healing

Creative Dream TV: Creating A Self-Care Kit For When You’re In Crisis

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How to make a self care kit

You need a self care kit because times when you really NEED self-care tools are exactly the times when it's the hardest to find them!

I'm doing something new - recording videos straight to YouTube instead of editing. With anything new, there's a bit of a learning curve, I lost the first 20 seconds and it's a little weird/wavy - not like my usual videos.

The best time to make a self-care kit for yourself is when you're NOT in crisis.

Because when things are rough it's harder to know how to take care of yourself.

But... I am editing this post in 2020 during a global crisis... if things are already rough for you - just do your best. Every bit of self care you do helps you get to a bit of a better place where you can do a bit of a better job of taking care of yourself... and so on and so on.

You can do this.

Your self care kit should be with you and accessible at all times.

I keep mine in my bag with my wallet. Those days when I don't take my bag with me, when I grab my wallet I also grab my self care kit.

It's in a handwoven zipper case, the same size as a pencil case. It's easy to have on me.

As I've gotten older, my self care kit has gotten more boring, lol!

This is for two reasons:

  • my body needs more attention to feel good
  • I know myself better so I can do better than aromatherapy, affirmation cards and little chocolate treats, which is what my self care kit used to be full of when I was in my 30s.

An ongoing commitment to self care over time WILL teach you what YOU need in your self care kit.

A question to ask while you're building your self care kit: What would be helpful, now?

Asking it at different times of day, in different places, in different situations, gives you different answers which give you different ideas for what to keep in your self care kit.

For example, in peri-menopause I can't always predict my menstrual cycle like I used to, so keeping Advil in my self care kit is helpful.

I have allergies to pollen and to some dogs. Having allergy meds in my kit is a must.

Some of the items in your self care kit should be boring! Just basic "how to take good care of my body" stuff that can help stop anxiety or overwhelm from spiralling.

Here's what's in my self-care kit right now:

  • ear plugs (I am super sensitive to noise)
  • Advil
  • allergy meds
  • a few packs of Emergen-C (a dose of vitamin C and electrolytes that feels good when I am overwhelmed)
  • ear buds (I usually have headphones with me, but for those days when I forget them, having the earbuds saves the day)
  • multiple playlists of brainwave music for different moods, like calm + focus (technically not in my kit, but I keep them on my phone)
  • favourite aromatherapy blends in small bottles (also convenient for days if I forget deodorant can use some EO instead and not feel self conscious - this is a small thing, but every uncomfortable feeling you've got going on adds a new layer of discomfort, so the more of them you can take care of, the better)
  • Kleenex in a tiny pack
  • Journal with paint pens and a huge assortment of ultra thin markers (also not in my self care zipper pouch, but I keep it in a separate zipper pouch, also always with me)

Other ideas for your self care kit:

  • chocolate
  • inspiration card or helpful affirmation/mantra written on a piece of paper
  • a meditation or visualization that works well for you, written down on a sheet of paper (it's easy to forget to use tools we know about, so this is a way to include them in the kit)
  • lip balm
  • moisturizer, bonus points if it smells like something that makes you feel happy
  • water bottle

This will help you create your self care kit:

Help for creating your self care kit: Self Care for the Pandemic free e-course

The Self Care for the Pandemic e-course is free, you can get the whole thing right here.

It's five days of videos and journaling sheets, to really dig in and explore what kind of self care you need right now.

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Wheeeeee!

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The Creative with Money e-course starts today.? (There is no end date, since this is an adventure of healing & possibility – everyone is going to work through it in the timing that works for them.)

I know exploring money can feel scary/boring/superficial/sad and it’s natural to want to not look at it.

But not looking at it is not helping you.? You know that.

And healing money stucks is absolutely liberating!? Healing money stucks fertilizes your dreams and makes them grow like crazy.

The Creative with Money class is happening inside the Creative Dream Circle.? So when you sign up – you get a whole year of follow-up support.? With the tools and resources you’ll get in the Circle, one year from today you could be living inside a miracle, which is how I feel about my life right now and let me tell you – it’s the best thing ever.

The Creative Dream Circle is positively oozing with warmth and love and healing and possibility and support and creativity.? All the things that make exploring money easier and more interesting and more fun.

I hope you’ll join us today.

 


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Grief & Magic.

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grandma
My grandparents: My grandmother made these giant loaves of bread every year for Thanksgiving, to show what she was grateful for.

