Let In The Light With Imperfection

Taos Bell photo by Doug Bryan

Last weekend I had a blast exploring inspiring studio spaces and visiting with some of the super talented and friendly artists on the White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour. (Creative Oasis Coaching was once again happy to be a proud sponsor of this fabulous tour.)

One topic that came up over and over was the importance of giving ourselves permission to release the need for perfection in order to move forward creatively and embrace the joy of creative experiences. 

In one studio I even stumbled upon a sign of one of my favorite Creative Oasis Mantras I just shared with my classes last week ~ Perfect Is Boring! One of many cool heemeesheemee experiences this weekend. (My word for all things serendipitous.) 

Hanging in the studio of Rebecca Boatman

I saw several examples of cracked, broken and "imperfect" pieces of glass and found objects assembled into gorgeous mosaic and sculptural pieces. 

Pieces by Cindy Kelley & Angela Gallia

I received a fascinating lesson in the intricate process of creating bronze sculptures from Glo Coalson.

Glo Coalson shares a lesson in the bronze sculpture process

And also enjoyed visiting with one of the founders of the tour, Marty Ray. 

Marty Ray

Marty shared that her new bird pot designs evolved from pinch pots and offer a fun and relaxing way to play with clay and take a break from her more intricate incised and painted story pots shown below.

One of my favorite parts of the tour was meeting some of my neighbors who have studios within walking distance from my house. How cool is that? I so love my funky little creative hood! 

Janet Reynolds of Imagine Studios

One neighbor, Janet Reynolds, has the most inviting, colorful studio space in her backyard and personality to match! 

Betsy Doan of Mud Puppy Studio

Another, Betsy Doan of Mud Puppy Studio, offers a great variety of whimsical yard art and ceramic pieces. 

More from Mud Puppy Studio

by Juli Hulcy-Kessinger of Artquirks

The tour is a wonderful opportunity to meet kindred creative spirits, expose yourself to many different types of creative expression and be reminded of the beauty in imperfection. 

Thank you to everyone who requested a free copy of the Creative Inspiration Guide I created for the tour. I hope you enjoyed the creative permission, prompts and play! 

If you live in the Dallas area, I hope you'll join us in 2015 for the 23rd annual White Rock Lake Artists' Studio Tour! 

In closing, I'd like to share this quote:

“Healthy striving is self-focused: "How can I improve?" 

Perfectionism is other-focused: "What will they think?” 

― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

All the best from my far from perfect but very light filled Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Butterfly mosaic by Juli Hulcy-Kessinger of Artquirks

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

Are You Daydreaming Enough These Days?

(Empowered Quote by Mary Engelbreit & Jill Allison Bryan.
Click here to learn more about how to create Empowered Quotes of your own.)

We've been practicing the power of Kaizen (small steps to continuous improvement) in my Living the Creative Life classes the past couple of weeks.

When I invite these wonderful women to break down one of their creative wishes into as many small steps as possible they're often surprised when I suggest they add "daydream" to their lists. They're also delighted to learn that not only does daydreaming count, it's actually an important and useful (though often overlooked) small step. Why?

Daydreaming helps us step away from our never-ending to-do lists for a bit and imagine new possibilities. (Just writing that statement made me take a nice deep breath!) 

It's also a wonderful way to stop and ponder what it even is that we want to experience.

Spending some relaxed time (even just a few minutes) allowing our minds to wander and consider "what if" scenarios can open the door to all manner of creative options we may never think of otherwise.

Add a little gentle structure to your daydreaming (such as simply keeping the phrase "what if" in your mind) and you may find yourself coming up with all manner of fabulous creative plans and possibilities.

When's the last time you gave yourself permission to daydream? I'm guessing it's been a while. And you're not alone.

I invite you to set a timer and give yourself the next two minutes (That's less than a bathroom break!) to stare out the window, gaze at your navel or close your eyes and simply ponder the question "What if?"

Next, click here to download and print the free Permission to Daydream fun sheet below. Then give yourself the gift of another two minutes to engage in some guilt-free, lightly structured daydreaming with your wise inner self.

So there you have it. In less then five minutes you've treated yourself to a relaxing (and hopefully, eye-opening) time to dream up some new ways to say yes to your Creative Oasis this week!

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

Daydream Believer/Singer/Songwriter/Creative Coach

Creativity, Oxygen & Chocolate...the Essentials.

If you're still laboring under the illusion that time spent enjoying creative endeavors is a luxury, I invite you to flip that belief upside down and consider creative time as a necessity to your well-being...as essential as oxygen, water and, in my case at least, dark chocolate.

As I love to say, your Creative Oasis is whatever makes your heart sing and time fly. It's any and all creative experiences that energize and delight you from writing to gardening to painting to meditating to cooking to choosing what jewelry to wear.

Too often our creative joy is the first thing to fly out the window when we find ourselves over-scheduled and under-nurtured, which quite frankly, is most of the time for many of us.

Here's a quick and easy three-step process I've created to help you practice spending a bit more guilt-free time in your own Creative Oasis starting right here and now.

#1 ~ Breathe. Yes, I know you're already breathing or you wouldn't be able to read this, but I invite you to take two or three nice deep breaths. You may even want to close your eyes to allow yourself to really focus on the fabulous, nurturing feeling that deep breathing can bring.

