Update 41: Creative Resistance & Showing Up Anyway

By Andrea Schroeder / September 5, 2014

I’m so grateful for these weekly updates to bring me back into connection with my dream, because I’m feeling very “Do I HAVE TO keep taking steps forward? Can’t I just enjoy where I am?” lately, which is a bullshit question.? You don’t choose between taking steps and enjoying where you are.? You do both.? And I made a commitment to myself and I’m going to keep it.

Earlier this week, I was hanging out with a friend who asked how a person makes time for their creativity.

That’s the wrong question.

Almost all of the questions that people ask about their dreams is the wrong question, because the questions are so LOADED with assumptions that are not true that you can’t get through all of that not-true to find what is true.

I think of them as monster questions.? Any time you spend with them just keeps you away from having what you really want.

That’s where I am right now – tempted to dive into the monster questions.

But instead of hanging out with the monster questions, I just sat with the Creative Dream update journaling prompts.? I didn’t even answer them, I just sat with them and it all became clear.

Some parts of building a dream include showing up every day and working hard until you’re through that part.? That’s where I am right now.? I have a project that includes about a billion steps.

I want to do this project.? Everything I want to do next is built on this.

But I’m being a baby about doing the actual work.? This desire to dive into the monster questions is really just resistance to being a grown up, showing up and doing the work.

Every creativity expert agrees: you have to show up and do the work.

Amateurs wait for inspiration, professionals show up and do the work, every day.

Right now it’s hard for me, but I’m showing up anyway.

Yesterday I shared a bit from my journal about how I was working through the overwhelm.? I’m going to explore this more during next week’s Creative Genius Planning Session and find a way to find my way through this GIANT PROJECT with as little overwhelm as possible.

But beneath all of that – my dream is sparkling.? The Circle continues to grow.? I’m inspired and excited about what’s coming next.

Update 41: Creative Resistance & Showing Up Anyway Read More »

[from my journal] On Being Over Capacity

By Andrea Schroeder / September 4, 2014

[excerpt from my journal]

I just figured out why I’ve been so cranky.

I thought it was because I have this big project that is full of tasks which are not my strength but which really must be done and it would be best for ME to do them because (long explanation there is no need to get into here).

Doing things that are not my strength is not my strength.? When I’m not in my strength then I’m not as strong.? Then everything kind of goes to shit.

But there is something more happening here, I just realised.

I am OVER CAPACITY.

I have a tank, it’s a big round circle, that’s clear inside.? All the things I am working on and thinking about and dreaming of go into the circle.? It’s best if each thing has some space around it.? Right now each thing is crammed in super crazy tight.? So tight it’s kind of hard to breath.

So no wonder I have been cranky.

And no wonder it’s impossible to respond to all of these requests I am getting even though they are not unreasonable requests – it’s just that if I add just one more thing to this circle of capacity I’ll snap for sure.

OK, so how about I have permission to not respond to any emails until Monday.

That’s better, now at least it doesn’t feel like there is a lineup of things wanting to get into the already over-crammed circle of capacity.

So now let’s take everything out of the circle and get a better look at it.

Project GIANT PROJECT: This is taking up the most space and has the sharpest edges.

Regular business stuff: This feels all squished by project GIANT PROJECT even though project GIANT PROJECT exists only to support regular business stuff and make everything all-around better.? It’s just that things won’t get all-around better until project GIANT PROJECT is all the way finished.

Personal stuff: Aww, this is kind of in a puddle at the bottom of the circle.? It’s there but it’s almost apologizing for being there. Like I should just be ignoring my personal needs because other things are yelling more loudly for my attention.

Dreams and future projects: These have made themselves small, to give project GIANT PROJECT more space.? These are small and sparkly and happy and hold so much happiness for me for the future.? They get that project GIANT PROJECT is going to support them, they’re happy to wait for now.

Holy crap it feels like a relief so have everything out of the circle and cataloged.

Now I can work with this:

Dreams and future projects: I’m going to put you into this other container.? You’re going to be on hold until the completion of project GIANT PROJECT.? Also we’ll remember that project GIANT PROJECT exists to serve and grow you.

Regular business stuff: All non-essential stuff is going into the container with the dreams and future projects.? Essential stuff is going to get a little space every day.? During next week’s Creative Genius Planning Session I’ll explore how to set this up.

Personal stuff: You don’t need to be in a puddle in the bottom!

Project GIANT PROJECT: You need to take up a bit less room and be less sharp around the edges.

Personal stuff and project GIANT PROJECT are just looking at me, they don’t know how to get back into the container of capacity in a way that is going to make everyone happy.

Let’s try something super radical here.

Personal stuff gets to have whatever space it needs.

Personal stuff goes right into the middle of the container of capacity, smiles, and stretches out.

Project GIANT PROJECT forms a ring, with soft smooth edges, around personal stuff.

I feel like I can breathe again.

I will take care of me.

I will be organised about my work.

I will work as efficiently and quickly as I can to get project GIANT PROJECT done but I won’t put myself into a state of overwhelm about it (anymore).

