Enthusiasm Activates your Superpowers

By Andrea Schroeder / June 7, 2013

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do! This post is part of The Declaration of You’s BlogLovin’ Tour, which I’m thrilled to participate in alongside over 100 other creative bloggers. Learn more — and join us! –?by clicking here.

There are many qualities that activate your Creative Superpowers (AKA your Infinite Creative Potential and Ability to Make Your Dreams Real) like Love, Desire, Stillness, Passion and Trust.

But Enthusiasm is my personal favourite, because it’s the most fun.? And I like fun.

Enthusiasm is magic because it harnesses the power of both Love and Passion, and then turns them into something slightly more adorable.

Don’t judge what you feel enthusiastic about!

Please, revel in the nerdiness of enthusing about what you are truly enthusiastic about.? Coolness only cools down enthusiasm, dulls your superpowers and points you in the direction of “fitting in” instead “being a totally freaking amazing Creative Genius”.

It does not matter what you are enthusiastic about, it only matters that you are enthusiastic about something.?

It wakes you up inside.? And it points you towards your dreams.

Yes – being enthusiastic about having another cup of coffee will point you towards you dreams, which will point you towards your Soul Purpose.? Change your life without giving up anything you love!

Feel into your enthusiasm.? Give it some space.

Notice where it shows up in your body.? For me it feels like glitter bubbles bubbling in my heart.

Notice how it feels to let it get as big as it wants.? For me, as I focus on them, the bubbles get bigger and then explode into tiny rainbows that fill my whole body and expand out into my energy field.

Imagine what it would be like to let enthusiasm lead you through your day.? To leap joyfully from that second cup of coffee to a walk in the park and oh! yes! let’s stop and smell the ALL OF THE roses…

To full on enjoy and celebrate every single thing about being alive.? I mean, really – life is a miracle.? You are a miracle, living in another miracle.??If the fact that you are alive is not something to get excited about, what is?

And then… there it is.

*POUF*

A Brilliant Idea That Changes Everything.

Because Enthusiasm activates your Creative Superpowers, it’s always going to lead you towards something amazing.

So tell me in the comments: what are you enthusiastic about today?

I’m enthusiastic about: sunshine hitting the crystals in the Dream Loft, sending rainbows flying everywhere, the new project I’ve been working on and (eeeeeiiiiiiii!) how close I am to finishing it, drawing, sewing, cloud-watching.

Let’s get out there and enjoy the heck out of all the amazing stuff there is in this world!

Enthusiasm Activates your Superpowers Read More »

On Being “In The Zone”

By Andrea Schroeder / June 5, 2013

Monday we had our monthly Playdate in the Creative Dream Circle, this month we playdated with Daring… kind of as the next step in working with Courage, which was the theme for May.

I was expecting daring to dare me to do better work or something like that.? (Which, in hindsight, was obviously my inner critic speaking)

Daring actually dared me to have more FUN and more specifically: to be more creatively alive.

I felt a HUGE energy shift during the playdate and have been enjoying it ever since.?

I got a cute new haircut (not pictured).
I went out to buy some cute new summer dresses but then got inspired instead to make some cute summer dresses so bought some adorable fabrics instead and now I’m kind of jumping up and down inside about being excited about sewing.
I started drawing like a crazy person.? Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw! Draw! I am obsessed.
I have Way More Energy and Inspiration is flowing like crazy. Crazy!

Oh yes, I am in the zone.

Which is exactly what I designed the Playdates to do: get us into the zone.

But still, I’m always kind of tickled that it works.

And it’s kind of funny in that because I am so super-in-the-zone I am actually doing better work. (So both me and my inner critic get to win 😉

I’m stunned both by the quality and quantity of stuff I just got done this morning, and how much juice I’ve still got in me to do more great stuff this afternoon.

So this is what I want to say about being in the zone:

It’s a really good place to be.

If you can choose to be in the zone or not be in the zone – definitely choose to be in the zone.

Oh – and you can always choose.

You know which practices and processes get you into the zone.
You know which habits and patterns take you out of it.

I say this to remind me that being in the zone is amazing!

AND Being in the zone has NO down side.

So why would I ever not be in the zone?

Are those habits and patterns that keep you out of the zone really so precious that you can’t do without them?

Going to write that down on a card and leave it by my bed so I see it every morning when I wake up.

On Being “In The Zone” Read More »

Healing the hurt of not feeling supported in my dreams.

