Update #17. Timing: Perfect Timing & Time for Magic & NO MORE WAITING.

By Andrea Schroeder / March 21, 2014

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.

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I feel like I am settling into this routine now, of taking some time on Thursday afternoons to connect with my dream and look at what's happened with it over the past week and what it needs next and sort out what I want to share about it here.

I like this.

This week my main struggle has been in being frustrated about SLOWNESS.

And then remembering to trust in perfect timing. (Perfect Timing being Diving Timing being not under your control)

It's pretty much impossible to trust in perfect timing when you're not doing your part, though.

So being frustrated that it's taking too long is often a sign that there's something you are not doing, that you could be doing. Hello, resistance.

I happily received that message this week. Along with some really gorgeous inspiration about what to do about it.

This is coming together with the work I've been doing around marketing.

I want my marketing to change the way you think about your dreams.

See, when you make your dream your spiritual practice – you step into deep, deep magic. You step beyond fear, excuses and resistance. You step into the land of possibility RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT.

No more waiting for something to change first before you can go after your dream.

No more figuring out HOW to make your dream real.

No more not being sure about what your dream even is.

Just magic, right now. ALL the magic... This is what people experience when they start working with the tools inside the Creative Dream Circle.

What I am doing now is creating a free program so people can get the basic tools to do this as an introduction to my work.

I teach cutting-edge CREATIVE energy processes, that go way beyond the law of attraction or positive thinking. It's not like other things you've tried. That makes it really hard for me to describe it. Plus, I can help you do things that you think are impossible, but your brain is telling you that that's impossible.

This is where I've been stuck in trying to describe my work.

So, I'm creating a new free class so that instead of explaining how out of this world amazing my classes are, I'm just going to show you what I can do – more importantly, show you what YOU can do with these tools.

When I first took my in-person creativity workshops online, I grew my audience with just that – a free e-course about using creativity as fuel for creating positive change in your life.

Since then, my work has evolved. A lot.

So much so that I deleted that free course and started offering my Creative Dream Start Kit but the Starter Kit no longer feels in alignment with the fullness of the magic I can offer you.

So this feels like my next step.

I'm creating the course right now, and working on a promotional plan for it.

I'm thinking back to when I did my first free e-course and had pretty good success advertising it. I quickly grew my email list to about 2,400 people and had enough sign-ups for my paid courses that I felt confident leaving my job.

Right now my email list is at 4,000. So I'm thinking because I'm starting from a larger base, I can double it, especially considering that this free course is AMAZING and there is nothing else like it out there.

I am imagining that word of mouth is going to work for me and I am willing to work hard promoting it.

And the most important part is that having this free course feels like the exact introduction I want to give people to my business. This makes me very happy, to think about being able to give this to people.

With 8,000 people taking this course – will 700 of them want to come into the Circle this year to get me to my goal?

That's the question I'm playing with now.

One thing that is REALLY cool about this question is that the thought of 8,000 people on my email list doesn't freak me out like it did just a short time ago. Progress!

If you like exploring business from a creative/spiritual perspective:

I do have a whole Creative Business Incubator inside the Creative Dream Circle with EVERYTHING I have learned about building a business with heart and soul.

And I recommend Hiro Boga's Become Your Own Business Adviser, though a much larger investment, Hiro has 30 years experience and a stunning depth of knowledge. It's starting on March 28 and I'll be taking it again this round.

Update #17. Timing: Perfect Timing & Time for Magic & NO MORE WAITING. Read More »

Spotlight!

By Andrea Schroeder / March 20, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, journaling, Manifest Your Dream Life

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!

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….

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

By Andrea Schroeder / March 14, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, intention

(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.

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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 »

Too many soulful creative beings are STUCK when it comes to money. It’s time to change this.

By Andrea Schroeder / March 13, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life, money

Money is an energy.

You are either using money to nurture your dreams or you are using money in ways that sabotage your dreams.?

There is no grey area.

It’s not about how much you have.? It’s about how you’re using what you’ve got.

I repeated that because the idea that If I had MORE money it would be easier to have what I want is keeping you from using what you’ve got to grow your dream NOW.

