Creative Entrepreneur

New Video: Nurture Your Brilliance

Last week I shared a video tour of my Grow Your Depth journal.

This week I thought I’d share a tour of my Nurture Your Brilliance journal – this is where I work with bringing the inner changes out into the outer world – to create more of what I want in my life.

In this video I’m sharing how I do this in my business, but the same principles apply for anything else.

I recorded this video as content for Grow Your Depth, Nurture Your Brilliance so the tools I mention in the video are available inside the classroom.

New Video: Nurture Your Brilliance Read More »

You guys! I did an impossible thing!

You guys! I did an impossible thing!

For the last two years or so, I’ve wanted to do some kind of tele-summit.? I’ve met tons of amazing people online who would be perfect guests and I could see that it would be a great way to grow my audience.

But I haven’t done it.

And every time I thought about doing it, it just somehow ended up at the bottom of my list.

Finally, last year I took some time to think about it because it really didn’t make sense to keep dragging it around at the bottom of my list of ideas.? I mean if I’m not going to do it, let it go, right?

Except, no.? Letting it go didn’t quite feel right even though a part of me was desperate to just stop thinking about this idea.

I was all tangled up about it.? I wanted to do it, but I was also sure that it was impossible.? I’m to introverted ad sensitive and easily exhausted.? I’m not “big” enough.? No one would come anyway, what’s the point?

So I used the Crazy Smart Wisdom Council tool in the Creative Dream Circle to help me get at my inner truth, unobscured by doubt and fear and sad, old stories about limitations and lack.

And my deep down inner truth is that this would be an ideal way for me to open the door wider to let more people into my world.

Which was kind of a surprise because I thought my inner truth would be that I’m too quiet and introverted to do that kind of thing and I should let it go.

Secretly I was hoping my inner truth would lead me to some other way of growing my audience, something that didn’t feel so scary.

Also, I was positive that if I didn’t do it in the way that everyone does it (being pretty pushy about sales towards the end of it with some crazy “buy now or the price doubles!” kind of thing) then it wouldn’t generate sales and it would just cost me a lot of time and money.

But our small selves lie a lot.

At that point, I wasn’t sure when or how I would do it, but I did decide that I would stop listening to my bullshit stories about how I can’t do this.

Fast forward to late last year, when the idea for Grow Your Depth found me.

Now, I am absolutely in love with Grow Your Depth, Nurture Your Brilliance and all of the miracles it’s going to generate for everyone over the course of the next year.

I am so lit up about this program.

I want to love and celebrate it in the way that it deserves to be loved and celebrated.

And THAT is when I saw the summit in a new light – as a beautiful and bright way of celebrating Grow Your Depth.? Instead of a hype-y “internet summit” I saw it as deep, meaningful conversations.

I felt it as a warm, open doorway to a whole new world of possibility.

Opening the doors and letting you into this amazing community of dreamers and magic-makers that I have discovered on the path to living authentically with my dreams.? And inviting you to explore the possibilities that are truly waiting for you.

So, this part is important: I let my love and enthusiasm for Grow Your Depth be the fuel for the tele-class series.

Too often, when you look at doing something that feels “big and impossible” you’re being fueled by a fear of failure, desire to prove your worth, or the idea that this is what you have to do to get to where you want to be, in a “grin and bear it” kind of way.

Your inner critic is the source of all of those fuels, and as long as your inner critic is fueling you, it’s going to be a bumpy road that is not likely to lead you to where you actually want to be.

When you can shift into allowing love, joy and enthusiasm be your fuel – you step into a totally different story.

Of course, you also need a strong and clear intuitive connection for guidance, which is why I always use the Crazy Smart Wisdom Council in the Creative Dream Circle – to help turn down the volume on doubt, fear and “doing it the way other people say I should” and turn up the volume on my own inner wisdom.

And you need practices that make it easier for you to trust your heart.? And community to support you and your dreams.? All the exact juicy stuff that is a part of Grow Your Depth was exactly what I needed to help me do this in a nurturing, supportive and fun way.

And then you can find nurturing, fun, safe ways to do the impossible thing.

That’s when I decided to let go of my original idea to do this as a “big thing” and instead to it at a size that felt comfortable and do-able to me.

That’s when I narrowed the list of potential guests to mostly people that I knew really well and felt comfortable with, plus a few people that I don’t know quite as well but felt really, really called to invite.

That’s when I saw how I could increase my self-care practices to not just replenish my energies – but stay inspired and happy and optimistic and really really enjoy the experience.

Oh, enjoyment!

See, I had thought that, because this thing felt impossible, that doing it would have to be hard.

And the truth is, I was CRAZY nervous before the first call.? Which is why I had picked Chris Zydel to be my first guest, because having her there made me feel less nervous.

By listening to my intuition and trusting my inspiration, I found that for everything that I thought would be a problem – I found a solution.

And I did get exhausted.? But then I rested and re-fueled.? (I’ve spent most of this weekend painting + sewing and have an Ayurvedic treatment booked for Tuesday to help replenish my energy)

And I also had a lot of fun and had a lot of really gorgeous moments.

I’m so happy and glad that I DID IT.? I did the impossible thing.

And now, the best part, is that I am a person who did this thing that she was sure that she couldn’t do.

That opens up so many more doorways for what I may do next!? Which is the best feeling ever.

It changes how I see myself.? It changes how I feel about myself.? It changes how I see the path in front of me.

Can you feel that?

Can you feel how finding an enjoyable and nourishing way to do the thing you think you can’t do changes your entire experience of yourself, your life and your possibilities?

Can you feel how learning how to heal and transform fear and doubt while learning how to take better care of your creativity and bolster your intuition and inner gifts will change your possibilities?

If you’ve got something you want to do that feels impossible, I want to invite you to join in me Grow Your Depth, Nurture Your Brilliance.? Together, we can find safe, creative and enjoyable ways for you to move forward into the life you want to be living.

We start Monday, January 19.? But you can join today and get instant access to all of my other courses and give yourself some time to settle into the Circle before we start this new adventure.


You guys! I did an impossible thing! Read More »

2014 Year In Review

2014

One year ago, I wrote a year in review for 2014 where I explored how I wanted to feel and what I wanted to have accomplished by the end of this year.

At that time, I had this clear and specific goal for what I wanted to do with my business, though pursuing that goal in 2014 led me to discover that I didn’t actually want it.

But when I look back at that year in review I wrote before the year started, I can see that I got all of the things that I REALLY wanted – all of the inner things that I had hoped reaching my goal would bring me.

