Zing!

By Andrea Schroeder / February 5, 2014 / healing

ZING: Intuitive Spiritual Healing + Energy Work/Play + Creative Transformation + Custom-made HEARTfelt Art.? All together!

What do you wish to transform?

Is it a Bossy-Pants Inner Critic?
A limiting belief that you know is not true but you just can’t shake it?
A sad story that you’re ready to leave in the past?
A fear that has held you back for too long?
This obstacle that you can’t quite seem to get around?
Or is it something invisible… you know something is stopping you from moving forward but you don’t know what?

Imagine it… transformed, with love and spirit and the magic of creativity.

Imagine moving deeper into your inner truth. Aligning with the power of wholeness that lives within you.

Healing. Joy. Liberation. This is the magic of Zing!

You get:

One delight-filled phone session with me, (we’ll meet on a conference line with a US number) roughly 45 minutes long – depending on where our adventure takes us.
Recording of our session.

PLUS: Custom-made-just-for-you ART!

While we’re talking I will be drawing out a map of your transformation process.

Your very own treasure map! This will include my notes from our call, drawings of energy patterns, new qualities coming in, etc, etc, the kinds of messy heartfelt artwork you see in my journals – only it will be all about YOU.

Creative Intuitive Healing Work is powerful stuff.

?Dear Andrea,

Thank you for being so very present, open and agenda-less in our session. And so supportive!

It wasn?t just technique (I?m maybe too good at picking up technique when it?s not connected to heart) ? you have great techniques/skills, but it?s so obvious that they?re organically grown (from the heart out), not pasted on (tools with no soul for the work).

I felt seen and heard (as did all my inner voices ? ohmyword, I?m still grinning about how you suggested drawing them too) which is the biggest of the big.

Yeah, that might not be the clearest phrase – but that feeling of being seen and heard and accepted, having a space held ? it?s so huge I can?t find a way to write about it!

With much love and appreciation –
Namaste?

Karen Caterson,Writer & Creator of Square-Peg {Life}Support Guides www.squarepegpeople.typepad.com

?Between my personal and business life, I had a lot on my plate. I was truly stuck with Time Management Skills.? My thought process at the time was to have a perfect schedule/itinerary. You helped me to realize that Time Management is more of being *effective* with your work within that time frame.

I was very overwhelmed and frustrated.? All the time I did have, I would just sit there in total frustration due to perfectionism.

After our session, I had to ponder. I had to reflect. Take it all in ? then I got it!

Now I am getting everything done!? If I only work for One hour ? that time is highly effective. I have jumped full throttle into my creativity.

Now, nothing stands in my way.?

Teresa Brouwer, Willow Creek Studio, www.teresabrouwer.com

?Andrea has helped me to rethink my relationship with money and planting seeds for my businesses.

What I love most about her work is her wonderful guidance and making creative pursuits less intimidating.?

Helene Kwong, Renaissance Woman, www.helenekwong.com

You can read more of what people have to say about working with me here.

Cost: $175, including delivery of your artwork.

If you have a question, email me using the contact form on this page.

There are currently no sessions available.

If you’d like to work with me – join the Circle!

Zing! Read More »

Art Journal Lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

By Andrea Schroeder / February 4, 2014 / healing, journaling, Manifest Your Dream Life

I’m re-watching Buffy right now.? I LOVE Buffy.

Last night I watched the episode where Jenny Calendar obtains an Orb of Thesulah in an attempt to re-ensoul Angel.

What struck me was the scene where Jenny is in the magic shop.? When she asks for the Orb of Thesulah, the shopkeeper drops his act.? “Oh, you’re in the industry” he says, and goes on to talk about how it’s sad that selling ouji boards and love spells to “tourists” is what pays the bills these days.

When he gives her the Orb of Thesula, which has the power to CALL BACK A SOUL, he mentions that they are most commonly sold as “new age paperweights”.

What I am noticing:

shallow surface stuff sells, deep ACTUAL MAGIC stuff – not so much
some deep ACTUAL MAGIC stuff is sold as shallow surface stuff

A lot of it comes down to levels of willingness.

To crazy-over-simplify it: we are like onions.? The ego is the surface layer.? The soul and all the dream goodies are in the center.

It’s simple: peel back the layers. Get to the goodies.

Except that ego surface layer has this trick it does.? It makes up stories about who you are.? Stories that live in that surface layer and are not actually connected to your core truth.

Stories that are carefully crafted to keep you playing whatever roles the ego thinks are going to earn you? _________ ( external approval, safety, love, etc,).

These are stories that the ego-onion has been whispering in your ear so long you form this attachment to them and start to mistake them for who you actually are.

So what happens when you try to peel back a layer?? The storyteller goes NUTS.

Of course it does!? It knows that if you start this journey, at some point you’re going to throw out the bullshit stories in your quest to discover your actual truth.

So this is where we get stuck.

Are you willing to look at what is ACTUALLY there in the many many many layers of who you are?? Even when it’s not pretty?? Even when the ego throws a tantrum?

Or would you rather stay in this “safe” story?

