What Wonderful Summer Surprises Await You? Free teleclass – Wednesday, June 9th – 11am central

“I just realized that I want to write a story. Wow! That's a total surprise!” – the unexpected and delighted response of a woman who attended my “Create The Summer of Your Dreams” presentation that I gave in Dallas last Friday night.

Discover what unexpected delights await you this summer by joining me for the enlightening and fun interactive presentation I’m offering as a free teleclass this Wednesday, June 9^th at 11am central. (Sign up & request call-in information for the “Create The Summer of Your Dreams” teleclass here.)

Once we explore options for activities and experiences that will fill our summer with creative satisfaction and joy, I’ll share a few easy and fun ways to open the time and space in your life to get to actually them.

For those who are interested, I’ll offer a follow-up 6 week teleclass series to keep your momentum going. The one-hour calls will provide support, inspiration, and gentle accountability while helping you make the most of your perfect summer plan.  Choose the morning or evening* class at 11am & 7pm (Central), Wednesdays (June 16 - July 21)  Only $75 for the entire 6 session series. 

I look forward to helping you dive into your best summer yet. (Click here to let me know where I should e-mail the free teleclass phone number and call-in information.)

All the best from my creative oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

Certified Creativity Coach

Founder of Creative Oasis Coaching

Singer/Songwriter

Believer in Infinite Possibility

Free teleclass - Wednesday, June 9th 11am central

presents

"Create the Summer of Your Dreams"

A Free Teleclass with Jill Allison Bryan

Wednesday, June 9th at 11am central

Summer is upon us. What do you want yours to look like? Have you given it any thought? So often we dive right into the season with little or no plan only to look up and find that - yikes! - it’s already July 4th and we haven’t even peeled a single peach or read a good book yet!


Whether you crave lazy days in the sun, a balance of work and leisure or ideas to jump-start a creative project or two – I’ll share some easy, yet effective ways to help you design your ideal summer and then make it happen. Join me Wednesday, June 9th at 11am central time to learn a few simple techniques from my Creative Oasis Coaching that can help you create the summer of your dreams while feeling truly relaxed and fulfilled. 

Whether it's visiting your local farmer's market, making homemade lemonade, dusting off your bicycle or finally unwrapping the sketch pad you bought last summer - together we can turn your summer into one filled with moments of joy and memories of a lifetime.

Join me for this special free one hour teleclass and if you like you can keep your momentum going with a paid 6-week follow-up series. These one hour sessions will provide support, inspiration and gentle group accountability while helping you make the most of your perfect summer plan. Only $75 for the entire 6 week series. For registration & information contact Jill at creativeoasiscoach@me.com.

All the best from my creative oasis to yours, Jill

Giving Credit Where It’s Long Overdue – To You!

One of my favorite creative coaching tools is the “credit check-in.” By simply listing all of the things that you did get around to during the week you often realize you accomplished much more than you thought you had. We tend to dwell on all that we haven’t yet crossed off our never-ending, crazy-long, take-care-of-everyone-else-on-the-planet first to-do lists. You know – everything that needs to be done, didn’t get done and a few things we can’t imagine how there will ever be enough time in the world to get done. This just serves to frustrate and overwhelm us. Frustration + Overwhelm = Bad Feelings. Credit Check-in + Self-satisfaction = Good Feelings.

Today I had a “physician – heal thyself!” moment. About a bazillion things that I need and want to do (that’s barely an exaggeration!) raced through my mind. Things to promote my new CD, “Dancing In Limbo”… things to better serve my Creative Oasis Coaching clients … things to do for my family … things to do for my friends …things to do for the planet (when I get on a roll – watch out!) … lots and lots and lots of things!

Just about the moment I felt overwhelm wrapping around me like a boa constrictor and I couldn’t take a deep enough breath, I received a wonderful e-mail from a past client. She wrote to thank me for some of the tools that we’d used together during our coaching sessions and to let me know they were still essential to helping her make the time and space in her busy life for her creative passions (which includes writing a fabulous blog that you can check out here). “Oh yeah,” I remembered, “These fantastic tools are available even to me 24/7, but sometimes we just need a little reminder.”