I’ve never heard of anyone saying “If I had MORE money it would be easier to have what I want” and then going out and GETTING more money and *pouf* dream life achieved, happily ever after.

I’ve heard TONS of people say “If I had MORE money it would be easier to have what I want” and then be annoyed and frustrated and stuck about it.? Myself included.

Money is a tool.? How you use that tool is everything.

Do you spend money every month on things that support you in living your best light and light you up with joy?

Or does that seem frivolous?

Do you feel like you have CHOICE when it comes to what you spend your money on, or is it all gone as soon as you get it?

That’s an ENERGY MANAGEMENT problem.? You do NOT have to wait until you have more money coming in to solve it.

In fact making more money won’t solve this one at all – the more money you’ve got coming in the faster it will be gone.

How does money FUNCTION in your world?

Money can either support DREAMS and GROWTH or it can support STUCKNESS.

We all have fear around money.

We live in a culture that is completely fucked up about money.? You don’t grow up in this world and magically end up with a healthy relationship with money.

It’s something you have to work on.

It’s something you have to consciously choose to create for yourself.

You absolutely have the ability to have a healthy and happy relationship with money – it’s in your nature.

You can start by getting out your journal and answering the three questions I asked in this post.? Next week I’ll share a whole bunch of creative journal prompts for exploring your relationship with money.

In the Creative With Money e-Course we use creativity, imagination and PLAY to make working on your relationship with money accessible and interesting and even (gasp!) FUN.

Too many soulful creative beings are STUCK when it comes to money. It’s time to change this. Read More »

Creative Dream TV: When you resist structure, you sabotage your dreams.

By Andrea Schroeder / March 11, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

Today I’m talking about structures, plans and systems that nurture and grow your dreams.

Creatives tend to resist this stuff – but without it your dream WILL wither and die.? So let’s build structures!

Creative Dream TV: When you resist structure, you sabotage your dreams. Read More »

Creative Dream TV: On Impossible Dreams

By Andrea Schroeder / March 4, 2014 / Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

I’m still exploring what I want the new Creative Dream TV series to be like – I’m feeling like I’d like it to be a weekly conversation, as though you just dropped into the Dream Loft for tea and we’re chatting about living with our dreams.

You can catch the old episodes I was talking about right here.

And if you missed it yesterday – check out the 2014 Course Calendar. It?s a bright & happy smorgasbord of inspiration, magic & transformation.? Wheeee! We’re going to have the best year ever!

Creative Dream TV: On Impossible Dreams Read More »

Update #14: I’m Still Kinda Worried About This

By Andrea Schroeder / February 28, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life

(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.

Last week I talked about how I am re-building my marketing plan.? As I’ve been exploring the world of my business I’ve been creating this wall of business planning stuff…

Being able to see it all in front of me helps me be clear about what I want to do next.

Last week I shared that I unlocked a whole new level of believing in myself, which was awesome.

This week started a little rocky, I needed extra space & gentleness to get comfortable in this new space.? This is normal any time you shift or heal anything inside of you – you need time to adjust to living as this new version of you.? Sometimes the adjustment is hard because you’re letting go of old ways of being.

Even if your old ways of being were not really serving you, they were familiar.? And humans sure like the familiar!

So letting them go is more complicated than just brushing them off – it takes some work to fully adjust.

So I’ve been adjusting.

Which, this week at least, has meant spending a lot of time becoming irritated with myself!

Like – new me, me who believes in herself more than ever, has these new ways of being that are important to her that I don’t actually know about yet.? I just find out when she gets irritated that I am not doing them.

If this sounds hard to understand – imagine how hard it is so BE in it!

Like, she really doesn’t want to relax in the evening by watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and eating popcorn.? So when I kept doing that she would freak out but I didn’t know what was happening, I was just feeling really annoyed with myself and wishing I was doing something else but not knowing what that something else is.

This is the process of growing into your Dream Self – the You Who Lives Your Dream.

(We learn all about how to do this with grace & ease in Module 6 of the Creative Dream Incubator e-course)

Once I understood what was happening it was so much easier to deal with.? I really like living as the me who believes in herself more.? I like that she would rather sew adorable clothes than watch Buffy.? And it’s really fun to learn more about who and how she wants to be in the world.