This level of willingness determines if you’re going to use magical tools as new age paperweights or if you’re going to use them to change your world.

Frankly, there is a lot of “surface stuff” in the art journaling world.? People take classes to learn how to make pretty pages with deep sounding quotes on them.

And their lives go on largely as they were before. Except now they have this hobby and their new hobby makes them happy.? Which is really great!

Except all that potential for transformation is just sitting there like a new age paperweight.

Or is it waiting for perfect timing?

Later on in Buffy, when they once try again to re-ensoul Angel, it is discovered that Rupert Giles had an Orb of Thesulah which he had been using as a new age paperweight all along.

Maybe there are no accidents and everything is unfolding perfectly.

Art Journaling is the ultimate Orb of Thesulah.

It’s sitting there as a new age paperweight, quietly beaming beams that call back your soul.

And you can keep learning how to make pretty pages and stay on the surface of the onion for as long as you want.? As soon as you decide that you want to dive in – it’s there for you.

This is why I call what I teach CREATIVE journaling.? It’s not about making art.? It’s about CREATING your LIFE.

It can call back your power, your courage and your genius.

It can transform the limiting beliefs and sad stories that hold you back.

It can show you clear roadmaps that lead to your dreams.

It’s all up to you and how you’re going to use it.? If you want some help finding the REAL magic in your journal, I do have a (FREE!) Creative Dream Journal e-course right here.

Art Journal Lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Read More »

Venturing into new Territory

By Andrea Schroeder / January 31, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

I set a big goal for my business for 2014: to welcome 800 dreamers into my Creative Dream Circle. And to do this not by getting super pushy about selling – but to do this with heart and soul and creativity and joy and LOVE.

(you can read my original post about this here)

In support of this goal, I am writing weekly updates on Fridays, for all of 2014. This is where I’ll share the story of all the ups and downs of bringing a big dream to life.

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I remember the first time I read what Deepak Chopra said about the process of metamorphosis, how a caterpillar turns into mush and a butterfly is born out of that mush and how our transformation works in the same way.

You don’t just suddenly sprout wings.? You turn into mush and then emerge from the mush brighter, stronger and truer.

This week, I am that mush!

It feels like new space is opening up inside me.? Like my heart has more room now.

Good stuff happened this week which I’m not ready to talk about just yet, since I am in the mush.

So I’m just not in the headspace to share a detailed practical kind of update.

I can say that the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course started inside the Creative Dream Circle this week and it’s AMAZING.

We’ve got over 70 members in the Circle now which is buzzing and sparkling.

I worked hard this month, I kept the pedal to the metal.? I tripled my web traffic!? I welcomed really wonderfully fantastic new members into the Circle!

I am really happy with how this is going.

I don’t want to let the mushiness of transformation and shifting into something new that I am feeling right now to dampen the momentum I worked hard to build.

So, this weekend I’m spending some time with my journal, my analytics and these questions:

What worked?

What didn’t work?

How am I defining “worked”?? Am I clear on how much energy I want to be putting in to make things “work”?

What do I want to do more of next month?

What do I want to do less of next month?

If everything about running my business could be exactly how I wanted it to be – how would that be?? What do I really want to be doing?

… looking forward to exploring this.

PS: I’ve been getting a lot of emails from people wondering if they can still join the Circle now, even though the Creative Dream Incubator started on Tuesday.? The answer is YES.

There is one rule in the Incubator course: You are never behind!? This is deep transformation which you can only do in YOUR own time.

So if you’re feeling like you’d like to join us, join us!

Venturing into new Territory Read More »

There is no magic in the BUT

By Andrea Schroeder / January 28, 2014 / intention, Manifest Your Dream Life

Today we start the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course inside the Creative Dream Circle.

Marketing experts would say that today is the day I’m supposed to write one last mind-blowing post to convince you that not signing up will be the biggest mistake of your life.

I’m not going to do that.

If you aren’t interested, I want to encourage you to trust your instincts and not join.? This isn’t for everyone!

Isn’t that kind of obvious?? I only want to play with people who want to play with me!

So if you’re not feeling that pull to join… that is totally OK – me and the Incubator are still sending you and your dream all the love.

What’s NOT OK is that so many people tell me they want to sign up BUT….

But I’m not sure I should spend money on dreams…

But I don’t know if I have enough time…

But I’m not sure I will fit in…

But what if I find out my dream is impossible…

But I think I’m doing ok on my own…

But I already know all about all this manifestation/healing stuff…

And don’t I HAVE TO do this on my own anyway?

Oh sweetie!? Yes, but is so ICKY!

The heart speaks in desire.? And the heart is wise.

A clear yes is a beautiful thing.

I clear no is a beautiful thing.

But your but is just that… a but.? There is no magic in butting!

BUTS are excuses that come from the part of you who is afraid of stepping into something new.

This is a valid fear!? New = scary, it’s true.

But having a BUT doesn’t mean your YES is actually a NO.? It just means you’re nervous about stepping into something new.? Which means you’re human.

I’m sure you already know that it’s actually impossible to GET your dream with ever stepping into something new.

So at some point, the YES has to become bigger than the BUT.? It’s up to YOU to decide when that point is.