[from my journal] On Being Over Capacity Read More »

Update 40: On Becoming More Powerful

By Andrea Schroeder / August 29, 2014

This week was pretty amazing.? I kept working with the dragon that I uncovered last week.

A little while ago I got this amazing new Moleskine journal that contains one (crazy long) sheet of heavyweight paper that is accordion folded into 48 pages.

I bought it because I thought it would be perfect for making my Treasure Maps, so they could go on and on and on discovering treasure after treasure.

But after I met this dragon last week, I decided to use this journal to write out the dragon’s story.? I’ve been spending time with it every day, for at least an hour – meeting with the dragon, finding out more about what it has to tell/teach/show me and recording it all in my art journal.

(For Creative Dream Circle members – I’m using the Un-Sticking Station to do this.? Even though the dragon is not a “stuck” it’s the same process.)

As I shared last week, this started when I met the heart and soul of my dream and it was a big bird trapped in a small cage.? After doing intuitive healing work with it, the cage dissolved and the bird turned into a dragon.

The dragon is all about helping me see things from a bigger perspective and being more powerful.

So I’m meeting with the dragon every day to integrate the energy and lessons that the dragon has for me.? I can feel things shifting inside of me that I can’ t quite understand with my head, just yet.

I love this dragon though.? I love that it’s so patient with me, and keep showing me the same things in new ways.? Because the dragon doesn’t want to just teach, show or tell me stuff – it’s here to help transform me into who I need to be next to keep growing into my bigger dreams.

Growing into a bigger and more powerful part of you is not exactly a comfortable process.? It’s amazing but it’s also awkward and vulnerable.? So as I work with every reaction that comes up for me a new piece of the story falls into place.

So I’m giving this inner process a lot of space.? This way my intuition leads me towards what is next, instead of my ego or logical mind or inner critics telling me what to do.

My ego, logical mind and inner critics are not happy about this, they do like to be in charge.

But even my ego, logical mind and inner critics think that the ideas that are coming out of this inner process are really, really good ideas – which is amazing.

I’m looking at making some changes in my business that I’m pretty excited about.? I’m also feeling more grounded and powerful in my business, which is awesome.

Update 40: On Becoming More Powerful Read More »

How is drawing mandalas different from drawing anything else?

By Andrea Schroeder / August 26, 2014

This is the number one question I’ve been getting lately.? It’s something that is hard to explain in words, because it’s not something you can understand with just your head – it’s something you need to experience in order to understand.

Drawing mandalas is not like other kinds of drawing, because drawing mandalas isn’t actually about drawing, drawing mandalas is about wholeness and connection.

Drawing mandalas is less an artistic style and more a framework for connecting with the wholeness within: with your inner wisdom and intuitive voice.

In other words: drawing mandalas is magic because YOU are magic.

When you learn how to draw mandalas through focusing on what’s happening inside of you instead of focusing on what’s happening on the page, you learn how to tap into your inner wisdom.? (Yes – this is what I’m teaching in The Mandala Class)

A lot of spiritual teachings are paradoxes – like you’ll find the answer when you stop looking for it.

Mandalas are like that.? You’re drawing, but it’s totally not about the drawing.? You’re only using the drawing as a tool for focusing your energy and attention.

The paradox is that as long as you are successfully using the drawing to focus your energy and attention you’re likely to end up drawing Mandalas that you love.? But if you focus on drawing a “nice” Mandala not only is there a good chance you won’t really adore your artwork, you also won’t get any intuitive messages from it.

And if you focus on “doing it right” you’re likely to miss the whole point.

But if you focus on what’s happening inside of you, drawing mandalas is like having creative magic and intuitive wisdom on tap, so you can turn it on any time you need some.

The framework you work with while drawing mandalas supports this beautifully.

The circle represents wholeness.

Drawing rounds around rounds, and having the circle grow on your page, represents expansion.

Repeating lines and shapes as you draw creates patterns – patterns which shift and change and come together in new ways.? Which shows you new perspectives on YOUR patterns and helps you shift the less-helpful patterns into more-helpful patterns.

As you go round and round, creating, shifting and re-creating patterns, and all the while focusing on the inner process – you journey to somewhere new in your inner world.

There is so much magic inside you and THAT is what makes drawing mandalas so amazing.

Mandala Resources:

I’ve got a pretty fantastic (and easy even for beginners)How To Draw Mandalas Tutorial.

And I’m teaching The Mandala Class online starting on September 15.

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How is drawing mandalas different from drawing anything else? Read More »

Hello Overwhelm

By Andrea Schroeder / August 25, 2014

Overwhelm is moving so fast I can’t really see it.? But I can tell that it feels actually kind of happy, like there are a lot of different possibilities dancing in it.

Huh, this is interesting – I feel overwhelmed, and yet overwhelm feels like dancing.? What?

Deep breath.? I just want to meet myself where I am.? I don’t have to make sense of where I am.? My feelings don’t have to make sense, they are valid just as they are.