By Andrea Schroeder / May 29, 2013 / healing

The Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle starts Friday.

This morning, I started the day with my journal and markers, exploring what it is I want to get out of this experience.? Of course with any healing journey you tend to get what you need more than what you want, but still, I like to go in with a plan.

As I explored, I found that what it is I want to let go of is more important than what I want to bring in.

It’s easier and more fun to think about what you want to invite in, but if you don’t clear some space and make things nice and comfy for your guests, they’re not going to stay.

See, I have had some really painful experiences around not being supported with my dreams.

What I have found is that there is a ceiling on the amount and type of support some people are willing/able to give.? And there tends to be more support for “the underdog” than there is for “the empowered creative genius”.? Which is STUPID.

And it hurts.

And that hurt is messing with my vibe.? And causing me to doubt myself and (sub-consciously) look for ways to sabotage success and stay small so I don’t encounter more of it.

Which is bullshit.

So I have been sorting through and shining light and bringing clarity, wisdom and healing into these patterns and beliefs… creating space inside me so I can invite in more of what I want.

This is a big job!? So I’m going to keep doing this all summer.

With meditation and journaling and CREATIVE PLAY.? Because this stuff is really hard and play makes it easier.

Creative journaling creates a space that allows for the magic of transformation to happen in really bautiful ways. (And if you didn’t guess from my photo above, you don’t exactly have to be a master artist to do it)

If you want to join me, the Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle is a gorgeous safe space for exploring what it is you need to get rid of, to make space for more of what you want in your life.? I would love to see you there!

PS If you’re curious about what happens the Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle you can read through the posts I wrote when I first did this Circle 2 years ago:

Of course, this is a healing journey so each journey is unique… you will have your own unique discoveries, revelations and transformations.

Healing the hurt of not feeling supported in my dreams. Read More »

Open!

By Andrea Schroeder / May 23, 2013

Registration is now open for the Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle.

Ease.? Love.? Peace.? Knowing.? Inspiration.? Freedom.? Vitality.? Pleasure. Power.? Connection.

A whole summer of:

healing + transformation
conscious evolution
playing with art supplies in very colour of the rainbow
exploring with like-minded creative kindred spirits
making MAGIC
discovering really cool things about yourself and your world

>>> Click here to register today.

I NEED THIS! SO MUCH!

I need this deeper commitment to my healing creative practice and all of the magic that that brings.? Bring! It! On!

This Circle is a container that holds and supports that commitment, and quite frankly – makes it easier to stick to.? (I am picturing a deep commitment to regular creative journal parties on the beach on this summer. Yum!)

This morning, as I was getting ready to open up registration, I journaled about what I want to get out of this Circle this summer and did a quick mind-map of what the Rainbow means to me:

>>> Click here to register today.

I look forward to playing with you, we’re going to have THE BEST TIME this summer.

Open! Read More »

Daring Dares Me To Say No

By Andrea Schroeder / May 21, 2013 / healing

Today I’m working on the materials for next month’s playdate in the Creative Dream Circle – the theme for June is DARING.

Daring appears as a female superhero holding a lightning bolt.

She obliterates anything and everything that is a distraction.

She dares me to say no.

To pull in tighter, to draw clearer boundaries, to create a stronger plan.

To commit more fully to my path by defining what that path is.

And then to obliterate everything that is outside of that path. Or at least put it somewhere where I can’t see it right now.

Which then dovetails with what I learned from Hiro this week… which I want to share with you because a lot of creative people have this problem!

EVERY TIME I run the Creative Dream Incubator there is a lot of resistance to the idea of choosing ONE DREAM to work with.? So I’ve been exploring ways of working with more-than-one-dream and in all honesty – I think these explorations have only brought me off track.

Being open to all possibilities only makes it harder for you to bring any dream to life.

Being open to all possibilities is super important in the visioning process, so that you aren’t closed to finding the right possibility. But once you’ve found your thing – you’ve got to be closed to the others and focus on the one.

Daring dared me to commit.

To put down the contingency plans because they’re taking up precious energy.

To re-route ALL of my energy into The One Dream I am bringing to life right now.

There is a sea of infinite possibilities.

I used to?(used to, as in, last week) live on that beach because I was so in love with possibility.? And so ideas would wash up in the shore, right into my home, all the time. Beautiful sparkly ideas that would easily distract me and confuse me and leave me wishing I could be walking a million paths at once which is maybe why I have been to tired lately…

Also: that love affair was doomed from the start.? Hindsight is 20/20 but really, how could I not have seen it before? ?Possibilities aren’t real life things.