Which is the perfect example of how your dream is a lighthouse that is leading you home.

Pursing that dream didn’t lead me to getting what I wanted on the outside, but it did lead me to feeling the way I want to feel and experiencing my life and business in the way that I want to experience them.

So it did get to me to exactly where I wanted to be.

I learned to trust myself to take care of myself, in a deeper way.? I can’t really put this one into words to explain how this feels.? Kind of like living on more solid ground.?

I trust myself to take care of myself, to do the things that fill me up and light me up and not feel like I need to deplete myself or do stuff I don’t want to do, in exchange for money or exchange for anything else.

I feel (finally!) integrated in the way of living that I know is right for me – to put self-care first, to keep the well full so I can do my best quality work.? And to trust this to sustain me, even when this looks like lots of picnics and bike rides and not a lot of work happening.

As a person raised in a home full of perfectionism and workaholism, this is quite revolutionary.

I feel quiet and peaceful on the inside.? Like my sense of inner peace grew to take up more space this year.

I turned forty. I stopped colouring my grey hair.? I traded my car for a bike.? I had adventures.? I deepened by creative practices.? I returned to a daily yoga practice.? I went from sewing sometimes, to sewing ALL of my clothes.? I started some big art projects and settled more fully into living in the dream loft and filling it up with my art.

And, obviously, I filled a few journals.

I’m really living the way I want to live and I can’t explain how grateful I am for this.

I mean, I’m still cranky some days.? I get angry and lonely and sad and frustrated and afraid.? Things happened that broke my heart and made me stop believing in myself.

And I deal with the crap and come back to center faster and faster.

And each time I work through that process, I am actually becoming more grounded in my center and so I have come to love and appreciate the cranky times for the un-describable gifts they contain.

In light of all of this, the fact that I didn’t reach my income goal for 2014 seems pretty small.

And the fact that my creative business did generate enough income for me to live the way I want to live in all senses of that and not just in the sense of being able to buy tons of crap, feels pretty fucking amazing.? It feels like success.

Financially – I didn’t go into debt.? I increased my savings – by a small amount, but still.? I’m calling it a win.

And the last few months of this year brought me to what I want for next year: Grow Your Depth, Nurture Your Brilliance.

I am wildly inspired and deeply terrified as I venture into this new project, which I have found is the exact place I want to be when creating something new – coming from my established strengths while stretching into new territory.

And deeply grateful for the Creative Dream Incubator which holds and sustains it all.? And deeply deeply grateful to each of you.

Wishing you all the best in 2015.


2014 Year In Review Read More »

On going deeper.

On going deeper
I’m doing a lot of writing and journaling and yin yoga and meditation as I explore what it means to open my heart deeper and then live and work from that place.

I’m noticing all of the ways that the whole universe supports me in this work and appreciating that inner sparkling feeling of being on the right path.

When something is off, when you’re hiding from yourself or staying too closed or avoiding your feelings, that inner sparkling feeling is inaccessible.? So I like to use it as a compass for knowing when I am on and off track.

So this is my main job right now: opening, deepening.

I have a dream for what I want to do next year.? And I need to offer this particular thing from a deeper place in my heart than I have offered anything before, which means I have to be deeper in my heart than I have ever been before as I create and share it.

Living and working as an open hearted person includes having the inner strength, power and sovereignty to be offering your creative gifts to others without collapsing into caretaking, over-giving and self-sacrifice.

Inviting other people into your creative work means being open and inviting and warm without giving them permission to stomp all over everything, or take more than you are offering or just generally make a mess of things.

That soft bright welcoming loving openness has to come through clear solid sturdy boundaries or else it can’t sustain itself.

And so, after having spent the last few years working more on power and strength and boundaries I am coming to a place where I can open my heart wider and deeper.

This means I can take my work deeper in 2015, which I am ridiculously excited about.

And what’s coming through that opening is so beautiful it is kind of amazing me: it’s Grow Your Depth, Nurture Your Brilliance which will be available in the Creative Dream Circle in 2015.

I’m hoping to actually be able to share what it is soon.? The deeper I go, the more everything needs to change about how I talk about it, so this is taking longer than I had hoped.


On going deeper. Read More »

Calling all the helper-people

SHINE: Group Coaching for Coaches, Healers, Teachers & Helper-People of all kinds starts on Tuesday and there are still a few spots left.

SHINE is all about giving you right-fit support and guidance to move to the next stage of your journey as a Helper-Person.

The first time I ran this group, every single participant got what they wanted out of it.? There is deep magic in this group.

While it can feel like the market is already super-saturated and like other people are already doing what you want to do, the truth is the world needs each one of us!? Changing the world is not an easy task and we need all hands on deck.

So if you feel called to show up as a helper-person, as a coach or teacher, a healer or inspirationalist, then you are needed.? Absolutely.

I believe this very deeply which is why I am offering this program: to help you help more people.? To help you make your business more sustainable or successful or playful or whatever it is you need to do, to do your important work.

Read more & join us, right here.

Please note, because I keep getting asked when I’ll do this again: I will NOT be running this group again in 2014, and have a lot of other plans for 2015 so if I do run this again, it won’t be for some time.

Calling all the helper-people Read More »

Creating Your Own Definition Of Success

Earlier this week I posted this on Instagram and Facebook:

What does success mean to you today? It’s good to keep refining your personal definition of success as you move forward.

And then my page turned into:

The most important elements of success for me right now are:

  • spaciousness
  • ease
  • trust
  • alignment
  • authenticity
  • flow

If I had to narrow it down to one, it would be spaciousness.? Spaciousness contains all of the things I really want.

I sat with this list for some time.? I doodled and collaged and explored.? And even though I am thinking specifically about success as a creative dream teacher and coach – money didn’t come to mind as a part of my definition of success.

I’m really happy to be in a place now where I don’t think about money a lot.

Not because I have so much I never have to think about it again, because I’ve build a solid relationship with money (Creative Dream Circle members: check out the Creative With Money Kit for more on how to do this).?

My life is simple and spacious and free which is what I want.? I have money for the things that matter to me.? And I don’t have a lot of things around that don’t matter.? I am a little surprised by how much money I used to spend on things that, as it turns out, don’t really matter to me.

I want quiet.? I want to make art and journal every day.? I want hours of empty time to fill however I feel inspired to fill them in the moment.? SPACIOUSNESS.

Though I also want creative projects and regular coaching clients.? I want to keep growing as a creative person and as a teacher and coach.

And I always want to make enough money to live in the way that feels true to me.? I suspect that as I get older that may mean needing more money and that feels like a part of my ongoing definition of success.