A dream come true (on the outside) happens after a million tiny changes (on the inside).

I’m struggling with putting my 2014 class calendar together.

I know what I want to do, it’s just when I try to nail down the dates I get all procrastination-y and weird about it.

So I took my journal out for a latte.? (That’s what I do when I am resisting something.? If I stay home it’s too easy to jump up and do something else.? If I go to a coffee shop with a specific intention, 9 times out of 10 I actually do the thing.)

I started writing about what I wanted to do, listing the classes, then listing the months of the year and it seemed fairly simple to just match them all up…

Except it wasn’t simple, at all.

I had all these inner critics and fears pop up about choosing the wrong classes.

So, using the Un-Sticking Station inside the Creative Dream Circle, I met with EVERY inner critic and fear I had about this.? And I brought in healing for EVERY inner critic and fear I had about this.

When you HEAL an inner critic or fear there is a huge gift.? The essence of these parts of you are powerful and helpful – they’re just all tangled up in some bullshit story.? When you un-tangle the story and heal the pain around it – you can access the essence.

This time in healing my inner critics and fears I was able to access the essences of Steadiness and Presence.

The inner critics and fears that are the most vocal always hold the qualities that you need most.

Steadiness and Presence feel like the most amazing Superpowers that ever superpowered.

And now I trust myself to create the schedule now, I’m not all tangly and frustrated about it.

I’m also looking at how bringing more stability and presence into my daily routines, weekly schedule and business plans can help.

See, I’ve still got fears about growing the Circle.

I worry it will get too big too fast and I won’t know how to handle it.

I worry I’ll get overwhelmed.

But then – I look at what happens in the Circle.

?I?ve actually accomplished more and received more clarity in the 4 weeks I?ve been in the Creative Dream Circle than I have in the past 4 years going it alone.?

Carrie Anspach, www.dirtygirlpottery.wordpress.com

“I?m one of those people who used to think that I didn?t have enough time or money to participate in the Creative Dream Circle.

I realize now that thinking I didn?t have enough time or money was just an excuse. It was kind of tied into not believing in my own self worth, like I shouldn?t spend the money or take time away from my kids to do this because it was silly and it wasn?t going to cause a change in my life so what?s the point.

That was just my inner critic talking, I realize now, and boy was my inner critic wrong!

These resources and the daily practice of connecting with my creativity has changed my life! It has impacted my relationships and my outlook?in such a positive profound way in such a short period of time that there is no way I would ever stop playing in the Creative Dream Circle.”

Melody Flurry

LIVES ARE CHANGING, powered by creativity and spirit and joy and play.

When I remember that, when I look at how AMAZING all the members are, how supportive and kind and creative and smart they are – well why wouldn’t I want MORE of them to play with?

Every morning I wake up and find tiny miracles happening in the Circle.

I love what we are doing there.

Update #14: I’m Still Kinda Worried About This Read More »

Creative Dream TV: How To STOP Spinning Your Wheels

By Andrea Schroeder / February 25, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

Spinning your wheels is so frustrating!? You’re working so hard but getting nowhere.

When you’re in it, it seems so complicated, but really it’s quite simple: you need traction.

In the video I said I would link to some resources for helping with this.

I’ve got this free class where you can learn more about this “inner approach” I talked about. ?And you can check out this video about How to handle limiting beliefs, fears, doubts & shame.

And, of course, the tools inside the Creative Dream Circle will get your wheels un-spun in no time.

Creative Dream TV: How To STOP Spinning Your Wheels Read More »

Feeling overwhelmed and awkward about some parts of this…

By Andrea Schroeder / February 14, 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.

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I do want to keep posting updates every week, even when I don’t have any real news – mostly to show how small steps add up to miracles over time.

It can’t always be exciting.

It’s really about sticking with it day after day.? Sitting down to do the work, day after day.? Doing what you need to do to stay inspired, day after day.

Other people will be inspired and interested when something exciting is happening.

You need to stay inspired and interested even when nothing is happening.

This week I did lots of really great journaling.? Lots of exploring how I want everything in my work life to be.