So I moved.

I live in the forest now. It’s cool. It smells like pine. It’s quiet and soft and mossy.? It’s real.

I’m still unpacking and settling in but already I can see: I can focus here. I can create.

And when I need an idea – I can go to the beach on the Sea of Possibilities. I can bring my Creative Genius and my Inner Knowing to sift through the ideas to find Just The Right One (which I believe is going to sparkle more than the others and will be easy to spot.)

And all of those other ideas? I can smile at the thought of them hanging out on the beach together.? Just because there are infinite possibilities doesn’t mean I need more than one at any given time.

BIG relief.

Daring Dares Me To Say No Read More »

Sometimes a wrong turn is the only way to find the right path

By Andrea Schroeder / May 17, 2013

This week has been frustrating, all around. A special kind of frustration – the kind where you are doing exactly what you want to be doing and yet it feels off.

This is the thing about creative dreaming – in creating your dream as a real live thing you have to do things you have never done before. Which means you can’t know how it’s going to go ahead of time. ?

This is how it goes:

You’re inspired -> You act on it -> You learn stuff -> That feeds the next inspiration

But this is how we all seem to want it to go:

You’re inspired -> You act on it -> Everything is PERFECT BLISS – > Happily Ever After

Somewhere in leaping towards PERFECT BLISS and landing on YOU LEARN STUFF there is a world of pain.

It didn’t go the way you’d hoped.? Maybe your idea sucks.? Maybe you suck.? Maybe everything is impossible.? Who cares about dreams anyway?

But it just feels like a world of pain.

It’s actually a world of information.

Information about what does, and does not work.? Information about how to try it differently next time.? Real life information that helps you build your real life dream.

(Real life as opposed to DREAMS OF PERFECT BLISS.)

Your fantasy is not going to happen.

You’ll never just be handed the key to your dream.

Or a map that shows you how to get there without messy, painful detours.

Dreams come true through this messy process of:

acting on inspiration
having things go way differently that you thought they would/should
being upset about that
getting over it
finding the gems in the experience
letting that inspire the next step.

And so on and so on.

The people who live their dreams engage with that messy process.

I just wrote all of that to remind myself.

This was one of those messy weeks where I was doing a bunch of PERFECT BLISS kind of things and what I got was a pile of life lessons.

That’s me this morning (bedhead and all!) with one of my custom made Creative Soul Alchemy cards – a perfect bliss activity if there ever was one.

I learned A LOT.

And this morning I am remembering the magic of how letting go of how you thought it should be creates space for it be what it is.? And life, what it is, is beautiful.

PS: In case you missed it: You’re Invited! To a whole summer of healing + art-making with me, online. Click here for deets.

Sometimes a wrong turn is the only way to find the right path Read More »

You’re invited! A summer of rainbow~licious healing + art-making.

By Andrea Schroeder / May 16, 2013

I’ve got a wall in the dream loft that is 20 feet high by 20 feet wide that is EMPTY.? It’s a very big empty wall to have.

It’s hard to share photos of the dream loft because the angles are weird in some places and there’s a wall to wall south window on both floors that lets in so much light the shadows get weird.? But here goes, the first photo is the top – you can see the wall of the loft on the right, and the pom poms hanging up there, the second photo is on the main floor, which is beside my office space.

And I have finally decided what to do with it:? I am going to create a rainbow of healing chakra art for this wall!

With reds at the bottom, up to purples at the top.? Can’t you see it now?

I’m excited!? A summer of rainbow-art-making! Wheeee!

As soon as I had this idea I got out my Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle kit, so I could use the meditations and prompts in the kit to help me make sure my art is crazy inspiring (I want to feel all filled up every time I look at this wall!).

Then I decided to share the magic (normally that kit is available only if you have the Creative Dream Incubator).

?So for this summer only you’re invited to play along! I’m opening up my Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle, from May 31 to Aug 20, 2013.

“The Rainbow” combines a Chakra Healing Session with a Healing Meditation Circle and a Creative Journaling Workshop – Healing, Transformation, Play and Fun all rolled into one.

Plus overflowing with inspiration for a summer of rainbow-art-making.

I’ll be playing in the Circle all summer, and making a ton of art that is inspiring, healing and meaningful – hopefully enough art to fill this whole giant wall.

You can fill your walls with rainbow art, or keep your explorations in your journal – totally up to you.? You don’t even have to do art if you’re not into that part – you can focus on the healing and meditative aspects of the Circle.