OK, I am confused because I feel overwhelmed but overwhelm seems to feel happy.? So why can’t I just feel happy?

Overwhelm is a juggling act that is moving so fast I can’t see exactly what is happening.? I worry that things will get lost in the juggling.

Overwhelm trusts itself to handle everything.

So does that mean I don’t trust myself to handle everything?

No, I guess I don’t.? Because I am worried about dropping things.? And I’m worried about not dropping things, but exhausting myself in the process.? I’m worried about not doing my best work.? I’m worried about making the wrong decision.? I’m worried that people will be upset that I am not doing things they way that they want me to do things.

Take each of those worries, and times by the four major projects that each need to be done RIGHT NOW.? And then throw in the 2 projects that I really want to be doing.

Yeah, I see why I feel overwhelmed.

I am so curious!? Why is overwhelm happy and dancing?

(more sitting with it)

I see it more clearly now, it looks like a whirling dirvish (Sufi dancer).? This isn’t the best photo, but this is where I saw whirling dirvishes, inside an old hamman, in Istanbul:

How amazing is this?? I LOVED the whirling dirvishes.? I totally remember that night, they were not spinning out of control.? More like spinning in ecstasy.

All these projects, all these decisions, all these worries, this is what I’m dancing with right now.

The more things I am dancing with, the more potential the dance contains.? It’s a good thing.

That’s why overwhelm feels happy.? Potential and possibilities and creating wonderful new things.? Dancing new dreams into life.

Ummmm, so I don’t actually feel overwhelmed at all.

It’s just my fears and inner critics get stirred up by new things, so they are stirred up, and they made up a story about overwhelm (!) ?The purpose of the story is to slow me down and keep me where I am.

Holy crap!? My whole life I have been easily overwhelmed and I feel that starting to unravel right now.

I don’t actually feel overwhelmed if I do one thing at a time.
I don’t actually feel overwhelmed when I am trusting myself.
II don’t actually feel overwhelmed if I being present and emotionally honest with myself.

Most of the times when I have felt overwhelmed, really I was just believing a bullshit story that my fears and inner critics were telling me.

So what does that mean?? What do I do with this?? How does knowing this change what’s happening for me right now?

The many projects on my plate feel a little more fun and a little less daunting.
I’m remembering how much I love my work and am grateful for these projects.
I have more permission to take the time I need to get things done.
I’m remembering that things usually take less time than I think they will.? Um, except for the times when things take more time than I think they will.? The more important thing to remember here is that the timing really isn’t up to me.
It feels easy to approach my Creative Genius Planning Session for this week from a spirit of curiosity and trust and to find a way to make it all work.
I still have more questions than answers, but instead of that feeling frustrating and scary it feels like a natural part of growing and creating.? And it gets to suck and feel frustrating sometimes but that doesn’t have to throw the whole dance off it’s rhythm.
I trust myself to do my best.
My stomach isn’t all in knots anymore.

So now I’m feeling like my insides were just re-arranged, so I will stop there for tonight, and come back to this tomorrow in my Creative Genius Planning Session.

These stories I’ve been sharing, of meeting with resistance and overwhelm and procrastination are my notes from my trips to the Un-Sticking Station in the Creative Dream Circle – notes from the intuitive healing process.

Hello Overwhelm Read More »

Update 39: The Dragon

By Andrea Schroeder / August 22, 2014

This week’s update is a little different than usual. First because big things happened in my inner relationship with my dream.? Second because I recorded 21 videos for the new Mandala Class and now I’m editing them all, which is more computer time than I am used to, so I need to keep this short to give myself a technology break.

Earlier this week when meeting with the heart and soul of my dream (this is in my free Give Your Dream Wings class, and I go more in-depth about how to connect with the heart and soul of your dream in Module Two of the Creative Dream Incubator, in the Creative Dream Circle) the heart and soul of my dream came to me in a totally new way.

It was a bird.

A big bird, in a small cage.

I spent a few days bringing the bird into the Un-Sticking Station in the Creative Dream Circle (where we use intuitive healing to un-stick ANYTHING that feels stuck) and learned all about the bird and the cage and what qualities I would need to dissolve the cage (creativity, love and possibility).

Once I dissolved the cage, the bird turned into a dragon.

A POWERFUL dragon who has SO MANY dreams and ideas and oozes inspiration and BIG-ness.

At first working with the dragon felt intimidating and I wanted to cry about how inept I felt around the dragon and how I don’t know how to even make space for it.? I started journaling out the dragon’s story (in my crazy amazing Japanese Album Moleskine)

And it made me feel not good enough.

So I went back to the Un-Sticking Station and worked with my not good enough feelings.

And the not ready feelings.

And the don’t know how feelings.

And then I quickly fell in love with the dragon.

It’s definitely here because I’m ready for some big new stuff and the dragon and I are working on some pretty awesome new plans.

Right now my next steps are all about spending time with the dragon, recording the dragon’s story (and learning the dragon’s story while I do this) and getting better at letting the dragon tell me how to do things.