My focus has been a lot less about how to get to 800 members and more about how can I best use my gifts in service to dreamers.

The answer to that question has always been shifting as I am always growing.

I know the Circle is key because dreams need on-going support, that’s why I want to focus on the Circle instead of focusing on private sessions or e-courses.

I went back to offering private sessions recently because it’s something I LOVE to do and I was inspired to do so, but only on a limited basis – I don’t want that to take up the bulk of my time or energy.

I know DREAMERS are who I am here to serve because I am so passionate in my belief that our dreams come true will save the world.

I am feeling very connected to my passion and purpose and so focusing on business goals doesn’t feel like a huge priority right now.

Not that I am letting this goal go (I’m not!), this is just how I’m feeling about it right now.

I am focused on creating special new treats for Circle members.

There are two ways to grow a business: outward or inward.

Outward as in reaching out and growing your audience.

Inward as in reaching in and serving your people more fully.

You can do both or one or the other.

For a long while my focus was inward as I was building the Circle.? Once the Circle was ready for more members, I thought my focus should shift to outward.

Now I’m thinking no.

I do my best stuff when I’m inward focused.? I feel overwhelmed and awkward about the outward stuff.

Feeling overwhelmed and awkward can be signs of being out of your comfort zone which is part of what you have to do in the process of change.

Feeling overwhelmed and awkward can be signs that what you’re doing just isn’t right for you.

You have to dig deeper into your feelings to know: is what you’re doing aligned with your truth and it’s just awkward to stretch into the next level, or is what you’re doing not quite aligned with your truth?

That’s where I’m at.

I think being outward focused is #2 for me right now – not quite aligned with my truth.? But I could just be trying to bullshit myself because I don’t like being uncomfortable.

As I shared last week, it was liberating to see that being outwards focused for January didn’t result in more sales for January (over last January).? But does that mean being outward focused doesn’t work for me or does that mean I need to give it more time?

These are the kinds of circular thought processes that are a part of building your own path, instead of following someone else’s.

This week I gave away my first guided journal and mandala colouring book: You Are Loved.

This book is a mini version of a series of books I wanted to create.? I put this out there as a test to see if I really do like making these and if anyone is going to care about them.

Delightfully, I LOVED making it and yes people do like it.

So I am working on the first full-sized version which I will be releasing next week.? Ideally, I’d like to make one every month.? They’d be free for Creative Dream Circle members and available for sale on my website.

Plus I just scheduled a streaming video journal party (for Circle members only) to celebrate the first one.? This next book will be out next week and the streaming video playdate will be the following week.

I have a LOT of inspiration and joy and energy for this.

This is being very inward focused which is in my comfort zone.

I’ll keep exploring whether or not this is the right path for me, or if I am just trying to avoid the discomfort of stretching into something new.? My hunch is that I do need to be doing BOTH.

Feeling overwhelmed and awkward about some parts of this… Read More »

It’s official: The Dream Loft Is MINE. [epic photo post]

By Andrea Schroeder / February 13, 2014 / Manifest Your Dream Life

This is a 2.5 year long story.

Two and a half years ago, I got this intuitive hit to take a different route home from the park one day. I drove past a construction site and my inner Creative Dream Fairy went NUTS. Google it! Call them! You need to find out more about what they are building here! This is for YOU!

I was in my first year of being 100% self-employed. I kind of had my hands full without the thought of MOVING. But I goggled it.

Whoa.? They were building two and three storey townhouse loft condos, built in small buildings forming a rectangle around a park.? No two suites the same floorplan, but all had huge, HUGE windows, cool (cool looking but the floors are actually heated) polished concrete floors, bright open spaces.? Laundry in the bathroom in up in the loft.? Paths meandering through the park, with small wooden bridges that lead to each person’s door.

It looked pretty great!

My intuition was very clear: I would be able to do my best work in this kind of space. It would help me grow into who I need to be to do what I want to do.

Still, there was a gap between me-from-before-the-dream-loft and me-who-lives-in-the-dream-loft.

This gap was much larger than I thought when I started.

I set out on what I thought would be a fairly simple journey.