There is MAGIC and HEALING and MIRACLES and POSSIBILITY in the Circle for you – if you want them.

There is SPACE in the Circle for you and your dream – if you want it.

At only $100/year – you do NOT have to participate in everything in order to get your money’s worth.

And if money is an issue – you can use the Incubator to create more financial abundance in your world (plus we’re going to do the Creative With Money course this year, and you’ll get that too). You can invest in creating a better future for yourself.

It’s your call, I just want to make it super clear: No matter what your but is, you and your dream will be ADORED, CHERISHED, CELEBRATED and SUPPORTED IN GROWING in the Circle.

Click here to join.

There is no magic in the BUT Read More »

How can you tell if YOUR dream is ready to grow?

By Andrea Schroeder / January 27, 2014 / Manifest Your Dream Life

I have been getting so many questions lately from dreamers wondering… is my dream too small? Or too big?

Too vague?

Too selfish?

Too unlikely to come true so there is no point in even trying?

The answer is always no.? Your dream is not “too” anything.? Ever.

And the right time to get started is always NOW.

I know getting there will be a journey, but just imagine where you’ll be a year from now if you start today!

Here are some of the dreams that participants in the next session of the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course (starting tomorrow!) will be working on:

Figuring out how to step out of Corporate America and into something more creative and soul-FULL.
Exploring what it would mean to live as an Artist.
Creating a warm, welcoming home.
Discovering and creating conditions for thriving.
Bringing more love and kindness into everyday life.
Finding a partner.
Building a coaching business.
Creating a meditation practice.
To be more honest and real with myself.
To find my dream.

All dreams are delightful!? When you think about someone wanting to create these things in their lives, you just want to cheer for them, am I right?

A dream is anything that lights you up – from the tiniest slice of joy to the grandest life-changing adventure.

Your dream is perfect just as it is.? Just like you are.

It’s not too impossible.? It doesn’t take more time or money or talent or support than you have.

It just needs your commitment.

And your courage.

The Creative Dream Incubator e-Course starts tomorrow in the Creative Dream Circle!

I hope you (and your delightful dream!) will take the leap and join us.

If you’re on the fence and have some questions – shoot me an email using the contact form on this page.

The most common question I’m getting is:

When will you run this again?? I really want to join, but now is just not the right time.

If you want to join I encourage you to JOIN.

Waiting for “The Right Time” is self-sabotage.

Life is never going to slow down enough for you to magically have time for your dreams.? This is something you have to choose for yourself.

You’ll be happy to know that there is only one rule in the Creative Dream Incubator which is: YOU ARE NOT BEHIND. EVER.

You’ll get access to the course for a whole year.? You can take the teeniest tiniest baby steps with this and still get there in the end.

This isn’t about learning a bunch of stuff, this is about internal transformation.? You have to do that in your own time, at your own pace.

As I’ve said, it’s less a course and more a dream-growing bubble of love.? You can always fit a dream-growing bubble of love into your life somewhere!

And even if it takes you all year to work through this one course… well, a year from now:

You’ll have BIG, STRONG Creative Dreamer Muscles.
You’ll see more possibility and fewer obstacles in front of you.
You’ll understand what your dream needs in order to grow and you’ll know how to GIVE your dream what it needs to grow, without depleting yourself.
You’ll feel like a CREATIVE SUPERHERO.

But the answer to the question of when will I run this again is: I don’t know.

This is the fourth year I’ve been doing this course.? As a creative person, I’m sure you understand that don’t like doing the same thing again and again!

So far, I’ve made an exception for this course because it’s such a beautiful thing and because it’s been such a powerful way to help more creatives have a positive impact on their world.? I love how the Creative Dream Incubator makes the world a better place by empowering creative dreamers.

But it does take a LOT of time and energy for me to put on each session, and I have a lot of other things I want to do too, so I can’t say for sure that I will do this again.

So if you want to join I encourage you to JOIN.? The magic starts tomorrow.? It’s happening inside the Creative Dream Circle.

How can you tell if YOUR dream is ready to grow? Read More »

On turning 40 and being surprised.

By Andrea Schroeder / January 25, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

So I am turning 40 this year.

I’ve never cared much about age, or worried about “getting old”.? I mean I’d rather age than die and those are the only options, right?

I don’t think “looking young” is better than “looking old” and I do think our society is incredibly sick when it comes to this and that sickness is at the root of why most people are not living radiantly happy and fulfilling lives.

But beneath all of that bullshit about anti-aging, I am turning 40 this year and I am really noticing a shift in myself.

I am entering a new decade.

I remember being so excited to enter my 30s!

I felt like I was FINALLY getting my shit together, I felt like possibility was everywhere and I had all the time in the world to do everything.

Entering my 40s feels really different.

It feels less like a celebration and more like an initiation.

A call to a new level of trusting myself.

But the biggest thing is my commitment to my dreams.

It used to feel like I had all the time in the world.? Now, when I think back on how much time I spend working in a job that did not light me up, I am kind of sad.

I know I cannot go back to that, no matter what.? It’s not about having a job vs running a business.? It’s about living in deep alignment with my purpose, my creativity, my heart and my soul.