Update 39: The Dragon Read More »

Announcing: The Mandala Class

By Andrea Schroeder / August 21, 2014

This week I recorded TWENTY ONE videos for this class:

Hooo boy I am excited to share this one with you!? A few lines from the class description page:

My uber-popular How To Draw Mandalas tutorial inspired tens of thousands of people all over the world to start drawing mandalas.? It?s a fast and easy way to experience the magic of creative practice and how it helps you access your inner superpowers.

In this Mandala class we?ll take it further as you develop your own unique (and ADORABLE!) mandala style:

Go beyond the basic colour wheel to create colour combinations that make your heart sing.
Explore elements and principles of design to expand your repertoire, build creative confidence and develop your unique creative voice.

But it?s not all about looks.? Your mandalas will also be wildly enlightening.

You?ll learn how to receive (and understand!) the message behind your mandala and how it can help bring you whatever it is you need right now: healing, comfort, insights or brilliant flashes of inspiration.

You know how amazing it is when you get just the right message at just the right time and the feeling is so electric the little hairs on your arms stand up?

I get that feeling ALL THE TIME from drawing mandalas and that?s exactly what I want to share with you in this class.

In The Mandala Class, I’m sharing EVERYTHING I know about creating a wildly fulfilling mandala practice.? Check it out here.

Announcing: The Mandala Class Read More »

Resentment. Part Two.

By Andrea Schroeder / August 20, 2014

Last week I shared a story about feeling resentful.

So later on I sat with my glowing red ember.

You can’t heal anything that you can’t be with.

And it turns out I have a long history of not being with this glowing red ember, and I don’t really know how to be with it.

So I start by asking it what it wants.

It wants space.? Space to glow red and hot.? But BIG space, and PRIVATE space, so that she can glow as red and hot as she likes and she won’t hurt anyone.

Like a cave?

Yes, like a cave.? A cave that no one can come in.

No one? Ever? I love that you don’t want to hurt anyone but I would sure love to come and visit you, if that’s ok with you.

Oh yes! I would love visitors!? I just don’t want anyone to wander into the cave not knowing that I am here, and get burned.

So many if we set up a little checkpoint to let people know you’re here, so they can be careful?

Yes, I like that.

I sit down along the walls of the cave.? The glowing red ember is glowing in the center of the cave.

Is this enough room?

Yes, I like this.? I really like having space to glow.

I kept you buried for a long time, and you didn’t have space to glow, right?

Well, I was still still glowing.? It’s just that the dirt glowed.? Here, when I have more space, the air glows.? I really like it when the air glows.

Hmmm.? A little ironic that my resentment is not resentful towards me for burying her.

Oh gosh no, I love you.? I’m here to help.

Something deep inside me shifted when I realised that, and I sat with it for a few days.

I always love when my clients feel resentful about something because resentment tends to come from deep self-care.? Resentment speaks up for you when you’re not doing the best job of speaking up for yourself.

So I was feeling resentful about how much time I put into creating my classes and how much time the new Mandala class was going to take.? Which is weird, because I LOVE creating classes and I LOVE that this is my job and I am GRATEFUL.

But, apparently, also resentful.

When I gave BOTH my love of what I’m doing and resentment towards what I’m doing space to exist and be three things became very clear:

I am not unhappy with what I’m doing.? I’m very happy actually.
There is this other thing I want to be doing too.
It would be easy for me to make space to do BOTH things.? In fact, the other thing I want to do will fuel and nurture the classes, and vice versa.

The red glowing ember is glowing happily.

It just wanted me to be doing more things I could love doing.

Resentment. Part Two. Read More »

Update 38: I don’t wanna.

By Andrea Schroeder / August 15, 2014

This week I don’t really want to do an update, which probably means that it’s more important than usual that I do one.

So I’m going back to the creative journal prompts for staying on track with your dreams for some help getting going.

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

My dream is: In this moment I can’t say what my dream is.? I feel all sorts of annoyance and frustration about this.

I decide to zoom back and look at the bigger picture.? In the grand scheme of things, my dream is to create a life that feels true to me, that allows me to be me and to keep growing into who I want to be next, a life that supports the unfolding of my creative and spiritual potential.

When I see it that way, it’s ok to not know what specific dream I want to work on right now.? I’m on a big journey and some parts will be foggy.

I want it because: Anything else feels like I’m betraying myself.

When I have it I will feel: Oh, this is what’s stuck.

I want to say that when I have it I will feel happy and free and blissfully in the moment in every moment.? Of course this is not how life works.? And it’s in living with what we don’t want that we get clear on what we do want.? Discomfort can create new creative opportunities.? This is what life on earth is all about.

Remembering that, when I have it I will feel sure.? And I don’t feel sure this week.

Well that is interesting.

If my dream is to feel sure, that feels true and that feels like it changes things.

Past me created a schedule for 2014 of classes that I would create for the Creative Dream Circle.? This schedule was really important to past me.? And it has felt like the perfect container for growth.

But present me is a little tired of the schedule.? Present me wants more space for inspiration to swoop in and send her in new directions.? Present me is starting to feel a bit like this is a hamster wheel of productivity.