Yesterday it was four years since my grandmother died.? My mom posted some photos on Facebook and I was all ” four years, has it been that long” and “no way it’s been four whole years already” at the same time.

It’s really hard to measure missing someone in years.

I thought back to four years ago, and how devastated I was.? My grandmother was 89 and in excellent health.? She was independent and creative.? She was living a full life and we were planning a big bash for her 90th.? Her death was very sudden.

I know everybody says this after people are gone, but she really was the best person ever.

And I was sad for me for losing her, but I was also sad for the world for losing her.

I was lucky enough to grow up with all four of my grandparents, and she was the last one I lost.? It changed things for me in a way I did not understand at the time.

It was my grandmother’s death that planted the seeds for me to leave my cushy office job and set out to live my life more fully on my own terms.

At that point I was already leading my own creativity workshops, doing spiritual healing & counseling and leading healing and meditation circles – all while working at my day job.? By then I had worked my way down to 4 days/week and was absolutely blissed out to have the opportunity to be doing what I wanted to do, even though I wasn’t able to do it full time.

At that time, I didn’t think I would EVER do my creativespiritual work as my full time gig.

But after my grandmother died it felt like something changed.

Frankly, it felt like time to grow up.? Which maybe makes sense – I was about to turn 36.

Though she was not the first person I have lost, her death really shook me up and reminded me of how precious life is and not to waste any of it.

And that happiness I was feeling about “only” working 4 days a week so I could spend 3 days devoted to my creative and spiritual adventures started to turn to annoyance.

It was only three months later that I moved down to 3 days a week at my job, and let my boss know that I would be leaving by the end of the year.

No one believed me.

It seemed to unlikely that someone would give up the security of a job with a generous pension and benefits package to strike out on their own to teach people about the magic of glitter and positive thinking (which is how my co-workers described my early workshops).

But I was determined. Not because I wanted to build a big business or become rich or internet-famous, but because I wanted to live my real life.

I realised that life was too precious to spend it doing anything other than what feels TRUE for me.? And I liked my job, but I couldn’t say that it felt TRUE, down to the depths of my being, for me to spend my days doing that work.

No matter how uncertain life as an entrepreneur is, it feels TRUE.

So yesterday I was taking that in.

How much has changed.? How much I have changed.? How I feel about my life today.

Yesterday I wasn’t feeling super-great.? So I was taking it easy.? Drawing mandalas, re-arranging my work schedule to suit my energy, extra meditation, lavender tea lattes.

Four years ago, if I wasn’t feeling super-great I’d have been drinking extra coffee and maybe get a cupcake or something as a treat to get myself through the day.

Pursuing your dreams is a risk.? There is no doubt about that.

But I think we don’t think enough about what kind of risk you take in NOT going for it.?

I was imagining what I’d be like today if I was still in that job.? My whole body kind of tenses up.? I’d feel further away from my purpose and my creativity.? I wouldn’t be practicing extreme self-care as a way of living.? I wouldn’t have the Dream Loft.? I wouldn’t feel fulfilled by my work the way I do now.

That’s not who I want to be.

At the time, I thought it was all about money.? About how I needed my job because I didn’t know how to make enough money to support myself without it.

I thought the life I really wanted was impossible because of money.

In hindsight, that’s ridiculous.

It wasn’t about money.? It was about courage, and learning to trust myself and my creativity.? It was about stretching my comfort zone.? It was about how much more powerful I am when I am living in integrity with my inner truth.

And I promise: the life you really want is possible.? But it’s not going to come to you, you have to go to it.

And if you want my help sorting this out – I’m here.? My Creative With Money e-course starts tomorrow.

I can promise you that in this course you?ll meet money in a totally different way ? this is not like anything else out there.? You’ll see new possibilities for how to live your REAL life.

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.

The Creative With Money e-course? happens inside the Creative Dream Circle.?? Once you join the Circle, you’re in for a whole year.? This means you get this plus ALL of the other courses I run all year long – for just $100.


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Creative Dream TV: Money & Healing

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healing

Today I wanted to talk more about the magic of healing your relationship with money, and why this matters to me, why I want to help you with this and what kinds of things tend to come up for people as they explore healing & money.

You are invited to come and explore this with me, and with other committed creative dreamers, in my Creative With Money e-course which you get inside the Creative Dream Circle.? We use 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 than you ever have before – this is not like anything else out there.


 

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Creative Dream TV: How To STOP Spinning Your Wheels

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How to stop spinning your wheels

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.