Creating your own definition of success means getting REAL with yourself about what you ACTUALLY want.

Your true success does not come from blindly adopting the uber-capitalist “more more more” mentality that we’re surrounded by.

But your true success also does not come from playing small.

It comes from playing just-right sized, which means facing and transforming your fear that you aren’t good enough (and we ALL have that fear) and transforming your bullshit stories about what is really possible for you.

It also means doing the ongoing work of knowing what right-sized even means for you.

Sometimes this is not easy work.? But you’re brave and you’re ready.

If you want to explore this with me, join SHINE Group Coaching for Coaches, Healers, Teachers & Helper-People,

There is a lot of magic to be found in exploring this in a group of creative kindreds who are also crafting their own unique paths to their own unique versions of SUCCESS.

Creating Your Own Definition Of Success Read More »

A peek inside my process: How I write sales pages

Writing sales pages is hardly anyone’s favourite thing to do, me included. In fact, at one point I had most of my pages written by very good copywriter, who understood me and understood how to describe my offerings clearly. At that time it made me so happy to stop spending time on this.

But right now I am (mostly) happily re-writing the page for the Creative Dream Circle myself.

As I journal my way through the process I thought I’d share it here.

Since this is hard for many of us, it makes sense to me that we could all gain from seeing more of each other’s process.

If you don’t know – a sales page is a page on your website where you sell something. Ideally the page describes what the thing is, what the potential buyer can expect to get out of it, pricing details and a buy button.

For a lot of online business, the sales page is the make-it-or-break-it point for their business. The aim is to create a sales page that generates as many sales as possible. They use a lot of slimy tactics to make this happen.

I operate my business quite differently. Hardly anyone reads my sales pages for the first time and buys my stuff. Usually they get to know me, play with my many free offerings, and by the time they choose to read about my courses and coaching, they already know and trust me and are interested in working with me.

So I don’t feel like there is a lot of pressure on my sales pages and I don’t want anyone to feel pressured on them! I just want them to clearly describe what I’m offering and what you can expect to get out of it.

But that is more complicated than it seems! It can be hard to describe your thing in a way that is clear for your people because you’re on different sides of it. You know it from the inside out and they can only look from the outside in. You see the benefits of the thing are so super obvious, but on the other side, your people can’t quite see them at all.

Plus, if you are like me, you are always growing and evolving, and so the way you want to communicate all of this grows and evolves. This is why I update my pages regularly, so they are congruent with where I’m at.

The Starting Point: What do I want to do?

I want to re-write the Creative Dream Circle page in a heartfelt and clear and inviting way. I want people to feel uplifted while they read it. I want them to get a taste of what it’s like to be expertly supported and guided with your dreams and how that creates new possibilities.

I also want to encourage them to consciously interact with the fears/doubts/inner critics that get triggered while considering making this group a part of their lives, instead of allowing their fears/doubts/inner critics to derail the process with their bullshit… “this won’t work for you” ” you already know all of this” “you don’t have time for this” “you can’t spend money on your dream!” “sounds complicated, you’re not going to be able to figure it all out” “you won’t fit in, this kind of thing is for other people”

Plus I want this page to be a healing and a light, both for people who take the step into the Circle and for those who don’t.

How do I want to do this?

It seems to me we have to get on the same page about what we’re talking about really quickly so that should be at the top of the page.

The Creative Dream Circle is an online playground/creative superhero training center where creative people learn to bring their dreams to life.

Sigh. A lot of people are not going to know what that means PLUS it’s not descriptive enough.

I don’t just help you bring their dreams to life, I help you to do it with ease and joy, powered by authenticity and spirit and creative genius and inner wisdom, so that the dream appears in a miraculously perfect-for-you way even though it may look nothing like what you thought you wanted when you started.

This is because at the core this work is about soul healing, radical transformation and growing into who you really are which is a difficult thing to describe.

When I talk about living more deliciously and blissfully in tune with your own creative soul a lot of people have no concept of what that means. So I talk about it in terms of becoming the you who lives your dream. But this is not how the Circle members talk about it. They say it helps them do things like:

  • Feel more at peace with themselves and their lives (relief!)
  • Believe in themselves more (magic!)
  • Understand how to actually STOP letting fear stop them (momentum!)
  • Start making more time for the things that they love to do (joy!)
  • Understand how to start making small changes that bring them closer to their dreams (steady progress!)
  • Be inspired to go after bigger dreams (trust!)
  • Find new and/or unexpected sources of support for their dreams (right-fit support!)
  • See that the path to their dream is right in front of them and understand how to start walking along it (clarity!)
  • Understand more clearly where they hold themselves back, and what to do about it (freedom!)

So, using more of the language that circle members use would be helpful! This lets potential members know exactly what current members are experiencing.

I already have member’s testimonials on the page, of course. But I also have a lot of my own language. What if I use more of the Circle member’s language throughout the page? I like that idea.

OK, so I’m still on the first line.

The Creative Dream Circle is an online playground/creative superhero training center where creative people learn to bring their dreams to life.

So now I know that I want to write this in the kind of language that members would use, that speaks CLEARLY to potential new members. I also want to say something about how we work from the intersection of creativity, spirituality and human potential. I would like to highlight the fact that what I teach is unique, creatively engaging and remarkably effective.

Also: there is just so much love in the Circle. It’s amazing to be so fully supported and encouraged in your dreams.

So how do I want to say this?

It feels like I have journaled a million pages and am still on writing the first line of the page! I’m going to go make a lavender black tea latte and come back to this…

Well of course I didn’t just make the latte and come back. I wandered upstairs and lay down on my bed to enjoy the rain (I’ve got floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall windows on both floors of the dream loft, perfect rain-watching conditions) then I took a shower, then I made my latte and gathered some supplies: my current favourite candle and an amazonite crystal ball which helps me write.

Obviously, I am in resistance.

ALL creatives experience resistance – how you handle it does determine the volume and quality of the creative work you produce. Of course, I’m going to handle it using the exact tools I teach in the Creative Dream Circle. The Circle includes an Un-Sticking Station which un-sticks any stuck, like resistance, procrastination, fear, doubt, uncertainty, etc.

Bringing my resistance to writing this sales page into the Un-Sticking Station, I discover:

  • I’m worried I’ll never get this right
  • What I have is working, what if I change it and it stops working?
  • What if my work just isn’t that special and doesn’t deserve a clear and inviting page?
  • What if I’m just not good enough?