I followed my intuition which said: sell the house as quickly as you can, go stay with your parents for a month.? Set up your tent in their super cool back yard – it will be awesome!

And it was awesome.

It was also a really good teaching opportunity.? When you do things that go “against the grain” people react in strange ways.

People, like grown-ups who I thought had some level of maturity, actually made fun of me.? Like there is something wrong with wanting to live how you want to live.

This tent was all full of down pillows and quilts and journals and art supplies.? It was heaven.

But just because I was doing things differently – I was teased.

This grew my motivation to be a beacon for dreamers and create safe spaces for them to do what their hearts are calling them to do, rather than follow societal norms like a robot.

Construction on the loft was delayed, the weather turned cold, and I moved into my parent’s basement.

This condo development is super unique and in some ways it made sense that there would be delays.? However, the developer handled everything very poorly, which made everything harder. (Plus if it made sense that there would be delays shouldn’t that have been factored into the possession date? But I digress.)

This whole time though, I knew I was not really caught up in a new construction nightmare, I was in the inner process of growing into me-who-lives-in-the-loft.

Not that this was easy.? Growing into a new way of being is not easy – this is why most people don’t even attempt to go after their dreams.

If I had just packed up my things and moved into the loft there wouldn’t have been a transformation.

But that was only stage one of my transformation.? I have been living in the Dream Loft for a long time but signing the papers kept being delayed.

I had no papers or anything saying that I had any right to live here.? I haven’t known if one day I would just suddenly have to leave.? Or if I would buy the condo but the rest of the development wouldn’t be finished and I would have a really hard time selling it later.

In a lot of ways, this looks like the absolute worst financial decision I’ve ever made.

But I have to trust internal over external.

I have to trust my inner knowing about what is best for me.? All the magic is in TRUSTING the process, NO magic is in JUDGING the process.

At the end of January, 26 months after the original possession date, I took official and legal possession of the Dream Loft.

I just took a quick flip through my instagram to share a few pics:

The Dream Loft changes all the time.

It’s about 1,000 square feet, with the main floor being larger than the second floor, and space on the main floor that is two storeys tall.? The second floor loft looks out over onto the main floor.? I got an extra-tiny kitchen so I’d have more open space (I don’t like cooking anyway).

I got rid of over HALF OF MY THINGS to move in here.

Not because it’s super small, but because I wanted it to feel open and spacious.? And I wanted my life to be SIMPLE.? It’s amazing how having a lot of things makes things less simple… I do think I want to write a whole blog post about this.

The things I have now are only the most useful and happy-making things.? And this makes it easy to move things around every time I am inspired to, which I love doing.? So I am always re-arranging.

I’ve got lots of soft nooks to curl up in for journaling.? Huge tables for art-making and sewing.? Comfy couch and chairs which is where I do most of my laptopping.

In hindsight, everything was perfect.

Everything played out how it needed to play out to support me in growing into who I wanted to be next.

And here I am.

After this 2.5 year journey, I now trust myself to take care of myself in ways that I couldn’t have even known about when this all started.

And I live in my Dream Loft, and living and working here makes me feel like I can do anything.? That is worth every second of the journey it took to get here.

No matter what kinds of delays you may be facing on route to your dream: stick with it.

It’s official: The Dream Loft Is MINE. [epic photo post] Read More »

How disappointment is LIBERATING

By Andrea Schroeder / February 7, 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.

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When you have a dream, you almost always have things you know you could do about it, that you are not doing. Like – I want to write a book but I am not sitting down to write.

The things you know to do are not necessarily the things that are going to get you what you want. But doing them gets you moving.

When you stay in your stories of what you think it will be like, instead of diving into the process, you create an energy of resistance around you.

I had an energy of resistance around me about doing everything I could to promote my courses.? So last month I decided to do ALL THE THINGS I knew to do, to promote it.

Exhausting, yes. But it created movement and detangled the resistance energy around me. Totally worth it.

I discovered that doing ALL THE THINGS didn’t actually work!

While I was happy with the number of people who signed up for the Creative Dream Incubator last month, it was only a small increase over how many people signed up last January. And given that I dropped the price this year, it meant I didn’t make more money this January than I did last January.