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When Inner Critics Attack

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when inner critics attack

Yesterday I shared my Valentine’s gift with the world: the You Are Loved guided journal & mandala colouring book.? Happily, this has gone over so well, my web server has crashed repeatedly.

I know I create and share (and sell!) things all the time.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy for me.

It’s actually NOT easy for me to put my stuff (and myself!) out there.? For me to do this work for a living requires daily discipline for meeting with and transforming my inner critics.

My inner critics had a FIELD DAY with the self-love journal/colouring book project.

They hated almost everything about it and they were ridiculously mean in their reasons why this was a stupid thing for me to do.

It took A LOT of work for me to calm down.

I sent them love.? I listened to their complaints.? I negotiated.? I got all tense and afraid.? I did energy work and journaling.? I used the Un-Sticking Station in the Creative Dream Circle to transform them into helpful allies.

I spent a lot of time and energy giving them the time and attention and love they needed, so they could feel safe enough to settle down.

This work is a regular part of what I do when I launch new creative projects out into the world.

I wanted to make sure to share this part of the story because too often we focus on the shiny happy endings and dreams come true.? You may see that I put a lot of stuff out into the world and assume that this is all shiny happy fun for me.

This leaves you with this sense that “things just work” for other people and that if your dream doesn’t just magically come true on its own – that means you can’t have your dream.

This is EXACTLY what your inner critic wants you to think.? This kind of thinking stops dreams in their tracks.

Also – part of what makes inner critics so powerful is that we do tend to keep them hidden. They shrink in the light.

So I like to keep mine well-lit by sharing the truth about them.

Your inner critics freaking out is not a sign to stop.

Inner critics freak out.? That’s their job.? Your job is to go after your dreams anyway.

I know it’s hard.

And if you’re dealing with this I am sending you so much love…

But I’m also sending a firm reminder that you can’t STOP just because your inner critics freak out.

You have to take charge.? Do not wait for your inner critics to magically change on their own.

Unless, of course, you WANT to be miserable.

Your inner critics are scared wounded inner children who need love and healing.? They’ll freak out at the most awkward times.

They still deserve love because they are a part of you.

It’s like your dreams – all the things you want to do doing, the way you want to be living, the you you really want to be – live in the most amazing castle ever.

The inner critics are the sharks that live in the moat around the castle.? Their whole mission is to keep you from entering the castle.

Their mission is not fueled by anger or malice or anything – they’re just afraid of the changes that will happen once you enter the castle.? They simply don’t understand that you have the courage, integrity and wisdom to handle the changes.

So what are you going to do?

There are only two choices:

  1. Run away and live forever in the Land Where No Dreams Come True
  2. Figure out how to put the drawbridge down

Some people like to pretend that there is another choice, that you can somehow wait them out, and maybe tomorrow the inner critics will quiet down so they can have their creative play time.

These people are just in denial about living in the Land Where No Dreams Come True.

Yes, finding that drawbridge and putting it down really is hard work and it’s scary and doing it over and over again is a total pain in the ass.

But letting those sharks win is just stupid.? Your dreams are too important.

And the treasures that live in the castle are a gazillion times better than you think they are.

Sometimes my inner critics just freak out because they’re freaking out.

Sometimes they freak out because I am onto something that could change everything.

That was what was happening on Monday.

Now that I have made one small guided journal/colouring book, and now that I see that people really love it, I see this whole new path opening up:

BIG, DEEP, CRAZY MAGIC guided journals and colouring books.? A HUGE LIBRARY FULL OF THEM.

Once I get into the swing of creating these, I believe I can be doing one every month.? They’ll be available for sale on my website – and free for my darling Creative Dream Circle members.

Plus we’ll do live streaming video playdates to journal with them together!

The thought of this makes me want to dance and spray glitter all over everything.

Riding out the Inner Critic Freak-out on Monday, and taking the time to use the tools that work to transform the inner critics, means I get to this place: having a new idea, being inspired and excited and seeing that the path is clear ahead of me.

It means I can dive in to a new dream.? Totally worth doing the work of dealing with the inner critics!

If you’re a Creative Dream Circle member – you can use the tools in the Un-Sticking Station to deal with ANY inner critic attack.? It will lead you through the whole process of transforming your inner critic lovingly and effectively.

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FREE Guided Journal + Mandala Coloring Book for Self-Love.

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What it is: 15 pages of journal prompts and hand-drawn mandala coloring pages to explore and colour.