So you can see why most creatives just procrastinate. This isn’t easy stuff to face.

And this is always how it is: a top layer of some questions/frustrations that seem kind of real but you quickly see what is beneath them, our basic and universal fear of not being good enough.

This is the stuff that stops most creative people from ever bringing their dreams to life. This is the stuff I am committed to helping people change. Every time I face it myself I am reminded of the importance of providing people with the tools that make it easier to face it and TRANSFORM it.

That bolsters my enthusiasm for getting this done.

Back in the Un-Sticking Station, bringing in love and creativity it is fast and easy (fast and easy just because I do this work so often) to dissolve limiting patterns and return to the truth: this is my work in the world. I am here to serve in this way. It’s my JOB to support my work in getting out into the world.

Now I feel like my inner world is in alignment with my mission. Ahhhh.

And I remember that I don’t need to find the exact perfect phrase to start this with, I just need to be as clear as I can be. Some advice out there is to just “speak from your heart” but I think that gets you back into problem #1: speaking from your side of the thing, instead of speaking from your people’s side of it, in a way that they can understand.

So speak from your heart, of course, but more importantly use your heart to connect with your audience and speak from where they are so they can hear you.

The Creative Dream Circle is….

What is important to have in this first part so that people get, straight off the bat, what we’re talking about?

  • it’s an online thing, not in person
  • it helps you activate your inner superpowers so you can: believe in yourself more, stop letting fear stop you, and make it easier/more fun to make positive changes in your life
  • it’s for open-hearted creative people
  • I teach from the intersection of spirituality and creativity and personal development, but encourage everyone to create their own unique ways of working with the tools, so you don’t need to adopt what I believe as your truth
  • The tools I teach are: journaling (art journaling or creative journaling or written journaling – up to you) and Creative Soul Alchemy (an energy healing technique I have developed using creativity + imagination + intuitive energy healing)

OK, using the term Creative Soul Alchemy is not the best idea because new people have no idea what it is. But since I do offer a free introductory course in it I think I can work that in. Plus I would prefer that people take my free class before singing up for the Circle so they can make sure they like my style. Also: do I really need to include this at the beginning?

Note to self + readers: I’m not going to give each sentence on this page this much attention. It just feels important to me to start right. This is creating that heart connection of meeting the reader where they are.

The Creative Dream Circle is an online training center for open-hearted creative people. Inside the Circle you’ll learn how to activate your inner superpowers so you can: believe in yourself more, stop letting fear (or doubt, or resistance, or inner and outer critics) stop you, and make it easier (and more fun!) to make positive changes in your life.

OK ewww, “make positive changes in your life” feels gross and task-master-y. And that’s not really what I mean, it’s not about external changes, it’s about living more fully in alignment with your heart and soul and creative magic.

The Creative Dream Circle is an online training center/secret playhouse for open-hearted creative people.

It’s full of tools, training + support for activating your inner superpowers so you can: believe in yourself more, stop letting fear (or doubt, or resistance, or inner and outer critics) stop you, and make it easier to live more fully in alignment with your heart and soul and creative magic.

BLISS! It’s about living your bliss. That’s what people really get out of it. For each person the path/specifics are different, but bliss is the direction we’re all headed in.

The Creative Dream Circle is an online training center/secret playhouse for open-hearted creative people.

Joseph Campbell wisely instructed us to “follow your bliss”. If you think that’s great advice but sometimes wish it was easier to actually follow – you’re in the right place.

Inside the Circle, you’ll discover effective, creative and engaging tools that help you believe in yourself more, stop letting fear (or doubt, or resistance, or inner and outer critics) stop you, and make it easier to follow your bliss in a really practical way.

Ahhh that feels more clear.

Sometimes when I talk about dreams I feel like people are only hearing me talking about getting what you want, in the external world.? What it’s really all about for me is the inner magic – the bliss of living in alignment with your heart, your soul and your creativity.

So then I can do on to talk about exactly that, and explain myself more clearly.

The Creative Dream Circle is dream generator. It exists to support you in the process of bringing your dream to life.

Dreams are important because your dreams are how your soul calls you into alignment with yourself. You can feel that, how having your dream isn’t about having some shiny new toy to play with, it’s about growing into who you really are.

Ack! Love! I have never put this together so succinctly and clearly before, I love this. And now we’re flowing:

While your heart and soul understand how important your dreams are, you live in a world that doesn’t understand this and you end up in a tug-of-war between external expectations and your inner callings.

And then stepping onto the Creative Dream Path starts to feel like this terrifying/impossible thing. Because you grew up in a world that doesn’t understand dreams, you wind up with all of these fears/doubts/beliefs that it’s not safe or possible for you to go after your dream. That you somehow just don’t have permission to live the way you want to live.

So painful! To want your dream, to know in your heart that going after your dream is what is right for you but running up against all these obstacles every time you try! No wonder most people just give up on their dreams.

I have failed many, many, many times. But something in me wouldn’t let me give up.

If you’ve just discovered the Creative Dream Incubator and don’t know me yet (hello! I’m so glad you found me!) you can read more about me, the creator + leader of the Creative Dream Circle, right here. I am a creative woman who lives her truth. I get to make my living doing the things that light me up. It’s not easy every day, but I do have freedom and joy and bliss.

It took me years and years and years of struggle to get to this place with my dreams. I am so grateful that I finally mastered the art of how to bring a dream to life in a world that doesn’t understand the beauty, power and important of dreams.

And I am so happy to share what I’ve learned with other dreamers, so that we can start to turn the tide. As more people start to live in alignment with their inner truth, we start to have a tremendous effect on the whole world.

OK, something is starting to feel off. I think I’ve given this all the time I can for today. I’m going to go play and let this marinate.

Next Day:

So today I am SUPER uncomfortable with quoting Joseph Campbell. Not that I don’t love him, and not that his work wasn’t a part of my training as a spiritual teacher, but the point of this page is for people to connect with the Circle. A quote from someone else doesn’t connect you to ME.

Next Day After That:

I want to delete ALL of this and start from scratch again.

I want to go back to my journal with my coloured pens and explore… what do I really want to say?

At that point I drew some mandalas about how much love I have for my students, then went right to the sales page and re-wrote it. Totally different from what I had above – speaking from my heart and, I think, speaking with more clarity.

I’m happy with how this went, you can see the end result right here.? I think it’s pretty awesome.


A peek inside my process: How I write sales pages Read More »

Boundaries [I’m making some changes]

activating boundaries

I’ve been having a boundary problem.