I am here to live MY truth.

Not to follow anyone else’s rules.? Not to walk along the beaten path.? Not to conform or fit in or play it safe or play it small.

Facing 40 is pushing me to dig DEEPER into my dreams.

I have this urgent feeling about how precious my time here actually is and how little of it I can afford to waste doing things that don’t light me up.

It’s a really strong feeling in my body – a huge energy shift.

I’m surprised because I am already doing my best to be true to myself!

But now I see there is a whole new level, which I couldn’t even see before.

Which makes me giggle because I know that there is ALWAYS another whole new level.? Growth is infinite.? And yet I’m always surprised to find new levels.

I’m so grateful we’re starting the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course this week.? As I said before, it’s less of a course and more of a dream-growing bubble of love and it’s exactly what I need right now to help me sort through this new commitment I want to make to living this new level of being TRUE to myself.

On turning 40 and being surprised. Read More »

Being Ridiculously Happy

By Andrea Schroeder / January 24, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life

(you can read my original post about this here)

In support of this goal, I am writing weekly updates on Fridays, for all of 2014. This is where I’ll share the story of all the ups and downs of bringing a big dream to life.

***************************************************

Today I am so grateful that I stayed with the discomfort of shifting my comfort zone these past few weeks.? It’s not that being uncomfortable is inherently valuable, it’s more like in order to hold a new intention you have to be willing to hold that new intention no matter how it feels or else you won’t be able to move into it.

And new usually does feel uncomfortable because it’s outside of our familiar zone.

The numbers I am working with, like having 800 members in the Creative Dream Circle, aren’t really about the numbers.? It’s more about the energy, feelings and qualities of it.

A business is a tangible thing and I wanted a tangible set of numbers to work with.? The number that best matched the energy, feelings and qualities is 800.

The other number I’ve been playing with is around 3,500 – 4,000.? This is the number of unique monthly visitors per month I have had for the last few years.?

For those who don’t speak analytics this means the number of different people who visit my site, this is not the total number of page hits.? Even if you visit once a week, you are only counted as one person – and everyone who gets my blog posts sent via email aren’t counted in this number at all.

Given how honest and vulnerable I am in what I share here – I was simply NOT comfortable with this number being any higher than 4,000.? Also – coaches don’t need huge audiences to have enough clients.

But my dream has been telling me that in order to grow the Circle I do need to grow my audience.

Substantially.? To about 20,000 unique monthly visitors.

Which terrified me!

I was barely comfortable with 4,000!

What has helped me the most is to keep remembering that it’s not about me.

I’ve studied how dreams grow WAY MORE than anyone I know.? I have so much passion and love for dreams.? I have created programs that literally GROW DREAMS.

I am not the point – DREAMS are the point!? I didn’t do this work to get attention for myself, I did this work because DREAMS MATTER TO ME.

I feel strongly that dreams are going to heal the world.? I am deeply committed to supporting this in happening.

When I sit with the desire to serve the whole world through serving more dreamers, I feel like I can do anything.? I feel like the whole universe (which loves dreams very much) is actively supporting me.

This feels amazing.

And I even feel safe bringing my work to a larger audience.

And it’s happening quickly!? Right now I’m now at just over 9,000 unique monthly visitors.?

My number more than doubled in a month.

And it’s happening in a sustainable way – at this point it would be hard for me to slow down that growth.? (For Circle members, I am sharing the details of what I’m doing to make this happen in the Creative Business Incubator)

Of course, traffic does not equal Circle members!? But having 800 members by the end of the year seems completely do-able with what the numbers are doing right now.

I feel like I was in a rut.? And I set my sights on going somewhere new.

And the process of getting out of that rut and creating a new path was awkward and uncomfortable and exhausting – but now I’m here.? Solid and steady on the new path.

I still have to walk the path – but actually getting on the path is harder than walking along it.? Such a satisfying feeling.

I am super in love with my dream, with the Circle, with the Circle members… all of it.

I know that love is a powerful magnet and light – helping draw more support and resources to me while lighting up my next steps on the path.

But that’s not what is making me happy.

What is making me happy is knowing that I am doing my best to make this work.

I’m not shying away from any of the things I usually shy away from.

I’m not avoiding looking at any parts of this.

I’m not wishing, hoping or praying things will change, I am being ACTIVE about CHANGING THEM.

I’m not letting my inner critics or limiting beliefs decide how things have to be.

Whatever the outcome ends up being – THIS feels amazing.

This is my favourite part of Creative Dreaming: getting into FLOW

Bringing a dream to life is about this inner work of connecting more deeply to the core of who you are.

Bringing more of your soul’s presence (and power and magic) into your everyday life.

There are bumps in the road because there are hard things to face in this process. (If it was easy- everyone would be living with their dreams)

There are also times when everything feels so amazingly right it’s hard to not burst into song about how gorgeous it all is.

PS: The Creative Dream Incubator e-Course is starting on TUESDAY!? You guys!? This class is amazing.? It’s not even a class as much as it’s a transformational dream-growing bubble of love.

