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.

The Remarkable Benefits of Embracing Now

Ever find yourself slipping into the "If Only" mantra? 

If only I could get my home perfectly organized, then I'd start that scrapbook project. If only I could magically add an hour to my day, then I'd finish writing my book. If only I could lose ten pounds, then I'd feel more like working out. (Yes - that's the way of "if only" logic – it's not so logical!) If only I could finish all of my work projects, then I'd open that watercolor kit. If only I made more money, then I'd really be happy. Any of this sound remotely familiar?

Most of us have fallen into the trap of "If Only" thinking at some point. When we use "If Only" as our mantra it has the power to shut us down when it comes to making the time and space in our lives for our own Creative Oasis – or as I like to say – for whatever makes our hearts sing and time fly! 

Fortunately for me (and for you!) creativity coaching offers a treasure chest of wonderful tools and techniques that can help us move past "If Only" thinking and tune into, recognize and embrace what is good...what works well..what is amazing and wonderful in our lives right 

NOW!

It can be as simple as asking yourself positively framed questions such as:

What's working well in my creative life at this moment?

What can I give myself credit for doing today?

What's one small thing that I'm grateful for today?

What's something that I love about my home?

Who is one person who brings light into my life?

By asking ourselves these positively framed questions, we focus our awareness on what's good now in our lives rather than what we think would be good "if only" something else occurred first.

I'm a huge fan of TEDx Talks and recently I found one that now ranks among my top five all-time favorites! If you watch the short video below, you'll see why. 

Shawn Achor uses humor and research to make a compelling case for losing the "If Only" mentality and embracing whatever good we can find in the here and now. Enjoy a few minutes with Shawn and learn the remarkable benefits of embracing now!

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!