Present me also hates admitting that because present me is also ridiculously grateful that this is her job, and also inspired and happy about the classes themselves, and she wants to make them.

It’s just that she doesn’t feel that she has a SAY in whether or not she makes them, which she doesn’t because past me made that decision for her.

So present me would be perfectly happy doing this work if she felt it was her choice to do the work.

Remembering now HOW I created this schedule – past me absolutely did check in with future me (now present me).? Future me knew that she’d be kind of tired by now and would need a bit of a break but that this was also the right way to go this year.? Future me (now present me) was excited about creating these classes.

Also, this “I’m tired” thing is actually bullshit.? I’m not tired.? I don’t need a break. ? Every time I feel like I need a break I actually need a new attitude.? (Because the truth is I take breaks every time I need them.? But when I go around feeling like I need a break no matter how many breaks I have – it’s not about needing a break)

Oh boy, I can see why I didn’t want to write an update this week.? It feels like I’ve opened up a can of worms.? But the can needed opening, I was suffocating in there.

I’m not tired because of my actual workload.? I’m tired because of the expectations I place on myself.

I’m tired thinking about what’s next.? Meanwhile I have all the time and space I need right now to do what’s right now.

I feel like this can go on for quite some time, but I’m going to move onto the next questions:

What happened in the last week?

How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my next mission is:

What happened? I started this week on the highest possible high.? Last week 30 new people joined the Circle! I’m excited about the Mandala class I’m creating!? I’m crazy happy with these sundresses I’ve been making!? I’m riding my bike!? Life is amazing!

And then – well I wrote yesterday about resentment.? I’ve been feeling pretty tangled up.

Partly because it’s just that time of the month when everything kind of sucks.

Partly because I started working on the new Mandala class and starting new things brings up a lot of stuff.? Though I worked through SO MUCH of that stuff and am making steady progress now.

Creating anything new is about growing into the you-who-did-the-thing.? And inner growth is not always comfortable.? That kind of explains this week.

How do I feel about this?? I feel annoyed that this isn’t easier for me by now.

What do I need now? Ease.

What does my dream need now? For me to be more present with it.

Taking all of this into account, my next mission is: to set up stronger containers next week.

Strong, study, nurturing containers for getting-things-done-in-a-state-of-joy-ness.

I’ll experiment with this on Monday, but I’m seeing more time spent with creativespiritual practices, a stricter schedule and more quiet time in the evenings.

Thank you, update!

I feel like I was dragged kicking and screaming to do this this week, but I am so glad I did.? I feel like I’m back on solid ground and am very grateful for the study container for growing dreams that the weekly updates create.

Update 38: I don’t wanna. Read More »

A conversation with resentment.

By Andrea Schroeder / August 14, 2014

I feel resentful, and ashamed that I feel resentful and resisting both feeling resentful and feeling ashamed and telling myself I should feel differently.

Oy. No wonder it is hard to get to work this morning.

My feelings, even the most vicious and angry ones, rarely show up as monsters. But today, this feeling, is a monster.

I?m sitting across the table from it. I?m placing two facts on the table:

How I feel is valid. It doesn?t have to make sense to my logical mind.
This is the time of the month when everything feels wrong. Maybe I can cut myself some slack?

As the monster picks up these two facts, he transforms into the Cookie Monster. The two facts are now chocolate chip cookies which are quickly being gobbled up.? There are crumbs flying everywhere.

Crumbs. Little crumbs of what is true.

I get to feel how I feel. Things get to suck right now. Or, actually things don?t suck but I get to feel like they suck.

Well that doesn?t make sense. Life is going soooo good for you right now, it?s so stupid that you would feel resentful about anything! Look at how much you have!

So, you can?t agree that my feelings don?t have to make sense? Would you say that to someone else? If someone felt sad would you tell them to feel happy?

No. Of course not. If you felt sad that would be ok. But resentful? With everything that you have? That?s gross.

Oh, so I don?t get to feel resentful, ever?

You have no reason to.

Why is resentful different from sad? If I can be sad for no reason why can?t I be resentful for no reason?

Because resentful is ugly. You have to be a small bitter little person to be resentful when you have everything that you have.

Wow, who make up that rule?

It?s just?. I don?t know. It?s true.

Remember that cookie you ate that said that how I feel is valid?

Yeah, it?s giving me indigestion.

OK. So if all feelings are valid, then you get to feel judgmental and upset that I feel resentful, and I get to feel resentful.

I hand Cookie Monster some bubblegum flavoured medicine for his indigestion.

Yikes!? I was trying to change how the monster felt, so it would validate how I feel.

But the truth is that all feelings are valid and there is space here for all feelings.

The table got bigger, and instead of sitting at small, hard chairs now we?re sitting in great big comfy stuffed sofas.

But it?s interesting, Cookie Monster, how much judgement and upset you have towards me feeling resentful.? When did it become a rule that I don?t get to feel resentful?

Oh. Right. That’s when.