Creating and holding clear boundaries is how you create space in your life for your dreams.? Creating dream-growing boundaries is a simple case of routing resources (time, energy, creativity, money) to go towards nurturing what you want to grow.

Simple, but hard.

Give Your Dream Wings, my free e-course, is growing like crazy, which is fantastic! But as it grew, and my web traffic in general grew, I also became overwhelmed by email.

No one email is a problem on its own.? People are having a hard time watching a video and want some help.? Or they deleted one of the lessons and need me to re-send it.? Or they want the emails to go to a different address.? Or they want me to know how much their dream is growing and how their life is changing because of it.

Of course I want people to be able to access the course!?? And I don’t want to ignore these emails.? But even quick responses take up time and energy.? And having so many of these emails land in my inbox takes up enough energetic bandwidth that it’s leaving me with less than I need for other things.

I’ve been very overwhelmed by this, actually.

It’s been enough to make me not WANT my business to grow any more because I’ve got my hands full taking care of the people who are already here.

When I am in a state of overwhelm, I’m not making the best decisions.? It was when I started thinking about hiring someone to help me with the emails that it finally dawned on me: providing customer service to people who are not actually customers is simply not sustainable.

See, deep down inside I had this inner “good girl” who wants to do what people expect of her.? And suddenly so many people expected me to respond to their emails that she got triggered and kind of took over.

So, first, of all – I had to take back my energy from the situation.? Being overwhelmed by the volume of email put me in a dis-empowered space.? When I re-claim my power and put my inner “good girl” back on permanent vacation, I can see everything more clearly and be in touch with the heart of what is happening, which is: I want to help.

I want to provide my customers with my best work, plus helpful customer service.? This is important to me.? This is what my business is here to do.

I want to provide my audience with helpful resources, including ways to access the answers to their questions (ways that do not include me emailing them individually).? Plus a warm invitation to come and play with me.

So, I’m switching to a new customer service email system and creating a self-serve help center.

The Give your Dream Wings Help Center has everything categorized so it’s easy to find exactly the help you need. So anyone who runs into a problem with Give Your Dream Wings can get a solution right there.

The Creative Dream Circle, gets a Help Center too. Of course Circle members do get customer service, but the Help Center means they can look up immediate answers to the most common questions, instead of waiting for me to answer their email.

What is REALLY beautiful about this is that the customer service software can grow as the Creative Dream Circle grows, so it stays easy & doable for me to offer quality customer service for my beloved customers.

Ahhhhhhhh.

The day I set this all up I could actually FEEL how I increased my internal capacity for serving more dreamers.

With my email under control, it means I can be more present for my Creative Dream Circle and clients.? And that is the whole point of my business!? To support the people who choose to let me support them in bringing their magic to the world.? It feels amazing to actually feel my capacity to do this work increase.

This is the bumpy road of bringing a dream to life!? It often does take being overwhelmed or frustrated or resentful or angry about how things are going, in order for you to see how you’d like to set things up differently.? As Joseph Campbell said “Where you stumble, that’s where your treasure lies.”

Creating a boundary is easier than holding a boundary.

And the outer work (like in this case, setting up the self-serve help center and the new customer service email software) is a LOT easier than the inner work.

You’ve got to be able to hold your power in order to hold your boundary.? This gets easier over time as you acclimate to owning more and more of your power.

But especially in the beginning it can be really hard.? And other people will generally not respect your boundary just because you told them about it.? Not because they want to be jerks, but if you’ve always done ____ then suddenly you decide to not do ____ anymore but they’re still used to you doing _____ so they’re going to expect you to keep doing it.

They’re in that pattern with you and they may not want to change it.

So you really do have to be willing to hold the boundary all on your own, even if no one respects it.? Otherwise, what’s the point?

If I do all this work to set up new systems, but keep responding individually to every email I get because my inner “good girl” doesn’t want to upset anyone’s expectations… how does that work?? Now, besides still being overwhelmed my email I’m also out the time and money of setting up new systems that I’m not using.

I can’t expect people to just stop emailing me, can I?? It’s 100% up to ME to do something different if I want this to change.

That’s how it is with ALL boundaries.? You can’t expect other people to change just because YOU want something to be different.

For many years, boundaries were super hard for me.? I was working really hard at it, and setting boundaries… but wasn’t owning my power enough to hold them.

It was SO HARD for me to set a boundary, I couldn’t bear the work of actually holding it.? So I’d set it, the other person would bulldoze through it, and I’d collapse the boundary and they’d go on doing what they’d always done.

What I find makes it easier is if you go into the process of setting the boundary fully aware of your responsibility to HOLD the boundary, this way you tend to set up boundaries with maintenance-systems in place.

If you’re a Creative Dream Circle member and you want to learn more about boundaries, check out my video on Sovereignty, in the Advanced Creative Badassery Resource Library – it’s 57 minutes (!) of me talking about this in more detail, and answering people’s questions about how this works in the real world.

Plus, I changed my email address.? I was still using the email from my old abccreatvity.com domain, but as of today I’m using hello [AT] creativedreamincubator.com


Boundaries [I’m making some changes] Read More »

Update 21: Growth Spurt

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)

At this point though, it?s less about the numbers and more about growing my capacity to serve dreamers everywhere in bringing their dreams to life.

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.

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

A lot of my update posts have been about giving my dream space to quietly marinate.? Some weeks I feel kind of ridiculous providing an update when there is really nothing concrete to report on.

But that’s kind of the point.? This is how dreams grow: there are looooong quiet periods in between growth spurts.

But we compare our long quiet periods with other people’s growth spurts – only because the growth spurts are all we see.? And we feel frustrated and defeated when it looks like its easier for everyone else.

That’s part of what I wanted to address in writing these updates – to share the ACTUAL process, including all of the quiet periods.

So this week is a growth spurt week.

And I am really happy about this.

wingsbutton

I updated my website.? I am 100% in love with this.

I launched my new free E-Course: Give Your Dream Wings.? There are over 4,300 participants.

Everything I have been doing since December, in terms of exploring what’s going on in my inner relationship with my goal and looking at how I want to grow my business, has culminated in this.

I feel like I have created the perfect welcome sign.

Welcome to the world of the Creative Dream Incubator.? Let’s do this.

Give Your Dream Wings is amazing.? I feel so happy to have this as the front door to my business – a warm welcome.? Instead of me saying “Hello, I believe in you” now I am saying “Hello, I believe in you… here let me show you, step by step, where to find the magic.”

This shifts the energy, big time.

And that is all the update I have energy for right now!? This week really wiped me out, in a very good way.