You can read what Incubator Graduates have to say about it right here.

You can read all about the course right here.

You can join the Circle – to get this course plus every other course I do all year long – right here.

Being Ridiculously Happy Read More »

Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear

By Andrea Schroeder / January 23, 2014 / healing, Journal Prompts, journaling

Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear

Earlier this week I shared some Journal Prompts for Finding your Dream. As I talked about at the end of that post - being honest with yourself about your dreams can be TERRIFYING.

You may have a fear that if you find out what your dream is, everything will change and change is scary.

Or if you go after your dream and you fail - that will hurt too much.

Or that if you know what your dream is, you still won't know how to make it real, and that will be too frustrating.

Or if you knew what your dream is, you might go after it with everything you've got - and that would be too selfish.

Or deep down inside, you might already kind of know what your dream is, but you're sure you're not good enough to make it happen. It's easier to just not know what it is.

This is scary stuff! How you deal with that fear will determine whether or not your dream comes true.

That's why you need to journal about your fear.

It's NOT about how gifted you are or how much training you have or whether or not people like you and support your dreams.

It's ALL about how you handle the inner work.

So today I'm offering some Journal Prompts to help (gently! lovingly!) meet your fear.

The important thing to know about dealing with fear is this: the scared parts of you are scared.

Obviously! But you forget this all the time and respond to fear as though it was not afraid.

You respond to it like it was a monster. And you try to overcome it by streamrolling over it - because you're also afraid.

You're afraid of being afraid.

And steamrolling doesn't work! It just flattens the fear so that you can stuff it deep down inside and pretend it doesn't exist.

Meanwhile, that fear, stuffed deep down inside you, becomes a Creative Dream BLOCK.

The secret is to meet your fear.

With love and gentleness.

Think of it less as a monster and more as a frightened child.? Oh sweetie, you're scared - what can I do to help you feel better?

These prompts will help you do this - I also have a free 90 minute video class where I lead you through the process of doing this. It's free and available on demand, 24-7. Get it here.

These journal prompts for fear are for playing and creating with.

Use them as little diving boards to dive off into other things to explore - the most important part is to follow what comes up for you, not to answer every prompt perfectly.

Even when you're not sure about your answers stay in the process. If having pretend conversations with fear is new to you, it may take a little practice for this to make sense.

Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear:

Explore your fear. Where is it showing up in your body and what does it feel like?
Imagine that your fear is a frightened child. What does it look like? Note every detail.
Ask this frightened child what it needs. List every answer.
Go through the answers and for each one, explore if it would actually bring a sense of comfort and safety or does it just numb out the fear or is it really about trying to control the world around you so that you can feel safe?? (hint: that never works)

Take your time with this. Really explore each question and notice where your thoughts lead you to.

You want to try and find an idea for something that you can do right now that will actually bring you a sense of comfort and safety.

When you are able to sit with the fear and journal with it, with an open heart and a willingness to understand what this part of you needs - healing happens.

And when you make this a regular practice - miracles happen.

I'd love to SHOW YOU how this works.

I did a free healing circle and inner work workshop where I lead you through the process of working with your fear.

Try it today:

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Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Read More »

Owning Your Emotional Reactions

By Andrea Schroeder / January 22, 2014 / healing

This is from the Creative Dream Circle Policies & Guidelines, but I thought it would be helpful to share it out here, too.

Sometimes in life things happen that we don’t like!? Sometimes these things make us mad and frustrated and sad and, worst of all, they make us feel powerless.

You’re not powerless, ever.? You’re a creative genius.

Understanding a few things about owning your emotional reactions can help keep you from feeling (and acting!) powerless.

There is no “one way” or “right way” to react to things.? A rogue volleyball may hit 2 different people in the face – one will laugh and walk away, the other will get angry and punch the thrower of the ball.? We’re all different.

How you react is not WRONG.? Ever.? Whatever you are feeling is legitimate.? How you react may be totally out of proportion to the thing that happened.? Still, you’re not wrong to feel how you feel.? The thing that happened triggered some other emotional reaction in you and small events can trigger BIG emotions.? Whatever you are feeling is legitimate.? Always.

But how you react is YOUR stuff.? It’s not about the person who did the thing that you are reacting to, it’s about what’s going on inside of you.

And what you do with your reaction is your responsibility.? Just because someone else did something that hurt you does not give you free reign to hurt others.? Being a jerk is being a jerk no matter how justified you feel in the moment.

Being a jerk about it is what happens when you are NOT owning your reaction.

If you’re reading this blog you are not likely the kind of person who enjoys hurting other people’s feelings.

While it may feel satisfying for just a split second to throw that barb at them, it’s not going to change how you feel PLUS you’re not going to feel great about how you handled it.

So now, on top of feeling the ick that you were feeling in the first place, you’re also feel shame about what you did.? And you can’t do anything to fix it because you’re not responsible – this jerk did this thing TO you.

Not a happy and empowered place to be.

When you own your reaction, you hold your power.

Usually, when we’re triggered by something and get upset, we just want the upset to GO AWAY, NOW and we try to get rid of it by blaming someone else for it.