OK, no need to re-hash that story but yes I see where and when and how it became a rule that I don?t get to feel resentful. And I see that you, Cookie Monster, are trying to make sure I?m ok.

Because it?s not safe to feel resentful.

But that was then. And now I make the rules. And it really is a rule that I get to feel whatever I actually feel.

*poof* Cookie Monster disappears.

I am alone with my resentment, which is a small red glowing ember.

It feels like it?s been buried for a long time. And it has a lot that it can teach me, but first we need to get to know each other.

A conversation with resentment. Read More »

Update 37: Everything is Good

By Andrea Schroeder / August 8, 2014

This week I have very little to report.? After seven months of taking a million small steps and transforming fear and dealing with inner ciritcs and making steady progress – everything feels good.

Most of my energy went into preparing for and then recovering from The Magic Journal tele-class on Tuesday. There were some big big energy shifts happening in that class, and it takes a lot of energy to create that kind of experience for people, so it really does take me all week to do a 90 minute class and it really is worth it!

I don’t think people talk enough about that, about the kind of energy it takes to put a truly transformational event together and how much space you need afterwards, as the facilitator, for both recovery and integration.

When I first started doing this kind of work I didn’t realise how much recovery and integration time I needed after.? These days I’m happy that I schedule it in.

I’m exploring ideas for what I want to do next with the Circle. Now that we are nearing 200 members it feels like we’ve got a more solid platform, and that somehow there is more we can do now.

All of the new classes that I added this year (Three Creative Journal Classes: Love Your Life, The Magic Journal and The Superhero Journal, the Mandala Class, the Inspiration Cards Class and the Peaceful Happy Holiday Season Class) were things I really wanted to Circle to have as it grew.

Once I’m finished adding these things, it feels like a whole new world of possibilities opens up for what to do next.

So, right now I’m very excited about that.

Update 37: Everything is Good Read More »

Why I’m Raising The Price Of My Classes

By Andrea Schroeder / August 7, 2014

Late 2013 I got the inspiration to offer my classes differently, to drop the price dramatically of my Creative Dream Circle and to offer all members ALL of my classes for one low price.? (Before that, my Creative Dream Incubator e-course alone cost $147)

This included a fair amount of unknowns.

I had a plan to add new classes regularly for all of 2014 but… a plan is not a promise. People were joining and were going to get “everything I made for the rest of the year” without being 100% sure what that would be.

But here we are, looking towards the end of 2014. I’ve spent this year adding new classes, guided journals and resources to the Creative Dream Circle, making it worth more every month.

So, with all the new classes in there, at this point the $100/year price FEELS wrong.

Doing things that feel wrong is NOT how dreams are born.

Your feelings always know the right way to go. Your discomfort is your intuition speaking to you and if you listen you’ll discover the next step towards your dream.

So I am listening to my feelings and raising the price.

At $147 for a whole year of magic, overflowing with courses and resources, the Creative Dream Circle is still the most generous offering I’ve seen out there.

I imagine, as I keep adding cool new stuff, the price will start to feel off again and I’ll adjust it again. Nothing else in the world stays the same, why should my prices?

But the biggest reason is this: this means the world to me.

I believe in the power of YOUR dreams to change the world.

I believe in the power the Circle to empower you to bring those dreams to life – with less second-guessing yourself and not knowing what to DO and getting stuck and taking detours and procrastination and self-sabotage.? The Circle works.

This is so important to me, to provide a space where people can ACCELERATE the path to creating a life that feels true to them, that inspires them and makes them happy every day.

There’s nothing else out there that works so deeply to bring your creative self, your spiritual self and your emotional self together, which makes it so much easier for your physical self to walk that path.

So I need to make sure I can take care of this space.?

As the cost of everything goes up over time, I need to make sure the Creative Dream Circle is bringing in enough money so it can have what it needs – the behind the scenes tools and supports that keep everything running smoothly.

The $100/year subscription does need to increase so that I can keep taking care of the Circle well into the future so that the Circle can keep taking care of the members well into the future.

Imagine what would change if you felt wildly empowered and perfectly supported in bringing your biggest dreams to life.

It doesn’t just mean you have your dream, it means you feel confident and empowered and inspired and WILDLY CREATIVELY ALIVE.

I want to live in a world that is full of people who are WILDLY CREATIVELY ALIVE.? Who are pursuing interesting things and making a difference in the world.

I believe that this is how we CHANGE the world – one inspired, awake being at a time.

I believe that this is what I’m here to do, and I’m committed to doing my best job.? This includes doing what I need to do to take care of the business end of things which includes this price increase.

The price is going up on August 9, that’s this Saturday.

So Friday, TOMORROW, is the last day to sign up at the $100/year price.

You’ll get everything that’s already in the Circle, plus the classes I’m adding this fall and winter (The Mandala Class, The Superhero Journal Creative Journal Class and The Peaceful Happy Holiday Season) … plus whatever I add next year.

When you join at the $100/year rate – you KEEP that $100/year rate for as long as you choose to remain a member.

Want to join? Click here for the details.