That was disappointing. I still made more money than I need, doing the things I love most, so it’s not a total bust or anything.

And just a little time journaling about it showed that it was, in fact, liberating.

What if WORKING MY ASS OFF had doubled my income?

Wouldn’t I then be tempted to keep WORKING MY ASS OFF as my permanent plan, instead of temporary measures to get myself out of resistance and into movement?

Even though I was journaling in a coffee shop, I actually laughed out loud about this. Of course I didn’t want it to work!

But now I see all these new possibilities for how this can work, now that I am MOVING with this.

It’s like that process of doing everything I thought I “should” be doing was little a clarifying fire. It burned off all this bullshit and has left me so much more connected to my truth. The inner critic who says “You have to follow the rules” is probably not totally gone, but got a LOT smaller this week.

Such a beautiful thing and totally worth the discomfort of staying out of my comfort zone last month.

The most amazing thing this week is that there are miracles happening EVERYWHERE in the Circle.

People are opening up to their dreams and miracles are happening. I never get tired of seeing this happen.

The energy of the Circle is amazing and it is drawing new people in.

I’m also hearing a recurring theme from new members, that they have wanted to join for a long time, but they were scared because they knew that joining would mean dropping all of their excuses for why they can’t have what they want. And dropping your excuses is terrifying!

(Well, actually, I think getting to the end of your life and looking back to see you followed other people’s rules and didn’t get any of YOUR dreams is much more terrifying)

The Circle is a SAFE space for doing this work and for facing the hard stuff in the lightest possible way.? People are so relieved to find there is so much love and support for doing this work with LIGHTNESS.

Now I’m wondering – how do I create more of that safety out here? A public blog is not a clear, solid container like a private program is. But there have to be ways to invite more of those qualities in, there has to be a way to create a safer path.

This weekend I’ll be journaling about that, and exploring some exciting ideas that are springing up in the places where the “you have to follow the rules” inner critic used to hang out.

How disappointment is LIBERATING 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 »

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.

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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 »

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 »

Manifest your dream life

It's pretty much impossible to trust in perfect timing when you're not doing your part, though.

I want my marketing to change the way you think about your dreams.

So this feels like my next step.

If you like exploring business from a creative/spiritual perspective:

?Tell us about yourself!

Tell us about your dream!

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?

What’s your favourite part of the Circle?

Let’s peek inside Angel’s journals!!

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 fueling my work right now.

It’s not about how much you have.? It’s about how you’re using what you’ve got.

Money is a tool.? How you use that tool is everything.

We all have fear around money.

Last week I shared that I unlocked a whole new level of believing in myself, which was awesome.

This is the process of growing into your Dream Self – the You Who Lives Your Dream.

I’m struggling with putting my 2014 class calendar together.

The inner critics and fears that are the most vocal always hold the qualities that you need most.

See, I’ve still got fears about growing the Circle.

LIVES ARE CHANGING, powered by creativity and spirit and joy and play.

It can’t always be exciting.

My focus has been a lot less about how to get to 800 members and more about how can I best use my gifts in service to dreamers.

I am feeling very connected to my passion and purpose and so focusing on business goals doesn’t feel like a huge priority right now.

I do my best stuff when I’m inward focused.? I feel overwhelmed and awkward about the outward stuff.

These are the kinds of circular thought processes that are a part of building your own path, instead of following someone else’s.

Still, there was a gap between me-from-before-the-dream-loft and me-who-lives-in-the-dream-loft.

This grew my motivation to be a beacon for dreamers and create safe spaces for them to do what their hearts are calling them to do, rather than follow societal norms like a robot.

If I had just packed up my things and moved into the loft there wouldn’t have been a transformation.

The Dream Loft changes all the time.

In hindsight, everything was perfect.

I discovered that doing ALL THE THINGS didn’t actually work!

And just a little time journaling about it showed that it was, in fact, liberating.

The most amazing thing this week is that there are miracles happening EVERYWHERE in the Circle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which terrified me!

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

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

But that’s not what is making me happy.

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

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

So that’s where I’m at this week.

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.

It’s not ALL good though.

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

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

That one little question leads to amazing things.