The online classroom has space for you to share your photos and stories, and oodles of permission to participate only in the ways that feel fun and nurturing for you.

I can’t wait to share this with you!

You can read all about it here.? We’re starting May 30, registration opens May 23.

You’re invited! A summer of rainbow~licious healing + art-making. Read More »

A visit from the “I Don’t Have Enough Time” monster

By Andrea Schroeder / May 7, 2013 / healing

99% of the time, I don’t have enough time is a lie.

You have enough time, and you chose how you’re using it.? It only feels like it’s not a choice because you’re caught up in an un-helpful pattern, or you’ve got a sovereignty leak or you’re letting your inner critics run the show.

So, here I am this morning, convinced I don’t have enough time for all the things I have to do today.

Except I do.? They fit neatly onto my calendar.? So I mediate and journal and use aromatherapy and still this small voice of anxiety won’t go away.?? I re-read my post about You Are The Source Of Time which helped, but then my little inner I Don’t Have Time Monster got woken up…

So, let’s talk.

You DON’T have enough time!? Not for all these things!

Oh sweetie.

And you certainly don’t have time to talk to me about it!

Oh, so what should I be doing?

Running around like crazy, panicking about not having enough time.

That doesn’t seem useful.

But it would be honest!

Honesty is important.? See, I am being honest by talking to you about how you’re feeling, rather that just pushing through and getting the work done.

Oh, right.

I think you want me to to panic until I can’t get the work done, and then not get the work done, and then use this as evidence that I can’t handle this much work.

Well you can’t!

I know I can.? I love everything I’m doing.? The Creative Soul Alchemy Cards?? HOLY CRAP I LOVE THIS. I’m having the best time ever.

But they’re taking you longer than you thought, to make them.

Yes, that’s a part of the Batter Tasting Process – learning all of that stuff!? Then I’ll take what I learn and use it to put the final thing together.

But you’re also doing Project 1 and Project 2 and Project 3!? All big projects!? Plus your regular stuff!? Aaeeeeeiiiiiiii!? There is not enough of you to go around!

Honey, I remain full and whole.? And I choose what I want to play with, and when I want to play with it.

Oh, wait, what?

I think you think I have to give parts of my energy to each thing.? But I hold all of my energy.

And the little monster disappeared and in its place is yesterday’s Creative Genius Planning Session with all sorts of amazing energy work that actually holds the container for all of the things to happen this week with great joy and ease and spaciousness.

And the monster says: I’m sorry, I forgot about the Creative Genius Planning Session.? I can see it all here in the magics.? You’re doing fine, nothing to panic about.

Ahhhh. Calm returns.? And I’m ready to enjoy my many activities today…

A visit from the “I Don’t Have Enough Time” monster Read More »

I turn 39 today.

By Andrea Schroeder / May 4, 2013

I woke up happy.

I’m noticing that the older I get the less I care about my birthday.? But at the same time it’s nice to mark one more trip around the sun and take stock of where I’m at.

post-playdate desk — My desk this morning is covered in notes + supplies from yesterday’s playdate.

Birthdays used to feel HUGE.? I had a lot of birthday rituals, including a lot of journaling, visioning and intention setting.? This year, gratitude and appreciation feel more important.

I am feeling HUGE appreciation that I left my job 2.5 years ago.

I feel so much more ME today and I know that is a big part of it.

My life feels so much more aligned with my truth and I know that is a big part of it.

I feel strong, empowered, creative and free.

I am proud of what I have built and excited for what I will build next.

I am excited to be at this exact place in my life.

Dreams lead you back to who you are.

Dreams are spirit and purpose, activated.

Dreams lead you into alignment with your soul, your self, your magic.

Living in the beauty of that alignment is what I am really grateful for today.? That and BAKED ALASKA BIRTHDAY CAKE! YUM!

I turn 39 today. Read More »

Conversation With My Inner Critic: Not Believing In Yourself Is The Worst Feeling In The World

By Andrea Schroeder / May 1, 2013 / healing

I wrote this on Monday, before sharing my new Creative Soul Alchemy Batter Tastings. ?I want to share it because I know a lot of people read my blog who want to be doing similar things to what I am doing, and I want to paint an honest picture of what it takes for me to be, and stay, connected to my creative genius, and be actively putting myself, and my ideas, out there.

Often we look at people who are “doing it” and assume it must be easy for her.