So I took a break from obsessing about everything that needs to be done and did a credit check-in for myself. I made a list of everything I’ve accomplished in the past week. (even laundry and making lunches – everything that took even a few minutes of my precious time) Then I read it over and let it really sink in. I’m not shy, so I’ll tell you – I’ve been kicking booty this past week! Yes – there is still much to be done – but NEWS FLASH – there always will be. And if there weren’t life would be boring and stagnant and no fun, in my book anyway. I felt so much better realizing all that I had already successfully accomplished. I was able to take a deep breath and feel a blessed release from that awful overwhelm that had been creeping in. (insidious bastard that overwhelm!) I share this in the hope that it will serve as a reminder to you to take a minute to give yourself the credit your due. I promise it will feel great and you deserve it!

All the best from my creative oasis to yours,

Jill

p.s. - I'm thrilled to be the featured coach in this month's MUSE FLASH by Jill Badonsky. Pop over and check out her monthly musing here. It's always inspiring and fun!

Music, Art & Love Raised Over $10,000 For Women for Women International!

“Infinite Possibility – A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women” was a tremendous success and, I believe all who attended would agree, a whole lot of fun. What began as a creative daydream about how to celebrate the release of my solo CD, “Dancing in Limbo” became a dreamy reality on the evening of March 27.

An amazing group of people gave freely of their time,

talent and resources to create an event of a lifetime and in the process raised $10,775 to benefit Women for Women International.

I introduced you to most of the artists here on my blog. You can still view all of these short films (most are 3 or 4 minutes) by visiting my youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/creativeoasiscoach. They’re a wonderful source of inspiration for anyone who longs to make the time and space in the life to pursue his or her creative passion.These gifted, giving women shared their talents generously by creating and donating artwork that raised more than $6,000 on the night of our celebration through silent auction. Additional profits were raised by our generous sponsors, individuals and businesses who donated to

our fabulous raffle prize basket, and the wonderful

guests who purchased tickets, CDs and special “Dancing In Limbo art & lyrics” books for a grand total of $10,775 profit to benefit Women for Women International.

The ultimate success of this event was also due in large part to the big-hearted offers of time and support from an amazing group of women who I am so proud to call my friends. They rallied to find sponsors, sell tickets, haul supplies, set-up, break down and offered me a non-stop flow of encouragement and support that lifted me up and carried me along even on the days I didn’t think I could do it. I am so grateful to them all.

I’ve learned so much more from this experience than I can relate in this short space – but I imagine I’ll be sharing more in the coming days and weeks as I process it all.

For now, I do know this – we are all capable of doing more than we think we can – sometimes you just have to follow your heart and see where it leads – and, finally, the power of love, music and art can come together in amazing ways to create awareness and raise funds to help women around the globe positively transform their lives and the lives of their families while lifting up everyone who participated in the process.

All the best from my creative oasis to yours, Jill!

Singer/Songwriter/Creativity Coach/Head Chica-in-Charge of Creative Oasis Coaching

Following My Heart into Infinite Possibility

What is Infinite Possibility? It's a theory that in each and every moment there exist an infinite number of possible choices and outcomes in life. It's also a song on my upcoming solo CD, "Dancing in Limbo." And, it's the name of the event I'm hosting here in Dallas on Saturday, March the 27th to celebrate the release of said CD in collaboration with 13 talented female artists who have each created and donated an original piece of artwork inspired by the songs on my CD. These beautiful pieces will be sold in a silent auction and I will perform the songs live at the celebration thus creating the event "Infinite Possibility – A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women" with all profits benefiting Women for Women International.

In the short video below, I share my journey into Infinite Possibility and invite you to join me.