Maybe that seems logical in some way.? But it doesn’t work.?

What works is to OWN your emotional reaction.

This doesn’t mean you are responsible for the event that happened.

This doesn’t mean that someone else didn’t make a mistake.

This doesn’t mean that you forgive them or agree with them or ever want to be in the same room as them again.

All it means is that you take responsibility for how you’re feeling right now.? And then you can take responsibility for changing how you’re feeling right now.

If you’re a member of the Creative Dream Circle – do this in the Un-Sticking Station.

You’ll be lovingly guided through a creative, soulful, empowered way to meet and transform uncomfortable feelings and get back into a happy and empowered state of being.

And do this as quickly as possible – the less time you spend stewing in the icks the better!

Other people can not and do not decide how you’re going to feel.

Only you can do that.? But only if you take responsibility for what’s going on inside you.

This goes for EVERY feeling you have.

The more sure and righteous you feel about how your feeling is someone else’s fault, the more urgent it is that you take responsibility for it.

There is good news here!

When you take responsibility for your reaction and do the healing work around whatever it is in you that got triggered – you’re not going to keep getting triggered!

When someone says “You’re a horrible person” the part of you that worries that this is true, or the part of you that neeeeeds external validation and approval will FREAK THE HECK OUT.

THAT is where your emotional reaction comes from – that stuff that is happening inside of you, not from the meanie who said the thing.

When you heal those frightened inner voices who worry about what others think then you stop caring what others think.

Then when someone says “You’re a horrible person” your reaction is “Hmmm, what a weird thing to say!” or “Gosh, this person must be in pain to be acting like such a jerk” or maybe you’ll laugh at the ridiculousness of that statement.

Getting triggered is a gift.

It shows you where you are carrying stories that are in need of healing.

Doing the inner work of dealing with the trigger steer you back into the center of your creative power.

I know the thought of sitting with that feeling is terrifying.

But the art of owning & transforming it is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

You don’t need to do it alone.

If you join the Creative Dream Circle you’ll get so many tools that help you transform your inner world – with creativity and heart and soul.? You can PLAY your way into healing.

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Journal Prompts for Finding your Dream

By Andrea Schroeder / January 21, 2014 / intention, Journal Prompts, journaling

Journal Prompts for Finding your Dream

You'd love to go after your dreams... if only you knew what they were.

Your journal can totally help with this!

By spending some time exploring what your dreams might be, while engaging the amazing superpowers of your creativity and imagination, you open up the doors between you and your dream.

These journal prompts for finding your dream are for playing and creating with.

Use them as little diving boards to dive off into other things to explore - the most important part is following your creative impulse - going down all the rabbit holes - that's where the magic is. You don't have to answer each prompt exactly.

Even when you're not sure about your answers - stay in the process! The more time you spend with a journal prompt, the better the answer is going to get.

If you've been ignoring your dreams for a long time, they made need some time before they're ready to come out and play with you.

Journal Prompts for Figuring out what your dream is:

I feel happiest when:
I wish I could (list at least 50 things - keep coming back to this over the next few weeks to add things and MAKE SURE to add things that seem too stupid or impractical to both with):
The qualities/values that matter most to me are:
If I could live my life exactly how I wanted to, I would:
The things I like best about my life are:
The things I like least about my life are:
I think am being really true to myself when I:
If I was living more in tune with my own heart and soul, it would feel like:
If I knew what my dream was I would feel:

Take your time with this. Really explore each question and notice where your thoughts lead you to.

Then explore your answers to see what they are telling you about what your dream is.

This is brave work.

Being honest with yourself about your dreams can be TERRIFYING.

You may have a fear that if you find out what your dream is - everything will change and change is scary.

Or if you go after your dream and you fail - that will hurt too much.

Or that if you know what your dream is, you still won't know how to make it real, and that will be too frustrating.

Or if you knew what your dream is, you might go after it with everything you've got - and that would be too selfish.

Or deep down inside, you might already kind of know what your dream is, but you're sure you're not good enough to make it happen.? It's easier to just not know what it is.

This is hard stuff!

Navigating the path to making a dream real is all about navigating these feelings.

Courage is the primary tool of the Creative Dreamer.

If you're feeling apprehensive about exploring your dreams - you're not alone.? We're all scared sometimes.

Fears don't bother coming up unless you're onto something, so if you're feeling afraid of exploring this, that is a good sign.

If some fears do come up for you - check out my Creative Journaling Prompts for Overcoming Fear.

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At their core, all dreams are the same: to live a life that is in alignment with who you really are.

By Andrea Schroeder / January 20, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

To do the things that light you up.

To fully inhabit your SELF and your life.

To live in tune with your own soul.

Every dream leads you deeper into this place.

Big dreams, small dreams, silly dreams, serious dreams – it doesn’t matter what the (external) dream is – there is so much magic in the process of Creative Dream Incubation, because it’s about digging into the magic within.

Transforming blocks.? Liberating genius.? And activating the power within – the power to bring any dream to life.

This inner process is so healing and magical – the outer process of getting your dream is really only the icing on the cake.