Which is not only not true, it puts you in the position of it’s not easy for me so I guess it’s not possible.

Which is bullshit.

And, which is why, even though it’s really uncomfortable for me to share so honestly and so publicly – it’s really the only way for me to be effective in my job of helping creatives bring their dreams to life.? So here goes:

I am tense achy sore cranky frustrated.

I lit some candles, sprayed some magic sprays, rang a bell and did a healing on the dream loft to lift the energy enough so I can breathe again. ?But I still feel 100% crappy, just down from %1000 crappy a few minutes ago.

It’s time to shift this, so I am having a Creative Soul Alchemy session with my inner critic. ??As always my inner critic speaks in?italics.

_______________________________________________________________

So here I am, ?sitting on my yoga ball, in my newly re-arranged workspace, with my two BIG tables pushed together to create a GIANT table.

Well that’s dumb. ?You re-arranged your space to do this new thing and no one’s going to buy it! ?How’s it going to feel to have to move everything back because you failed?

You know, even if no one buys new thing #1 I know lots of people are going to participate in that other thing this summer, which will require a GIANT table for GIANT art-making.

You’re such a fucking pollyanna it’s so stupid! ?This is why you get you heart broken so much, you know. ?If you would just…

Just stop hoping? ?And dreaming? ?I can’t do that. ?I AM GOING TO BE ME. ?That is final.

I know, and it’s terrifying.

Can you tell me what is scary right now?

No one is going to want your new thing.

I understand that you think that, and that’s cool. ?But why is it SUCH a big problem? ?I don’t remember feeling this scared or stressed out in a long time. ?I’m not sure why this particular thing is so scary.

Because the price is wrong.

The price is not wrong. ?I think you know that.

You’re right. ?The price is not wrong. ?But no one will pay this price for this product/service.

It’s cool that you think that, I’m still confused about why it’s such a huge problem. ?You don’t think anyone will buy anything. ?And this is just a batter tasting, to see how it goes. ?If no one buys then I know it doesn’t work as a thing-to-sell and I move on.

This is awful because the price has to be even higher for the real thing than for the batter tasting, to be sustainable. ?And no one pays that much money for art! ?And your Creative Soul Alchemy cards are life-alteringly gorgeous, like on a SOUL LEVEL. ?Like, Creative Soul Alchemy is what they actually are! ?This is needed! ?And it’s going to fail! ?I’m not sad for you as much as I am sad for the world that it’s going to miss out on this. ?Also kind of sad for you but I know you’ll still make the cards for yourself so that’s good.

So there are 2 things there:

the idea that no one pays for art
immense immense love for the cards

Let’s start with #2.

I didn’t?realise?how much love you have for the cards! ?I?appreciate?that so much! ?Suddenly I feel less tense and stressed out. ?I feel grateful for everything that has happend in my life, that brought me here to this idea and feeling ready to bring this idea to life.

But it’s not ready, that’s the thing.

So what would it take for it to be ready?

That’s impossible.

And that’s how we know that you are believing a lie. ?Nothing is impossible, there is always a way. ?I think we should address that thing that is sitting just beneath this conversation: the idea that people don’t buy art. ?You understand that this is absurd, right?

Let me explain. ?I know people buy art. ?And for millions, not hundreds. ?Or at least thousands. ?But the kind of people who want your art don’t buy art.

You can hear how ludicrous that is, right? ?Let’s think back to the love you have for this project. ?Let that love be a bubble of sparkles. ?Take the idea that no one wants to pay for this thing and put it in the bubble. ?What happens?

The idea that no one wants to pay for this thing shows up as a dusty deck of cards that no one wanted. ?When I put it into the bubble the dust goes away (because of all the glitter) and it turns out the bubble is full of tiny people who run over, like RUN over to take the cards. ?Then they hug the cards and you can see tiny red hearts coming out of them. ?They love the cards. ?They get it.

Yes. ?There’s the shift. ?So what is true now?

There there are people who will love the cards. ?There are people who will get it, see the value in it, and be so so so so SO thrilled to get their own custom made deck of magic.

I only have space for 8 batter tasters. ?And if that goes as I hope it will and I start to do this regularly, there is still a very limited about of these that I am going to be able to create each month. ?If you take that number, and compare it to the number of people in the world – how likely is it that there are enough people out there that will want it?

Very. ?It’s just a matter of finding them.

Right. And we can work on that part.

Right.

So I feel better, do you feel better?