In the beginning, I was searching for a creative way to celebrate the release of my CD - something outside the box and preferably not inside a smoky bar. I had no experience creating an event of this magnitude, fundraiser or otherwise. I was simply so inspired by the idea of combining music and art and finally having the opportunity to collaborate with some of my many talented artist friends and raising awareness and money for Women for Women International while I was at it - that I employed the "ready-fire-aim" strategy. I more or less just followed my heart and went for it. Luckily, I've had help and support from many, many wonderful people along the way including generous sponsors, raffle prize donators (now worth more than $1,000!) and, of course, the 13 gifted artists.

My good friend, Kim Hammond, was the ideal artist to pair with my song "Infinite Possibility." She and I share a long history of serendipitous moments, as well as psychic connections and experiences. I think she does an excellent job of describing her take on Infinite Possibility in her short video below.

If you're interested in attending and/or supporting "Infinite Possibility – A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women" please visit the website link above. It's been truly gratifying to hear from people in other countries and states who are sending in donations and buying tickets to lend their support though they won't be able to join us for the actual event. Their reaching out has proven to me that the ripple effect is real and the possibilities are indeed infinite for us to do good in the world. What a joy!

An Artist Who Won’t Change Her Spots For Anyone

Tori Webb Pendergrass says that it’s not really a choice, she simply must remain true to her own artistic style. Several years ago, when her mother suggested that Tori try painting pieces that would appeal to a wider audience, rather than attempt to change her personal style, Tori was inspired to create this piece.

“The leopard represents me, comfortable in my own skin, while the different 'outfits' hanging in the painting represent other personas that people might like me to be.” In remaining true to her calling, Tori has built a thriving career around her art.

Tori draws on her personal narratives to create vibrant yet primal pictorial stories infused with magical realism. She has exhibited her works in galleries, colleges and rock ‘n roll clubs around the world.

For Infinite Possibility – A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women (the celebration for the release of my solo CD, "Dancing in Limbo" & silent art auction benefiting Women for Women International), Tori painted a piece inspired by my song “RSVP,” which she discusses in the video below.

(click here to connect directly to our YouTube channel)

I find myself inspired not only by Tori’s compelling art, but by her ability to fully inhabit her life as an artist as well. In addition to creating and showing her own fine art, Tori owns and operates Pigment School of the Arts, an art school where she teaches and nurtures creative minds of all ages.

Visit her school at www.pigmentarts.com and view her personal portfolio at www.urbanimps.com.

An Inspiring Reminder to Be True to Your Creative Self!

Margaret Wolf admits there was a time when creativity took a back seat to the rest of her life, but not anymore. “I no longer steal time for my art,” says Margaret. “I made a promise to myself that the rest of my life would have to work around my creative pursuits.” A photographer/artist/writer, who recently held her one-woman show, “Three Cubed” at the Janette Kennedy Gallery in Dallas, Texas, Margaret says it’s a joy and a privilege to live a life immersed in her creative process.

As one of the 13 talented artists who agreed to donate an original piece of art to Infinite Possibility, A Night of Music, Art & Women Helping Women, (a celebration for the release of my solo CD, “Dancing in Limbo,” and silent art auction benefiting Women for Women International) I chose my song “Parallel Lives” for Margaret. This selection proved to be fairly serendipitous.

As she shares in her inspiring video below, although Margaret has always realized the value of living a creative life, she recently made the conscious decision to honor her true creative spirit at all times – to live her creative truth every day. She has successfully created a very satisfying MidLife Oasis™ for herself, and I for one am absolutely inspired by her!

Click here to watch connect directly to video if you're unable to view above. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSqi3YQJ56I)

No stranger to combing art and philanthropy, Margaret recently curated an charitable exhibit of 40 Dallas-based photographers (Living in Gratitude) and raised thousands of dollars for the North Texas Food Bank. “I feel lucky to be able to use my creative gifts to help others,” says Margaret.

And I feel lucky to call Margaret Wolf my friend. To see more of Margaret’s beautiful images visit her at www.margaretwolf.com.