Update 21: Growth Spurt Read More »

Update #20: Finding Magic In The Places Where Things Overlap

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)

At this point though, it?s less about the numbers and more about growing my capacity to serve dreamers everywhere in bringing their dreams to life.

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.

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

findingmagic

So yesterday Creative With Money started inside the Creative Dream Circle.

Not to be all Pollyanna-y about it, but I got nowhere near my goal for registrations for this course and I am completely happy with that.? Some really awesome people signed up and it seems ridiculous to be sad that more people did not sign up.

Unconscious money stuff is the main thing that holds people back from living the life they want to be living, so offering this class to help with that is important.

But this course is a healing – not the kind of thing you just jump into, the timing needs to be right.

So when people were not tripping over each other to sign up for it, I was not thinking that something is wrong with my work or with me or that maybe this is the beginning of the end.? I was thinking that the timing isn’t right and it didn’t feel like a big deal.

This is new for me, to not have the worrymonster jump up and try to take over, and I like it very very very very very very much.

TRUST. STABILITY. BLISS.

In last week’s update I mentioned how not meeting my goal this year would not be such a huge problem.? All it would meant is that I would keep working with people one-on-one.

I thought about that a lot this week.

The thing is, I LOVE working with people one-on-one, there is a lot of magic in those deep dives. And yet, those deep dives need a LOT of energy and I want to free up more of my energy for new, unknown projects.

But a part of me is all… but I love working with people in this way.? And I can feel that part of me kind of fighting me on my goal.? Of course – that energy creates a stuck!

Even though sometimes I resist this process, when I give all parts of me the space they need to express what they want, instead of trying to bulldoze through to “meet my goal”, magic happens in the places where everything overlaps.

Last last year, when I re-structured the Circle and lowered the price to $100/year, my idea was that as the Circle grew, I would add small group coaching circles that would be available to Circle members only – so they’d have a private space inside the Circle to connect with each other outside of our calls.? So for those times when people need it, really in-depth Creative Dream Support would be there.

So remembering that idea kind of solves everything, group coaching circles are something I really do want to be doing.

I’m happy about that.

And last week I talked about exploring all the things about business that I do not want to do, and finding the places where the essence of those things overlaps with the essence of what I want to bring to the world.

I made some progress on that and am finding all sorts of things I can do for my business that I feel happy and delighted to do.

Also, I’m working on a Big New Thing which I’ll share next week which I am so excited about I can hardly think straight.

Overall – on the outside my dream seems to be moving verrrrrrrrry slowly.? But on the inside it’s 100% amazeballs.? I am so happy about where I am with this.


Update #20: Finding Magic In The Places Where Things Overlap Read More »

What I learned from my (former) naivete about making money online.

When I first set out to learn about how to take my small creativity and meditation workshops and put them on the internet and let them be my, like, real actual income, I sought out coaches and mentors who were making real money.

That was one of my main criteria for wanting to work with someone: how much money do they make?? Because if they have figured out how to make a lot of money online surely they can help me do the same.

Now all I can do is smile in embarrassment about how naive I was.

The truth is, size doesn’t matter.

What you need to live a happy, inspired and meaningful life is different than what I need.? More is not better.? Just right is best.

I’ve stopped reading all blogs where people talk about how much money they make, and use it as a selling point.

Not only am I not interested,? I am turned off by the energy that’s driving it and the message behind it.

I think they’re missing the boat completely.

The trick to money isn’t about hitting certain numbers.

It’s about being in right relationship with it.? FLOW. LOVE. CREATIVITY.

About how much easier it is to grow a dream when you can give it the material things it needs.? About how much sparklier life is when you’re indulging in the exact kind of soulful self-care that fills your well, and not making compromises in order to save money.

Because when you’re making compromises in order to save money, you’re out of alignment with the richness of your soul.

You can feel it, how you’re pinching yourself off and collapsing your brightest possibilities. And it hurts.

But you live in a world that is profoundly fucked up about money, and you don’t want to go over to the other side where it’s all about the money and not about the love, so it’s hard to even know that another way is possible.

Most of the problems of creative dreaming are actually money problems.

  • Like wanting to earn a certain amount and getting caught in a pattern of needing external validation.
  • Or playing the martyr.
  • Not having time for your dreams because you’re giving all of your energy to a job that does not make your soul sing.
  • Dulling your dreams down because you don’t have the right space for the kind of creative work you really want to be doing.
  • Playing small, thinking this is financially safer.
  • Putting your dreams on hold until that magical day when you’ll suddenly have more money.
  • Not quite trusting yourself to do that thing you really want to do and find a way to make it work financially.
  • Not seeing the infinite possibilities that swirl around you in every moment of your life because you’re afraid of what may happen if you go after them.

What it really comes down to is trusting yourself to create an outer life which is in alignment with your inner magic.

EMPOWERMENT. TRUST. ALIGNMENT.

I’m not going to promise you some ridiculous 3 step program for overcoming all of this, but I do want to invite you to come and explore it with me, and with other committed creative dreamers.? Together we can bring in the superpowers of love and healing and transformation.

My Creative With Money e-course uses creativity, imagination and play to lead you around the very sticky terrain of exploring your inner relationship with money and laying the foundation to create a whole new money story for yourself.

I can promise you that you’ll meet money in a totally different way – this is not like anything else out there.

And I can promise to be there with you on the journey.? I’ll be active in the class forum, answering your questions, helping you get through the stuck places and cheering you on.

I know you can do this.

Creative With Money e-course starts on April 3 (this Thursday) inside the Creative Dream Circle.

When you join the Circle you get an annual membership.? This means you get ALL of the courses I run all year long.

One year from today you could be living in your new money story – the one that’s all about love and flow and creativity and possibility and magic.


What I learned from my (former) naivete about making money online. Read More »

Update 18: Why Being Stuck is Very, Very GOOD

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)

At this point though, it?s less about the numbers and more about growing my capacity to serve dreamers everywhere in bringing their dreams to life.

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.

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

stuck

A part of me is frustrated that this is not happening faster.? She reminds me that my goal was to stop doing one-on-one sessions and have the Circle be my main income and that I should be there by now.

And also: I know more than anyone about bringing a dream to life, so why am I taking so long with this?? This is so stupid.

This part of me wonders if? making this journey so public is messing with my ju-ju and wants me to stop posting these updates.

I send this part of me a lot of love and a teeny tiny little reminder that I know it feels like it, but it isn’t really taking “so long”.

Which she tries to brush off.? I don’t need love, and I sure-as-fuck do not need patience!? What I need is for you to get your shit together and get this done. NOW.