Yes. ?I can’t wait!

So let’s do a blessing for all the people that the Creative Soul Alchemy cards are for.

OK.

{do blessing together}

_______________________________________________________________

And there it is. ?I feel ready to put this thing out tomorrow. (which is now yesterday)

That conversation is only the last in a long line of conversations and healing sessions I do with my inner critic(s).

I say that to make it very very clear for you: feeling like you can’t do something doesn’t mean you can’t do it. ?It just means you have to work on the inner stuff first.

PS: Creative Soul Alchemy Card Batter Tastings are available here.

Conversation With My Inner Critic: Not Believing In Yourself Is The Worst Feeling In The World Read More »

Batter Tasters Wanted.

By Andrea Schroeder / April 30, 2013

I?ve whipped up this cupcake batter which I am sure is going to result in the Best Cupcakes Ever. ?But before I pop these babies in the oven, I?d love to have a few people taste the batter.

I want to thank my friend?Victoria?for the idea of ?Batter Tasting?.? This is so much sweeter than the more common ?Beta Testing? of a new product or service, though the spirit remains the same.

As a Batter Taster, you are helping me refine and perfect my new service/product, so you will got lots of extra attention from me. ?I want to do my best to make sure you are thrilled with it, so that I can learn all about how to BEST bring this new thing to the world.

In return, you’re the first to get my awesome new thing, plus you get it at the lowest price it’s ever going to be.

___________________________________________________________

The cupcakes are Custom Made decks of Creative Soul Alchemy Cards.

Busting with colour and alive with magic, each card contains a supportive + inspiring a message from your soul.

They remind you of your truth and bring you back into alignment with your inner genius.

How it Works:

Your tasting experience begins with a Creative Soul Alchemy session where we’ll take a deep-dive into your inner world to activate the magic, power and creative genius that lives within you.

This is you and me, on the phone or Skype, for about 45 minutes. ?The call will be healing, magical and leave you feeling like you can fly.

We’ll capture the wisdom and guidance from your intuitive soul that will help you walk your path with ease and grace.

When we finish our time together, I will take these nuggets of inspiration and create a Custom Made Just For You deck of Creative Soul Alchemy Cards.

Your Inner Wisdom + My Creative Genius (and crayons!) = Creative Soul Collaboration at its best.

The cards will help you:

Connect to your Creative Genius and Inner Wisdom.
Get back into the flow, when you fall out of it.
Remind you of your unique truth.
Make you smile every time you see them!

Even my harshest inner critic described these cards as: life-alteringly gorgeous, like on a SOUL LEVEL.

Because each card holds a transmission of healing, inspiration and magic, meant just for you.

**Imagine an oracle created?just for you.**

With your words, with the messages and qualities that are profoundly meaningful to you, right now.

Monday Morning Messy Desk. Have a new art project to share this week. Excited! Your unique deck of Creative Soul Alchemy cards will be 100% hand made just for you, with love, on heavy cardstock. ?I’ll use markers, pastels, paint, glitter, collage? whatever I am inspired to play with after our session.

The size is about 3.5″ x 5″, with rounded corners – they are hand cut, so sizes will vary slightly and the lines will be charmingly wonky.

You’ll get at least 12 unique cards.

I?ll email you photos while I?m working on your unique deck, though I won?t send you a photo of each and every card – so that there will be some surprises for you when your deck arrives.

Imagine your unique Creative Soul Alchemy deck arriving at your door!

Each card, a message from your creative genius, shining out to you like a beacon leading you along your path.

There is something so magical about custom made soul art that can’t adequately be put into words.

Ways to Work With You Custom Made Deck of Cards:

Some cards will have important reminders that you?ll want to keep out where you can see them every day. You could put these into a picture frame on your desk, or hang it on your wall.
Or frame them all and cover a wall in inspiration + magic!
You can shuffle and choose a card when you need some guidance and direction.
You can pick a weekly card as your guiding theme for the week.
You can ask a question and then pick a card to find the answer.
You can use the cards as journaling prompts.
You can leave them on your desk, shining brightly and reminding you of your genius.

I am literally wiggle wagging with excitement to share this with you!

~~Right now, I have enough batter for 8 tasters.~~

There are no more batter tastings left.? I am now happily working with my tasters, creating cards and making magic.

Batter Tastings cost $275 (Canadian – but it’s super easy to pay in your currency – when you click the link and log into PayPal it will convert it for you).