Mandala Coloring Pages + Guided Journal for Self Love

 

It’s a beam of creativity & love, from my heart to yours.

This book is designed for people who want to lead creatively abundant lives ? and do ?impossible? things, with ease & joy, every day.

Filled with journaling prompts, unique energy alchemy processes and hand-drawn healing mandala coloring pages, this book will lead you through the process of learning more about your (amazing!) self.

>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IT NOW.

There is magic in this book.

You activate that magic by playing with it.

Play in whatever way you want to play. Use whatever art supplies are fun for you: glitter pens, crayons, collage, etc.? There are no rules here.

The journaling prompts are tiny little diving boards, for you to dive off of into your own adventure – go off on tangents and explore whatever thoughts come up in the process.? They will lead you to amazing places.

The healing power of the mandala coloring pages is activated when you colour them in, lighting them up with your unique creative expression and ideas.? (If you want to explore mandalas further and draw your own, I?ve got an easy-peasy anyone-can-do-it How to Draw Mandalas Tutorial right here.)

My hope is that this book helps you to fall more deeply in love with your amazing self.

mandala coloring pagesmandala coloring pagesmandala coloring pages

>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IT NOW.

If you like this book, I would sure appreciate it if you would SHARE this Guided Journal with Mandala Coloring Pages.

Use the Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/email buttons above to post this on your networks or share with your friends.

If you REALLY like it, check out my full-length guided journals and journaling classes available inside the Creative Dream Circle.

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Procrastination and finding the easy way to do something hard

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procrastination

I put off these two things for months:

  1. Making my private sessions public (I had been doing private sessions all along, but had stopped offering it as a thing on my website a year and a half ago, so I was only working with people who had already been working with me before I took it off my website)
  2. Making guided journals and colouring books.

At first, I had all sorts of reasons why I couldn’t do either of these things right now.

Reasonable reasons.? Excuses love to dress up as reasonable reasons!

And then I noticed that these reasonable reasons were actually keeping me from doing what I want to do.

And that putting these things off didn’t actually feel good.

So I decided to do them.

I tried to take control of the situation.? I made time in my schedule to work on these things.? I moved them up the priority list.

And suddenly everything else in the whole world was so much more important than doing these things!

I was a procrastinating manic.

Everything about working on these things felt HARD.?

It felt scary and like I didn’t know how to do it and like everything is hopeless anyway so why bother?

Oh my.? No wonder I had been avoiding this for so long!

When I just can’t seem to do something the way I’m trying to do it, instead of giving up I set my sights on finding the easiest possible way in.?

Instead of going full speed ahead, what if I just stick my teeny tiny baby toe in the door towards doing this?

Ahhh.? Relief. And room to breathe.

  1. Instead of diving head first into offering private sessions – I am offering a limited number of private sessions on my website.? This feels good.? A solid step, not an overwhelming leap.
  2. Instead of diving into creating and selling my guided journals and colouring books, I am making a mini version and giving it away – my Valentine’s gift to you.

For the private sessions, I spent a lot of time exploring how to offer this in a way that feels good and nurturing and inspiring and sustainable for me.

This is also why I added custom art to these sessions (during the session I’ll make you a treasure map that outlines your transformational process and next steps).? That is an idea I have been playing with for years and I’m really happy to be taking this step with it.

It seems important to add that it doesn’t matter why I felt overwhelmed at the thought of putting these sessions out there on a permanent basis.

I love doing this work and I don’t know why taking this particular step freaked out my inner critics.? It’s more important to focus on am I sure I want to do this? and how can I do this in a way that feels good?

I’m highly sensitive and highly introverted and kind of weird and I get overwhelmed sometimes. It just happens.? Over the years I have found that it makes more sense to figure out a way to NOT feel overwhelmed, than it does to explore the overwhelm and try to figure out WHY it’s there (which opens up a Pandora’s Box of stuckness).

(If you’re a Creative Dream Circle member you can use the Un-Sticking Station to do this – un-sticking the stuck helps you find the way through)

For the journals, it’s kind of like I was DROWNING in ideas about what I can do with them.

I am imagining this being a huge series of books (they’ll be available for sale on my website, and Creative Dream Circle members will get them free).

With this many ideas, it’s really hard to know where it start.

But I kept sitting quietly with the essence of what I want to create, and one day it just dawned on me that Valentine’s Day is coming up and I could make the first one?a “mini” version about self-love and give it away as Valentine’s gifts instead of selling it.