#2 ~ Listen. To your own inner wisdom that is. Now that you've enjoyed a few deep breaths and feel a bit more relaxed than you did a minute ago, ask yourself "What creative experience is calling my name right now?"

Perhaps you'd like to read an article you've been saving...enjoy some low-pressure doodling...flip through a cookbook to choose a new recipe to try...take a quick photo with your phone...write a note to a friend...maybe you want to simply sit quietly and enjoy a few more deep breaths in peace and quiet. What sounds good to you?

#3 ~ Begin. What if you set a timer and give yourself permission to spend the next five or ten minutes enjoying one of the the Creative Oasis experiences your wise inner voice shared with you just now?

I invite you to savor this time as you would a delicious piece of chocolate knowing that by giving yourself even just a few minutes to rejuvenate your creative spirit, you're taking a wonderful step toward good self-care, stress relief and personal fulfillment.

So, how about it? Why not step away from the computer for a bit and dive into something you've been longing to do but haven't had the time.

I promise that when you've finished enjoying your Creative Oasis moments your family, work and home to-do lists will still be there waiting for you. The only difference is you'll meet them with a renewed sense of energy, peace and satisfaction.

If you'd like to share something about your creative experience below in the comments section, I'd love to hear from you!

If you enjoyed this post I invite you to share it with your friends! 

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

Procrastination~ Wanted ~ Dead or Alive! (a blast from the past)

* Felt like a good time to bring back this blast from the past. Enjoy! * 

(Request a free printable version of this mini-poster in the comments section below.)

Procrastination...it's one of our most common creative blocks.

It keeps us from enjoying our creative endeavors by allowing our inner critic to whisper in our ear: "You're no good at this. You don't have time for this nonsense. Who do you think you are?"

Procrastination convinces us that everyone else's stuff is more important than our own.

It causes us to hop up and look for something to eat when we're not the least bit hungry.

It fills us with a strange desire to re-organize our perfectly organized sock drawer or pantry or creative closet.

Procrastination tempts us to check Facebook, Twitter and email about ten times more often than we need.

It thrives on busy-work that could easily wait until tomorrow or even never in many cases.

It encourages our stubborn refusal to delegate and assures us that we must do everything ourselves.

Procrastination sucks. Literally. Procrastination sucks the creative life out of us. 
So how to we rid our lives of this insidious creative block?

Simply acknowledging our various procrastination habits is a great first small step. When see our blocks for what they are...when we're aware of the many ways they creep into our lives, that's the first step to hunting down procrastination and putting it behind bars where it belongs.

Here's an easy way to start. What if you make a quick list of all the various ways you might procrastinate today? By taking a moment to acknowledge the different ways you might keep yourself from making time for creative joy, you'll be more aware when your excuses pop up through out the day.

You may realize: 

"Oh, look - here I am on Facebook again. I could spend the next 15 minutes here, 

or I could get out my watercolors and paint." 

You may find yourself staring into your fridge and think,

"I'm not the least bit hungry for food. I want to play the piano!"

You may find yourself shuffling papers around your desk and have the epiphany

"I'd much rather be writing!" 

The idea is, when we're on the look out for our blocks we can stop them in their tracks. We can remind ourselves that we have a choice. "I can spend more time doing this thing I don't really need or want to be doing, or take this time back for my creativity." It takes practice, but it's a doable way to begin. And even if you only open up an additional ten or fifteen minutes in your day for creativity – well, that's ten or fifteen minutes more than you had before – so it's great movement in the right direction! 

Here's to rounding up our procrastination habits and locking them up where they belong so we can free up more time for creative satisfaction in our life!

Need more help saying NO to procrastination and YES to creative fulfillment? One-on-one creativity coaching may be just the ticket. 

(Click here to discover how I can help you embrace your own Creative Oasis.)

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

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

Recovering Procrastinator

Singer/Songwriter

Master Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach

Founder Creative Oasis Coaching

Warning! 10 Documented Side Effects of Creative Oasis Classes

I feel it's only fair to warn you that when you take a Creative Oasis class you're likely to experience some, if not all, of the side effects listed above. But don't take my word for it. You can click here to see what a few of my clients and colleagues have to say about their experiences.

If you live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas, I invite you to join me for my upcoming 6-week  "Living the Creative Life" class. During our time together you'll:

~ Enjoy fun, low-pressure creative experiences

~ Learn and practice ways to live a more creatively fulfilling life

~ Move past blocks like procrastination and perfectionism

~ Get to know other wonderful creative loving women

~ Receive gentle accountability and compassionate support

~ Delight in using creativity to foster good self-care

~ Experience the energizing delight of discovering your own Creative Oasis

Sound good? Click here to quickly and easily register to save your place today. 

Class starts Wednesday, September 17, 2014 and meets weekly through October 22, 2014.

Choose the class that best fits your schedule: 

 Morning class meets from 10:30 to Noon

Pigment School of the Arts

4605 West Lovers Lane

Dallas, TX 75209

or 

Evening class meets 6:30 to 8pm

at Artistic Gatherings

9440 Garland Rd. #138

Dallas, TX 75218

$275 includes all creative materials

Class size limited to 8 and pre-registration is required.

Click here to register and save your place today.

If you have any questions, pop them into the comments section below and I'll get back with you ASAP! 

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

Jill

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

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