Your session must happen within the next 4 weeks.? (DO NOT sign up for this if you can’t do it now, that’s the point of batter tasting!)

When you click the link below to order, you will be taken to PayPal to make your payment.? Then I’ll email you (within 24 hours) with the details to get our appointment set up.

There is no way to “hold” a spot. ?The 8 spots will go to the first 8 people who place their order.

~~>>> CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW.~~

As a Batter Tasters you’ll be helping me refine and perfect my new service and product, so you will got lots of extra attention from me. ?I want to hear all about your experience, and do what I need to do to make sure you are thrilled with it, so that I can learn all about how to BEST bring my Creative Soul Alchemy Cards to the world.

Batter Tasters Wanted. Read More »

Talking to a Creative Block

By Andrea Schroeder / April 27, 2013 / healing

I?m happily working on my new thing and hit a speed bump. Nothing I write feels right.? Some part of my brain wants to say that this project is too big, too complicated, there is too much to do so I am lost and don?t know where to start.

Another part of my brain calls bullshit though.

Earlier this week I thought to myself, The Art of Bringing a Dream To Life could also be called The Art Of Not Bullshitting Yourself.

And here I am bullshitting myself, or attempting to anyway.

So, if I wasn?t bullshitting myself about not knowing what to do, what would I do right now?

And, not surprisingly, I hear an answer…

I?d totally finish part 1 before working on the draft of part 2.

That?s interesting, why would I do that? I always do a full draft first.

You know how the longer you work on something the better you get at it? You?re already at the place of being able to totally rock part 1. The act of finishing part 1 is how you get to be able to rock part 2. That?s why you could write part 1, and the first part of part 2, so easily. But now you need to go back and to a final version and record it and create artwork. The part 1 can nurture and fuel part 2.

Hmmm, that?s kind of brilliant.

But now I feel kind of tired at the thought of editing the draft, recording, editing the recording, creating artwork and putting it all together.

What’s tiring about that?

Well, no the project itself isn’t tiring.? Normally I’m inspired and energized by my projects.? What’s tiring is…

You’re doing it again. Bullshitting yourself.? You’re not tired, you’re in resistance.

Oh, right.

So what if you wrote out all the reasons why you resist this?

Oh man, that’s scary.

When I breath into the resistance the main thing there is that… this is so much work, what if it bombs?? Maybe I can’t afford to take all this time to work on something new.? Financially I’m really banking on it going well, because I can’t do paying work while I am working on this.? Holy crap that is scary.? No wonder I am in resistance.

And is this true?

Well, no.? It’s not 100% of my business.? I have that other thing I want to start doing.? And tons of other things in the works.? I don’t have to stop doing all income-generating activities in order to get this done.? Argh, I’m still bullshitting myself.

So where is the resistance now?

It’s a little lighter.? It’s seeing the long-termness of this project and feeling tired about the journey.

Is this more long-term than anything you’ve done before?

No, not at all.? It won’t even take that long, once I get into the flow with it.

So where is the resistance now?

I’m putting it in a bubble of creativity, enthusiasm and flow.? Ha, now it’s skateboarding around the bubble.? It’s giggling.? It wants to be creative and make stuff!? It wants to sew skateboarding costumes.

How do you feel now about your project?

Kind of excited.

What do you need?

To map our this project and make a list!? Oh Holy Crap!? A map! A list! How did I forget that?

It’s SO hard to get to where you want to go without a map!

Deep sigh of relief.

It’s mapmaking time!? I LOVE mapmaking time!

Talking to a Creative Block Read More »

I’m working on a new thing.

By Andrea Schroeder / April 26, 2013 / Manifest Your Dream Life

This week I am equal parts excited/inspired/in the magic and terrified/doubtful/wanting to hide under a rock.

When those 2 reactions are equal, I know I’m onto something really good.

Excited!

I’m working on a new thing. Read More »

What Happens When You Let Courage In?

By Andrea Schroeder / April 23, 2013 / healing

I’ve been having regular meetings with courage, in preparation for the?Playdate with Courage on May 3.

While I’m not expecting myself to feel courageous by May 3, I do need to be able to weave a field of healing and transformation for the group and hold that space as I invite Courage in. ?So I keep meeting with Courage to build my relationship and connection with it.

Courage keeps showing up as a little boy.

Sometimes he’s playing baseball, wearing a helmet. ?Sometimes he’s wearing a superhero cape.

Today he’s wearing his cape, sitting down cross legged, arms crossed across his chest, a scowl on his face, aimed at me.