Still, if there is something you want to create in your world, the Creative Dream Incubator can help you create it.

You can use it to:

figure out what your dream is
bring a new creative venture to life
feel at home in your own skin
have more fun
make it easier to stay on track with your goals
make more money
play a trip around the world
write a book
develop a unique daily creativespiritual practice that truly sustains you
be more connected to your inner self
sleep better

Anything.

The Creative Dream Incubator e-Course is happening inside the Creative Dream Circle, starting on January 28.

It’s creative and soulful and fun and magical and I hope you’ll join us!

At their core, all dreams are the same: to live a life that is in alignment with who you really are. Read More »

Keeping the Pedal to the Metal

By Andrea Schroeder / January 17, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, intention, Manifest Your Dream Life

(you can read my original post about this here)

In support of this goal, I am writing weekly updates on Fridays, for all of 2014. This is where I’ll share the story of all the ups and downs of bringing a big dream to life.

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I am familiar with PUTTING the pedal to the metal.

I’ve had to do that repeatedly to get to where I am.? And I like that feeling that I am DRIVING myself somewhere in my life, that I am in the driver’s seat, pointed in the right direction, and GOING.

What I am NOT familiar with is KEEPING the pedal to the metal.

I like to go somewhere, then get out of the car.? Have a picnic, maybe a nap.? Appreciate where I am.? Acclimate to where I am.? Then choose a new destination, draw a new map, get back in the car.

What I like are day trips.? Put the pedal to the metal, get to where I want to be, then stop.

What my dreams are calling me into now is a long distance road trip.

My challenge to myself is to KEEP the pedal to the metal for all of January.

Kind of funny that this is coming to me in a driving analogy since I sold my car this fall and have been REVELING in my new car-free lifestyle.? But this is how it feels.

I can feel my right foot pushing down on the gas and I notice how I want to slam on the brakes and just stop until I feel acclimated where I am.

But my intuition is clear.? Pedal to the metal, sweetie.? You’ll LOVE where we get to once we get there.? But we’re not there yet so don’t stop.

So that’s where I’m at this week.

Pedal firmly to the metal.

Being consistent about all the things I need to be consistent about to spread the word about the upcoming Creative Dream Incubator e-Course happening inside the Creative Dream Circle.

A few months ago I wrote in the Circle about a pattern I’d spotted while journaling, about how I don’t stay consistent with my marketing.

This is that not-keeping-the-pedal-to-the-metal-thing.

So I started using the tools in the Circle to work on it, to get to know it more, find out what it has to teach me, learn more about my own resistance and – finally – create a new possibility for what I’d like to do instead.

And here I am.? Now it’s like I am cruising down the highway, singing, enjoying that beautiful sparkling spacious feeling of being out on the open road. Marketing-wise I am doing EVERYTHING I feel inspired to do.

I’ve never done this before.? I’ve always spent more time working on my actual programs or working with clients, and less time marketing.

It feels good to work so hard in service to inviting more dreamers into my world.

It’s not ALL good though.

Things are going good, but this is also exhausting.

I do want to keep this up until the end of the month as I really want as many participants as possible to join this round of the Creative Dream Incubator happening inside the Creative Dream Circle.

Of course I’m exhausted, this is taking a LOT of bandwidth.

It’s not that it’s a ton of work, it’s just the energy expenditure of staying out of my comfort zone is exhausting. I’m meditating on this every day and getting wise advice from my inner council. But if shifting your comfort zone around to include sparkling new things inside it was easy – everyone would be doing it.

Plus I got my period which is making me more tired, and for some reason I decided that this is not a good reason to slow down.? So I’m in loving (but difficult!) negotiations with the part of me that is afraid that if I do slow down and take care of myself, I will just stop.

This is kind of weird because normally I excel at self-care!? But this KEEPING the pedal to the medal thing feels so new I worry that it is too delicate.

And I have increased my self-care practices, but it’s not enough.? This weekend I’ll be exploring what I am going to do about this – how to fuel myself for the final leg of this month-long trip.

Keeping the Pedal to the Metal Read More »

Dreaming SMALLER, Simpler and more Happily. It’s not about having MORE.

By Andrea Schroeder / January 16, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

The path to bringing a dream to life is less about the dream and more about the inner healing and transformation that happens when you step up to claim your right to create the life you really want to be living.

This means the Creative Dream Path can take you to some unexpected places.

Last winter my car had a lot of problems.

As much as I have loved my red Beetle, this car has always been very expensive to maintain.? It’s a diesel, which was, at the time when I bought it, the most fuel-efficient way to go in this climate, as far as I could tell.? So I chose to have a car that cost me more money, because it would cost the planet less.

But we got to the point where keeping her running just didn’t make sense anymore, and it looked like I would need a new car for this winter.

So I started looking at what car to get next. I was happy that there are more fuel-efficient options now.? I was looking for something simpler, something less expensive and time consuming to maintain.

But you know what?? No other car felt right.? So I stopped looking.

Instead I asked myself: what do you REALLY want here?

And underneath all the layers of stories about how grown-ups are supposed to live was my simple truth: I don’t want a car.