Why I’m Raising The Price Of My Classes Read More »

Making Space For Things To Change.

By Andrea Schroeder / August 6, 2014

I spent yesterday morning cleaning the Dream Loft and re-arranging – moving furniture, organising drawers, experimenting with how I want things to be.

Really, I was making space for a new me who was ready to emerge.

A me who is more connected to her inner magic and more willing to use it and live it and be it.

Because yesterday afternoon we had the live tele-class part of The Magic Journal Creative Journal Class, which is really an energy healing with journals and glitter pens.

We pinpointed the energy patterns that would need to be transformed to make space for us to align more fully with our inner magic, and then we started the process of transforming those energy patterns.? Then that deep internal alignment just kind of falls into place.

After our call I was so glad I had re-arranged things and made my space feel so different because I felt so different on the inside.

The part of me who is always connected to her DEEP magic was bigger.? The part of me who is unsure was smaller.? It’s a little disorienting.

Inner work is so invisible.? And energy patterns are easy to shift in the moment, but it’s trickier to hold a new way of being over time.

I like to re-arrange my space, especially getting rid of old stuff and being really thoughtful about what new stuff my new self will need, to help hold and solidify new ways of being.

To remind me that things have changed and to help me get grounded in the new.

My new, super-ultra-connected-to-her-inner-magic-self needs:

better storage and more organisation for sewing because she is sewing a TON of adorable dresses
for the miracle pod to take up more space and have more cushions because she is going to spend more time there
more small drawers for storing art supplies so it’s easier to make art every day without the creative mess starting to take over
a big open space for that giant paper mache project
clear space between desk and bookshelf because that feels open and expansive
stone lanterns upstairs by the huge window because they feel magical
a new morning meditation ritual that helps me feel more sparkly inside and out

My heart feels like it’s smiling, settling into this new space.

Things change when YOU change.

If you have a dream that is not your reality – you want things to change.? You can’t make things change by trying to force them to be different.? You can create space for things to change by creating change within yourself.

You can grow into the you-who-lives-your-dream.? You can learn so much about how this version of you is different from the you you are today, and how to move towards more of what you want.? You can heal the parts of you who are afraid, unsure or believing false stories about what is possible for you.

This way you grow gracefully into your dream, instead of striving and sacrificing and working your ass off.

This is exactly what all of my classes help you do – in different ways, because inner transformation is a big job so it’s good to have a lot of tools!

Making Space For Things To Change. Read More »

Tap Into Your Magic (cliff notes version)

By Andrea Schroeder / August 5, 2014

Last week I did a free creative journal class about tapping into your inner magic and I’ve been getting requests to re-share the inspiring + helpful flashcards I made for the class, which illustrate the secret to finding the magic, so here they are.

As one participant said: “This was an awesome class.
I learned so much about what makes me trip and what makes me fly.“

When you REALLY understand what makes you trip and what makes you fly – it becomes a lot easier to trip less, fly higher, and get to where you want to be.? The flashcards show the basics of how this works:

Being in your magic = showing up as your ACTUAL SELF.

You are infinitely creative, gifted + capable of creating anything you want to create in your life.? ?Remembering that this is your ACTUAL self is deeply liberating.

When you align with false stories about yourself and the world, untrue ideas about what is possible for you, limiting beliefs, fears + doubts – you disconnect from your power to act and create what you want in your world.

(hint: ANY story, thought or idea that says you can’t have what you REALLY want is not true)

When you align with your inner magic (aka inner self or inner truth) you have immense power to create in your world.

But you can’t do the work of aligning with your inner magic if you’re not sure what your inner magic is. So that was step 1 which I covered in last week’s class (you can watch the whole thing for free, right here), getting to know more about your unique flavour of magic and what it needs.

Step 2 is wayyyy more fun, it’s about ALIGNING with your inner magic.

That alignment is what we’ll be creating The Magic Journal Creative Journal Class, which starts TODAY.

The Magic Journal Creative Journal Class is a rich and transformative tele-class (basically a group healing, with glitter pens) plus you get a 37 page Guided Journal and Colouring Book with insightful prompts, powerful energy alchemy processes and healing mandalas for you to activate (ie: colour!).

It’s all specially designed to help you use your creativity to align with and activate your inner magic to move into a space where ANYTHING is possible.

You’re going to LOVE it!

The Magic Journal Creative Journal Class is happening inside the Creative Dream Circle:

Click here to read more and join us today.

PS:? The cost of the Creative Dream Circle is going up this weekend.? Click here to read more.

Tap Into Your Magic (cliff notes version) Read More »

Update 36: Making Space For Amazing New Things To Come In

By Andrea Schroeder / August 1, 2014

This week was amazing.

I started (last Friday afternoon) with a epic 35 km (22 mile) bike ride along the river, then through a park, a forest, a meadow and a marsh.? I even saw a herd of bison.

Back when I decided to sell my car and not get a new one because it didn’t feel right, I didn’t know what I would do come summer.? I looked forward to walking instead of driving in fall and winter and spring, but the thought of walking for several hours a day in the summer heat did NOT sound fun.