I put her in a sound-proof bubble of love and compassion and gentleness.? Slowly, she starts to mellow out.

The truth is, if all I cared about was reaching my goal – I would be there by now.

I have learned so much about online marketing and sales, I know if I was doing certain things I would have more sales.

That is not how I want to get there.

How I do this is way more important to me than how fast I do it.

I spent two years developing the Circle while it was relatively hidden.? What if it takes me two more years to get it to optimum capacity?

Right now, the Circle feels absolutely blissful to me.

When I look at what it offers people, what happens for them when they join, what happens as they work with the tools over time… bliss.? I am so proud of what I have built and the impact it is having on the people who choose to join.

  • The relief they feel that now they have a place where they can go any time they feel scared, stressed, angry, stuck, unsure… and transform that feeling, and leave feeling connected and bright and happy and knowing what to do next next.
  • The amazement they feel at discovering aspects to their creative genius they didn’t know where there.
  • The miracles and adventures they find as they use these tools to excavate and transform their inner worlds.

What happens inside the Circle is delicate and vulnerable – that’s the nature of TRUE healing and transformation.

So even though outside of the Circle – my blog and social media streams – is not the same kind of container for transformation, it needs to be somewhat in alignment with the deep magic of inside the Circle.

I mean, that only makes sense, right?? I can’t use standard internet sales & marketing approaches to push more people into the Circle then suddenly demand that they get vulnerable enough to do the work.

Trust, safety and sovereignty have to be a part of this EVERYWHERE.

But just because I don’t want to go the traditional sales & marketing route does not mean I don’t do ANYTHING about sales & marketing.

For every strategy and tactic that I am saying no to – I need to find something to say yes to.

What I’m doing is exploring the essence and looking at where the essence of the marketing tactic meets the essence of my work and then exploring what I can do with that.

Much, much longer process than simply following proven tactics.

Also: richer.

Frustrated little me in the sound-proof bubble has found a deck of index cards and a marker and she’s sending me a message:

Yes, I like this.? I see that this is what you have been doing but you’ve been doing it a bit haphazardly.? Let’s make a list of tactics and strategies that are effective, put it in Evernote, and make a plan in your calendar to work with one every week.

“Working with” meaning: doing that journal thing you do where you draw out the essence of the thing, put it beside the essence of the Circle and then find the places where they overlap.? Then brainstorm ways to work with the essence in ways that are in alignment with the Circle.? This probably won’t take more than an hour.? And then of course you have to implement what you learn.

See what happened there?

I started by giving some space to the frustration I was feeling.

Rather than try to pretend it’s not there or bury it in positive thinking, I listened to what it has to say, and what it wants me to do.

Then I made space for my centered myself, to listen to what I have to say when I’m not listening to my frustration.

Then I showed my frustrated self what I want.

Then my frustrated self and I were able to work together to create a plan that makes us both happy.

This is the essence of healing and transformation. It doesn’t obliterate the parts of you who are afraid, it embraces your inherent wholeness and wisdom.

This is what I teach, in step-by-step detail, in the Un-Sticking Station in the Creative Dream Circle which is basically, a recipe for a miracle.

Nothing, EVER, has to stay stuck.

Having an Un-Sticking Station is soooo important because getting stuck is part of creative dreaming.

The whole concept of stuck = bad is a muggle concept.

But when you’re a creative dreamer you’re working with the unknown so of course you’re going to get stuck.? That’s just a natural part of it.

Learning how to recognize a stuck, and then un-stick it quickly and effectively is a necessary skill for creative dreamers.

And more importantly – it’s in the stucks where you find the gifts – the gifts you use to build your unique & gorgeous path.? That’s where the magic is!


Update 18: Why Being Stuck is Very, Very GOOD Read More »

Spotlight!

One of my favourite parts of my job is supporting amazing people in bringing amazing (often IMPOSSIBLE) dreams to life.

My clients and Circle members are brilliant bright stars who are making a big difference in the world.

I want to share more of their stories here because they are so super inspiring, and today I am super excited to share Corie Weaver‘s story about her “impossible dream”.

?Tell us about yourself!

corieI didn?t grow up planning to be a writer. I was never one of those kids scribbling stories in a notebook, or submitting to the school paper. But I?ve always been a voracious reader.

A few years ago, I realized I had some of my own stories to tell. I?ve been lucky enough to have participated in some fabulous crit groups, and to have attended the Taos Toolbox Workshop.

I love reading. I love stories of adventure, stories that grab me and won?t let me go. Stories that will stay with me for years. Old and new, paper books, digital and comics ? anything with a good story is fair game. And I love writing, telling stories, creating worlds and people and histories? and then doing terrible things to them!

My background is in medieval history (Spanish manuscripts of the apocalypse, if you were wondering), but as I?m fond of being able to pay the bills, I work at our local university, as well some freelance work as a web designer. I live in Las Vegas, New Mexico (the smaller, older, and much quieter one) with my husband and our two cats and two dogs. We travel as much as possible, and are active with our local animal rescue group.

Tell us about your dream!

To write stories full time, reach young people and their parents, and to create a platform for more stories than I can personally write to reach more young people!

Dreaming Robot Press focuses on publishing science fiction and fantasy novels for a Young Adult and Middle Grade audience.

  • We believe stories shape our reality.
  • We believe this is especially important for stories that we are exposed to growing up.
  • We believe novels can be excellent in both their stories and in the effects they have.

In order to ensure that all children can find models to identify with, we?re committed to publishing stories about a diverse range of characters and situations.

Today there are more options than ever for a writer to explore. If you have a great young adult or middle grade science fiction or fantasy manuscript and you?re considering going indie vs a small press, we?d love to talk with you.

Right now we?re very interested in receiving young adult/middle grade novels featuring strong female heroines, without a romantic subplot.

How has the Circle helped you with your dream? What are you doing now that you are in the Circle that you weren’t doing before you joined?

I never really believed I could make a living from my writing.

As I’ve been working deeper and deeper into the heart of my dream, I’ve realized that I’ve been telling stories to myself as a younger girl. And then with the help of LOTS of dreaming and journaling, and talks with friends, I uncovered something deeper that had bothered me.

unnamed1In the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy, there aren’t a lot of young adult and middle grade books for girls that don’t have a romantic sub-plot. Its as if we’re telling girls that sure, they can go off on adventures, they can have a ‘hero’s journey’ – but its not complete until they find true love, or something like it. Even great books, with totally kick-ass heroines seemed to always have some level of romantic tension.