You know what makes me happy? WALKING.

You know what I hardly ever seem to find time to do? WALK.

Suddenly not having a car felt like an adventure.

I sold my car last fall, bought a fantastic parka and winter boots and have not looked back.

At first it just seemed like maybe having a car doesn’t make sense for me right now.? I work from home.? I don’t have children.? I was only using my car for shopping and adventuring, so maybe it’s just not smart for me to have my own car?

I can rent a car when I want/need one.? I can join the car co-op.? Maybe this is just the more practical choice.

But the biggest thing I’ve noticed is not about practicality at all.

It’s this: I have not ONCE driven somewhere and arrived feeling amazing because driving is just so awesome.

But more times than not, when I walk somewhere I arrive feeling amazing because walking is just so awesome.

This morning I walked through a blizzard to get to a coffee shop to do some writing.? Between my parka and boots I am covered, from head-to-toe, in soft warmth.? I giggled as the wind whirled around me, like it was trying to give me a hug.? I looked at the cars driving past me and did not wish I was in one.

I love how walking has slowed down the pace of my life.

The act of walking instead of driving adds this kind of magical element to my days.

And I’m more present with my own needs because I can’t always just zip off and get something if I run out.? I think more carefully about how plan my days.? I cook more.

I feel freer somehow.

And yet, if you’d told me six months ago that I was going to be happily car-free this winter I would have thought you were crazy.

That one little question leads to amazing things.

What do I really want?

That is the heart of Creative Dreaming.? Being brave enough to not just listen to your heart, but act on it.

Dreaming SMALLER, Simpler and more Happily. It’s not about having MORE. Read More »

Creative Business Incubator: Turn Your Dream Into Your Job

By Andrea Schroeder / January 15, 2014 / creative entrepreneur

The Creative Business Incubator is one of the courses you get in the Creative Dream Circle.

This is NOT one of those sleazy Make a Gazillion Dollars Online In Three Easy Steps things.

This IS an honest and vulnerable sharing of what I have learned along the way of starting and growing my business – with creativity, soul and authenticity.

Inside The Creative Business Incubator You Get:

Module 1: Setting the Stage for Success.? Most creatives have horribly limiting beliefs about business.? Ditto for spiritual people.? Holding unconscious or conscious beliefs about how business is bad or about how you’re not good at it will eat away at your dream. In this module we’ll start to clear these out to create your firm foundation for success.
Module 2: The Heart & Soul of your Business.? This is the spiritual power source of your business.? When you work from this place, everything you do in your business in imbued with power and magnetism.
Module 3: Marketing from the Heart.? Marketing is how you shine your light out into the world, it’s what you do so that your right people will recognize you and feel safe working with you.? The way you market your business can be a source of light, healing + inspiration for others.? 100% sleaze-free.
Module 4: Fear & Success.? Deep down inside, most of us are afraid of success.? And for good reason!? Putting yourself out there in this way is terrifyingly vulnerable.? Until you heal this, you’ll always have parts of you fighting against your success and you’ll keep spinning your wheels.
Module 5: Self-Care as Business Fuel. Success does not come from working your ass off!? Success comes from being deeply connected to your inner superpowers.? Extreme self-care is an absolute requirement to keep your dream business running smoothly.
Module 6: Creating the Story of your Business.? We bring it all together into a metaphor for your business that you can work with that holds all of the qualities of the unfolding story of your success.
Plus sections on: Cash-Flow, Sales, Abundance and Inspiring Creative Business Resources.

For each module of the Creative Business Incubator you get my thoughts & ideas, journaling prompts plus LONG, IN-DEPTH videos.

It’s an EPIC hero’s journey.

If you’re curious about this click here to listen to the audio introduction to the course where I talk more about the EPIC hero’s journey of bringing YOUR soulful creative business to life (it’s just over 8 minutes long).

The Creative Business Incubator has its own classroom inside the Creative Dream Circle, where business owners and would-be business owners can gather and explore.

Business is NOT the focus of the Creative Dream Circle, but a lot of dreamers find that as they start to grow their Creative Dreaming Muscles and get better at making their dreams real – they want to explore how to create a life for themselves that does NOT include giving their time + energy to a day job.? So the Creative Business Incubator is there to help with that.

Click here to join us today.

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Creative Dream Journal Playdate #2: The Center of Your Creative Power (Boundaries, Sovereignty & Harnessing the Power to Create Your World)

By Andrea Schroeder / January 14, 2014 / healing, journaling

Today! Tuesday, Jan 14 at 2PM (Central, North America).

The Center of Your Creative Power (Boundaries, Sovereignty & Harnessing the Power to Create Your World) is something that I have a LOT to say about.? And it came up during our first playdate so I wanted to dive into it a little deeper with you guys.

If you reading this in your email or on the front page of my blog click here so you can see the video below.

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Creative Dream Journal Playdate #2: The Center of Your Creative Power (Boundaries, Sovereignty & Harnessing the Power to Create Your World)Read More »

Creative Dream Journal Playdate #2: The Center of Your Creative Power (Boundaries, Sovereignty & Harnessing the Power to Create Your World) Read More »