This idea came with a GIGANTIC wave of relief.? Giving things away is a lot easier than selling them and it’s an ideal way to bring a new creative project to life.

(Your free Valentine’s guided journal and colouring book will be out later in the week.)

Once I got started making the freebie journal and colouring book, I got clearer on what I want to do next with the journals, and even have the first full journal underway – it’s called YOU GOT THIS, a journal about transforming doubt.

affirmation inspiration card

I love how taking that teeny tiny step gets you into movement and creative flow.

And now I am DOING these two things that I had been just DREAMING about for so long.

Think of the thing(s) you’d love to do that you are putting off.? Are there any teeny tiny super easy baby steps you can take today?


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I want to be MIRACULOUSLY productive.

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I want to be dazed and confused over how much I get done every day while still totally having fun and staying all zen and calm.

But I am not uber productive.

I’m not even always having fun or staying zen.

And it’s making me very cranky!?

Yesterday I posted a photo of taking a nap… I took that nap in the hopes that it would cure the cranky, which it did NOT.

productive

In the Creative Dream Incubator e-course this week we’re exploring the essence of our dreams.

Getting all sorts of sweet delicious clarity about the essence of my dream (which is the heart and soul of the dream – a living energy being who can help you make your dream real) is just making me hyper aware of the gap between where I am and where I want to be.

As long as you are growing as a person you’re going to come across that gap.

Being aware of it is a good thing, it helps you bridge it.

But being aware of it is also a sucky crankifying thing because dude – I want to be there but I am here.

I’m also noticing, when I get out of that “I AM CRANKY, THIS ISN’T FAIR, DAMNIT!” energy pattern, that all of the things I am wishing for are ways of being.

I want to FEEEEEL blissfully productive.? Which I can do, if I work on my inner relationship with productivity and untangle whatever is tangled there.

I want to FEEEEEEL happy and zen about being productive.? Which I can do, if I work on my inner relationships with the inner critics and fears that are keeping me from feeling that way.

I’m super cranky about this when I am in that space of wanting things to change on the OUTSIDE.

The crankiness melts when I remember that it’s all about what is happening on the INSIDE.

I love how each time I do the Creative Dream Incubator course it brings me new gifts and helps me move into a deeper connection with my inner truth.

The path is not easy, but the gifts are worth it.

We have one rule in this session of the Incubator – You’re Not Behind, Ever.? We’re committed to honouring our unique process and doing this together, but working at our own pace.? This means it’s not too late for YOU to join us 😉


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Zing!

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

zing

What do you wish to transform?

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

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

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

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

 

You get:

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

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

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

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


 

Creative Intuitive Healing Work is powerful stuff.

?Dear Andrea,

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

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

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

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

With much love and appreciation –
Namaste?

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

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

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

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

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

Now, nothing stands in my way.?

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

helene

?Andrea has helped me to rethink my relationship with money and planting seeds for my businesses.
What I love most about her work is her wonderful guidance and making creative pursuits less intimidating.?

 

Helene Kwong, Renaissance Woman, www.helenekwong.com

 

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

 

Cost: $175, including delivery of your artwork.

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

 

There are currently no sessions available.

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

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Art Journal Lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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art journal lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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

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

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

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

What I am noticing:

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

A lot of it comes down to levels of willingness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So this is where we get stuck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Or is it waiting for perfect timing?

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

Maybe there are no accidents and everything is unfolding perfectly.

Art Journaling is the ultimate Orb of Thesulah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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Venturing into new Territory

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

This week, I am that mush!
mandala creative journal

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

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

mandala creative journal

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

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

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

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

I am really happy with how this is going.

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

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

What worked?

What didn’t work?

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

What do I want to do more of next month?

What do I want to do less of next month?

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

… looking forward to exploring this.

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

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

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

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On turning 40 and being surprised.

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40

So I am turning 40 this year.

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

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

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

I am entering a new decade.

I remember being so excited to enter my 30s!

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

Entering my 40s feels really different.

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

A call to a new level of trusting myself.

But the biggest thing is my commitment to my dreams.

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

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

I am here to live MY truth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear

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Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You're afraid of being afraid.

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

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

The secret is to meet your fear.

With love and gentleness.

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

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

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

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

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

Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear:

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

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

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

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

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

I'd love to SHOW YOU how this works.

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

Try it today:

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Let's Get Your Dream!

Start the 10 day Creative Dream Journal Challenge Today:

(I'll also send you my Guided Journal for Creative Dreaming)

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