And I thought… I can do something about that.

Years ago I worked at a small press, and now in the world of digital publishing, a lot of the gates are opening for writers to bring their work out. I’ve started a small, electronic first, publishing house to focus on girl-positive young adult and middle grade science fiction and fantasy. Self-publishing is great, but there’s a number of hurdles that are easier tackled in a group 🙂

unnamed2unnamed

What’s your favourite part of the Circle?

The playdates!! I seldom have a chance to listen in realtime, but I love going back and making that special time for myself and my dream to get closer and reconnect.

I feel like I’m glowing for days after.

I’ve been known to run through the recordings again when I need a pick-me-up mid-month, and I’ll get a whole different set of insights.

I hope you go visit Corie nd check out her?Dreaming Robot Press – she is a gorgeous soul and great person to know!


Spotlight! Read More »

Spotlight!

One of my favourite parts of my job is supporting amazing people in bringing amazing (often IMPOSSIBLE) dreams to life.

My clients and Circle members are brilliant bright stars who are making a big difference in the world.

I want to share more of their stories here because they are so super inspiring, so I’m starting today with Angel Sullivan, who generously shares her story and some LUSCIOUS pages from her creative journals.

?Tell us about yourself!

angel_LD

hey gorgeous, i’m angel… and i’m a beauty, meaning, and depth junkie {all-together now “hi, angel”}.

i’m always looking for the light in the depths & for the deeper connection. i talk a lot about connection to self, Self, Mama & others… and have little to no patience for small talk & surface interactions.

i’ve been creating simple & soulful websites for solopreneurs for the last three years & before that worked for various companies in IT Support/Training roles.

now, i’m gearing up to shift my focus to bringing more soul to solopreneur. in other words, i want solopreneurs (everyone, really) to step back from all the marketing messages & ‘expert advice’ we’re being spoon fed… and instead to remember how to tap into our own inner gurus for the answers we seek & for the decisions that need made (this is what i love about Andrea’s work. she consistently points us back to ourselves, and that’s where the real answers are).

the primary way i’m going to do this right now is by creating a way for us to do luminous communion together (you & me = serious magick!). we’ll spend the day (plus some follow up time) bringing *you* back into your business so that it’s drenched in heart + soul *and* supports you financially. if you’re interested in hearing more, you can get the details here.

i believe that doing this will create a shift in the consciousness of our species that leads to a more just, peaceful, and equitable world for all of us (humans, plants, and animals alike… not to mention all of our living waterways etc… as well).

Tell us about your dream!

before this year, my dream has been to figure out my dream!

now, my dream (since i’ve gotten more clarity) is to help solopreneurs remember how to access the magickal & luminescent parts of themselves & bring that into their businesses so that their depth (their big truth) can spread out from their businesses into the larger world (and feed their souls and their bank accounts at the same time!).

How has the Circle helped you with your dream? What are you doing now that you are in the Circle that you weren’t doing before you joined?

my dream is pretty freaking big.

so it needs some pretty solid structures & foundations to support it.

two of the ways i build those structures are to create maps & collages. i never really did anything like either of these (at least in the ways that i do now!) before joining Andrea’s Circle.

i never would’ve thought that activities that seemed so simple would lead to the insights and clarity that they do. but it never fails. they always do.

what i find most helpful about The Circle is that the group calls (the Playdates & the HOLYdays) always have this amazingly luscious energy about them. this energy that i just cannot seem to conjure on my own. and when i listen in on the calls, i become part of that energy. i feed into it, it feeds me, and we have this gorgeous regenerative & interactive cycle that transports me to a place within me, where the magick just freely flows.

What’s your favourite part of the Circle?

that’s not an easy question given all the luscious resources & connections available!

i think when it comes right down to it, though, my very favorite part of the circle is knowing that i can participate as much or as little as i am able / would like to… and that regardless of my participation level, i always feel included and welcomed.. and i always benefit.

so if i’m able to be on a call live, rock on. if i’m not, i can look forward to the recording & playsheets. either way, i feel like i’m part of the circle, and never feel slighted for not participating in the way someone else would like me to.

(this is such a big deal to me because so many other group facilitators {in my experience} tend to be so concerned that folks participate in the way that *they* want to happen, that i end up feeling guilty or otherwise less-than if i don’t connect in the way that i’m expected to. blegh.)

Let’s peek inside Angel’s journals!!

I am so grateful that Angel was open to sharing some photos of her creative journals.? We go pretty darn DEEP and PERSONAL with our work in the Circle, and most members (understandably!) prefer not to share such delicate work in a public space.

So it’s always a special treat when we get to take a peek….

 

CJ-1 CJ-2 CJ-3 CJ-4 CJ-5 CJ-6 CJ-7

 

I hope you go visit Angel and check out her new luminous communion – she is a gorgeous soul and great person to know!


Spotlight! Read More »

Update #16: Energy Attunements

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)

At this point though, it?s less about the numbers and more about growing my capacity to serve dreamers everywhere in bringing their dreams to life.

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.

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

I’m writing this on Thursday afternoon and I am all floaty because yesterday I spent the day at the mineral spa with a friend – celebrating our 40th birthdays.? Hers was 6 weeks ago, mine is 6 weeks from now.? In my bubble of post-spa bliss I have to say that things are going very, very well.? Here I am:

Besides the spa, I am super happy because I’ve been doing intense creative soul alchemy work, every day, three times a day.

This is working with my energy body and the energy of the essence of what I want to create – and aligning the two.

I’m running the energy of the essence of my dream through my own energy body which is ridiculously happy-making and it attunes me to my dream.? I’ve been doing this all along, but now I’m doing it more often and I’m noticing it’s making a big difference.

It changes how I see things.

It opens up new channels of inspiration.

It helps me grow into the me who lives my bigger dream. And it makes me very happy.

This is fueling my work right now.

I’ve got a very full schedule these days and could not be happier about that.? Working with one-on-one clients to get their dreams sparkling and shining, creating my new courses for 2014 and exploring the ways that my business needs to change to accommodate more dreamers in the Creative Dream Circle.

I’ve got some ideas for that that last part that are inspiring me like crazy.

Like about how to describe my work in a different context that will speak to people more clearly and I’m thinking about creating a new free e-course that will change the way people think about their dreams.

Very, very inspired.

But my brain is still a little mushy from a full day of mineral spa-ing and my arms are a little sore from a 90 minute massage that helped counter the effects of too much typing and so… this week’s update is short & sweet.


Update #16: Energy Attunements Read More »