to time!) but there were other meanings I found interesting as well. More than one site said that turtles are reminders to :

Honor and protect your creative source within.

Practice patience (I can always use this reminder!)

And perhaps the timeliest message for me:

“The turtle buries its thoughts, like eggs, in the sand 

and allows the sun to hatch the little ones.

 This suggests that you develop your ideas 

before bringing them out into the light.”

I’ve been practicing giving myself permission to slow down my schedule and withdraw a bit from my in-person events, classes and workshops this summer so that I can focus on completing several new creative courses and e-books I’m excited to finish and share with the world.

My heemeesheemee turtle visits (heemeesheemee is my word for serendipitous) felt like a playful affirmation from the universe that slowing down, practicing patience and honoring and protecting the time I need for my inner creative source is definitely the right path for me at this time. Though I knew this in my heart, I’ve been struggling with the notion of pulling back on my offerings to give myself a creative sabbatical of sorts over the summer.

It may be pure coincidence that turtles kept popping up for me last weekend, but it’s so much more exciting and fun to see that bit of serendipity as a sign that I’m on the right path with my own Creative Oasis™!

photo credit Pegasus News

One splendid experience that came to from my new found intention to slow down was allowing myself to simply sit on a bench and look out over the lake after a morning walk for ten full minutes. I often see people just sitting and enjoying the view at the lake, but it seems I’m always in a hurry to get back home and get to work, so I usually just give them a longing glance and walk on by.

Not this week! This week I gave myself permission to pause. (Re-reading my posts from two summers ago on this exact subject has helpedrenew my commitment to this as well.)

I can honestly say those ten minutes I gave myself to simply sit and enjoy the view and the breeze put me in a wonderful frame of mind for the entire day. This is so in-line with Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coaching philosophy of giving ourselves permission to enjoy small amounts of time with our creativity, exercise, relaxation – whatever it is that we’re longing to do. We don’t have to have a full hour or more – ten minutes can do the trick nicely.

What’s one small way you might slow down this week? It could be as simple as taking one thing off of your to-do list or enjoying ten glorious minutes to just sit and daydream – inside or out.

I’d love to hear your favorite ways to slow down. Please feel free to share in the comments below. If you'd like to receive my Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite size bonbons of creative inspiration sent weekly to your inbox sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html. You'll also receive a free copy of my short e-book, "Permission to Be Creative 101."

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

Jill

Founder of Creative Oasis Coaching

Master Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach

Singer/Songwriter

Turtle Lover

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Bridge to Somewhere Beautiful

Bridge over White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas
photo by Vonda Kaatz Hussey

Yesterday tens of thousands of people around the globe joined together to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day and support Women for Women International by taking part in the second annual Join Me on the Bridge event. We gathered in Africa, Asia and all across Europe. We gathered on well-known bridges such as the Millennium Bridge in London, the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.   

Photo by Vonda Kaatz Hussey

And here in Dallas, Texas nearly 50 men, women and children came together on a small pedestrian/bike path bridge over White Rock Lake.  We met new friends. We lifted signs of peace. We sang songs, shared our stories and ideas and left feeling hopeful in the knowledge that we truly can make a difference. We can make the world a better, safer place for women around the world by demonstrating our compassion, by raising our voices and by lending our support.

Gorethy Nabushosi of Congo Restoration
photo by Vonda Kaatz Hussey

As of this writing, we’ve raised more than three times our goal of $100 for the 100 for 100 Challenge. With donations ranging from a single dollar to one hundred, we came together and collected enough money to allow one woman to participate in the year long life-changing program offered by Women for Women.

Photo by Marla McDonal

What a beautiful illustration of the notion that every effort and donation, no matter the size, helps. When we unite our resources, talents and passion we can do great things!

If you’d like to join us you can add your contribution of any dollar amount here.  If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring a woman for $27 a month through Women for Women International visit http://www.womenforwomen.org.

It will be such a joy for me to share photos and stories of our event with my sister I’m currently sponsoring in the Congo. Imagine the joy and hope she’ll feel knowing that people half a world away came together to build a bridge of love that honors her and all everywhere. I would call that a bridge to somewhere beautiful.

With gratitude, love and light,

Jill

Join Me On The Bridge, Tuesday March 8th

Please join me on the lovely bridge over White Rock Lake (Mockingbird Ln. & Lawther Dr.) Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 1pm to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day.  We’ll show our solidarity with our sisters around the world living in war-torn countries doing their best to create new lives for themselves and their families. This wonderful Women for Women International event was created by the Country Directors of Women for Women's programs in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo - two countries which have seen some of the most devastating impacts of war in recent years and where atrocities such as rape, torture and violence against women are commonplace. Women from different communities decided to come together on a bridge which borders their two countries, in the heart of the conflict; to stand up for peace and an end to violence against women.

Last year the first ever global bridge campaign in 2010 when over 20,000 women across four continents took part in 108 different bridge events. Here in East Dallas a small but passionate group of us gathered on the bridge over White Rock Lake, not letting the rain dampen our enthusiasm.

We heard moving words from the amazing Gorethy Nabushosi, founder of Congo Restoration.

We waved signs for peace that we made with our children. We shared umbrellas, tears, hugs and hope.  Hope that even this small group of men, women and children coming together on a tiny bridge in Texas could send a message of love and light to people half a world away. Hope that by taking a bit of time out of our almost-always-too-busy schedules to do something as simple, yet powerful as gathering together on a bridge; we truly facilitate change for the better in our world.

My hope is that this year we can gather at least 100 people on the bridge, and by giving at least one dollar each, contribute to the 100 for 100 fundraising effort to support Women for Women International.

Visit Women for Women to learn more.

I’ve been sponsoring women through this transformational program for three years now and have learned from the notes and letters I’ve received from my sisters in the Congo and Rwanda how profound an impact the Women for Women programs have on their lives. For just $27 a month you too can sponsor a woman who will then be able to participate in a year long training program to learn skills to earn money for her family and have access to other important educational and health programs.

                                                                                            

Last year, with the generous support of many talented friends and family, I was blessed to create an event, “Infinite Possibility – A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women” that raised more than $10,000 for Women for Women International. 

(Please visit the website here if you’d like to see the beautiful artwork created for the silent art auction of this event and meet the artists and sponsors.)

Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, was here in Dallas this past week to receive the Posey Leadership Award. Although I was unable to see her speak in person, I did listen to this wonderful interview she gave to my friend Krys Boyd, host of THINK on KERA 90.1 radio. (Krys graciously offered to host the Infinite Possibility event last year.) Listen to her interview by visiting this link to THINK and you’ll understand why Salbi is a force of good in the world worthy of our time and support. As she so eloquently explains, when you give women the means to create change for the better, everyone in the community benefits.

Please join me and other men, women and children as we support Women for Women International Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 1pm over White Rock Lake. Bring signs of peace, friends and family and most importantly, bring yourself and your heartfelt wish for peace to embrace us all.

Wishing an oasis of peace, love and light for us all,

Jill


p.s. Please read my lovely friend, Ashley Brown's, blog post at Soul Flung Open on her experiences with Women for Women International.  Ashley was one of the 13 amazing female artists who contributed her time and talent the Infinite Possibility fundraiser last year. This is the fabulous piece she contributed below.

Mary's Song by Ashley Brown