Getting this bike didn’t just solve the problem of how to get around enjoyably in the summer, it opened up a whole new world for me.? Which is what ALL creative dreams do.

So, the epic bike ride set the stage for an amazing week, which included hosting a free creative journal class: Get Your [creative] MAGIC On.

And lots of tiny creative adventures.

Over the past week I have done a lot of things that needed doing, that I had been procrastinating for a long time, mostly because they were annoying and I didn’t want to do them.

Having a whole bunch of annoying tasks piled up and waiting for you doesn’t feel very good.

And while doing annoying things is annoying, there is also a tinge of feeling really good about finally doing the thing and then the amazing feeling of having the annoying thing DONE and behind you.

In fact, I’ve only got one more such task (renewing my passport, which becomes more important by the day as I do want to get away this winter) and then I will have NO annoying tasks waiting for me.

So that feels really, really good.

One of the annoying tasks was selling my old stuff.? My old iPhone and MacBook had been sitting un-used for a long time.? A few months back I started by clearing all of my stuff off of both and restoring them to their factory settings.? But I kept delaying putting them up for sale.? I finally did that this week.

Now that they’re sold I’m noticing how much more SPACE there is.? I mean a laptop and a phone don’t take up a lot of room but each time I saw them a part of me remembered that I was procrastinating on selling them which was starting to take up more and more emotional space.

(Just like now, every time I remember that I can’t just pick up and leave the country because my passport is expired – it creates an energetic stuck.)

It’s nice to have a small wad of cash sitting in the Dream Loft, instead of that laptop and phone.? (My sister and I have a Sister Shopping Day planned for today, so I’m taking my wad of cash to IKEA and the fabric store)

That feels like where I’m at with this dream, too -? a lot of the tasks are done and behind me.

Building a business is a big job!? I’ve been at this, in one way or another, for 18 years.

Of course, that includes a lot of years of being a starving artist and experimenting with different ways of how to make a living as a creative person.? While I don’t believe there is an easy way, I also don’t believe you have to take 18 years.? My path had a lot of detours and curlyques.

I’m at a point now where the pieces are in place and my business works – it feels stable and steady.

I’m enjoying my work, I feel fulfilled and inspired and happy and I have space to do the non-work things I want to do and I’m happy with my income.?? I also want to recognize that this is huge and amazing and I am very grateful to be here.

I also want to be looking at what’s next.

And, if you’ve been reading my updates you know, I’m kind of done with looking at hitting a specific number of members in the Circle being my what’s next.? I’m not feeling inspired by that.? And I love the way the Circle is growing and it doesn’t feel like that needs so much attention.

So, when it comes to my business and my dreams: what does need my attention?? Or what wants my attention?? Or what do I want to be giving my attention to?

What’s what I’m exploring now.

Which is funny that I mentioned my expired passport in the first part of writing this because one of the things I want to explore is how to travel more as a self-employed person.? I’ve been able to go away once a year so far, which I think is awesome, and I’d like to increase that.? I’ve also shyed away from even thinking about longer trips because of how I am impacted by jet-lag.

I’m remembering that it took me 2 weeks to feel human again after coming back from Istanbul.? I remember that every time I think of going back (which is something I really want to do, I love Turkey) and I just don’t know how that is going to work with being a self-employed person.

When I had a job it was ok to be a bit of a zombie once in a while, but I need to be 100% on for my coaching sessions.? But what do I do about income if I take a whole month off from coaching?? That’s the kind of stuff to be sorted out, I know there’s a way I just don’t know what it is.

“I just don’t know how that’s going to work” can hold up a dream forever, if you let it.

It’s always kind of amazing when I have a client come to me with that exact issue, and if I help them hold a light to the situation (and gently keep the light there even when their inner critics are screaming at them to turn it off) that we can start to find all sorts of ways that it can work.

There are always ways, but you have to stay present with the questions long enough to get at the answers.

So that’s what I am going to do next.? Shine that light and keep it shining and take a look at how I want my life to change as my business continues to grow.

I’ve also been shifting how I do my work and how my business functions behind the scenes, to increase capacity in all areas. Kind of the digital equivalent to selling old things that were collecting dust in the Dream Loft and making space for new better-suited-to-me-now things.

This is going astonishingly well!? I spent a lot of time earlier this year feeling stressed out about capacity and resistant to stretching it, because it felt like stretching ME.? But, I am finding the opposite is true.? With the right tools, capacity can grow without me being or feeling stretched.

In fact, I actually feel more spaciousness and more cared-for-ness.

How amazing is that?? That is a pattern that has been slowing me down for many years.? It feels like that’s a big part of why growing the Creative Dream Circle doesn’t feel like a big huge deal anymore – the systems are in place and all I have to do it let it keep growing.

So this is opening up new worlds of possibility which I want to explore next, things like writing a novel and learning about how I can support art therapy initiatives in war zones.

I’m feeling super creatively engaged with my life and excited about what comes next.

Update 36: Making Space For Amazing New Things To Come In Read More »