So I sat down, we’re sitting on concrete outside a school. ?Oh, this is where I went to elementary school. ?He’s showing me the story of when I stopped playing with him.

He’s showing me the stories of what could have happened, going into junior high and high school, had we stayed friends.

Which, of course, makes me think of what could be happening right now, if we were to rekindle our friendship.

I take a deep breath.

I want to say I’m sorry about that story of when I stopped playing with him but he knows. ?And actually he is sorrier than I am about it. ?That scowl isn’t so much a scowl, he’s sad.

He understands that I got scared and he wishes he could have found a way to stick by me anyway.

Then he says that later on, he did figure out how to stick by me anyway. ?Showing me the trajectory of my life I can see where he came back to me.

But he’s done all he can while hiding in the shadows like this. ?It’s time for me to do my part and claim Courage.

Deep breath.

I don’t know what to do.

He shows me that of course I do know what to do. ?What would you tell yourself right now if you were your own client, he asks.

I’d bring this whole story into present time. ?I can’t claim seven year old courage, I need to claim thirty eight year old courage.

I bring us into the DreamLoft but no, that’s too uncomfortable.

We meet at Starbucks instead. ?I see myself sitting there, ready to meet Courage and now he’s an elephant, sitting the chair across from me.

I reach out and take his hands (hands? hoofs?). ?He transforms into me. ?A brighter stronger me, who floats through the table and merges with me.

I am Courageous.

I can feel that energy shift and can tell that there is Courage in me now. ?Of course, there always was, we all have Courage in us. ?But now I’m aware of it and making space for it.

I have a lot of energy work to do to acclimate to Courage and to create spaces in me, and my life, where it can live comfortably – so it has what it needs to do what it needs to do.

I have huge internal resistance to Courage. ?I can feel that part of me wanting to slow down this process, letting me know that I have more important things to do. ?And that Courage is boring, can’t we work on something more fun?

What does Courage do, inside of me?

It heads to the Department of Internal Steadiness and pours a solid concrete foundation for the whole department.

That feels very good. ?Even the parts of me who resist courage are pretty happy to have that new solid foundation for the Department, so they’re starting to appreciate that Courage may be helpful to have around.

ps: The May Courage Event is for Creative Dream Circle members, which you are welcome to join right?here. ?I?d love to have your courageous (or not-so courageous) self be a part of it!

What Happens When You Let Courage In? Read More »

[Knitting Pattern] Rainbow Superhero Blanket

By Andrea Schroeder / April 22, 2013

One of my favourite self-care things is my Rainbow Superhero Blanket, which I designed and knit so that I could have something cheery to?wrap around me any time I need a shot of nurturing/refuelling/comfort or a little nudge of remembering that I am a creative genius.

And I leave it in a pile of colour on my giant hot pink cushion and it makes me smile all day long.

Because it’s one of my favourite things, I share a lot of photos of it in Facebook and people are always asking about it, so I am sharing the pattern, which is a very simple pattern I designed for it, so you can knit your own.

Let’s all be superheros!

Supplies

7.5 mm knitting needles (If you knit loose, use 6.5 mm needles)
14 balls of?Knit Picks Shine Sport yarn?(or similar, or totally different – your choice! Shine Sport is what I used – it’s soft and silky and easy care plus comes in bright colours)

There are 7 colours in the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) you can get 2 of each or 2 different shades of each (which is what I did – though some colours I used have been discontinued since then) or make up your own rainbow using just your favourite colours.

Blanket Size

14 balls will give you (roughly, depending on your gauge)?147 cm (58″) square.

You can, of course, get more yarn if you want a longer rectangle blanket.

Blanket Knitting Pattern?

Cast on 226 stitches in red.

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Begin stitch pattern.

STITCH PATTERN

Row 1 (right side) ? knit

Row 2 ? knit 5, purl to 5 stitches from end, knit 5

Row 3 ? knit 5 *(K2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; repeat from * to 5 stitches from end, knit 5

Row 4 ? knit 5, purl to 5 stitches from end, knit 5

To make the rainbow: Start with red, work your way through the rainbow??(red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple – or else make up your own rainbow!). ?What I did was knit each ball to the end, and just attach the new colour wherever the old one ended.

Continue in stitch patten until you have about 6 rows worth of yarn left (I measured it out, measuring 3X the length of the row for each row, and then leaving extra for binding off) then:

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row

Knit 1 row

Purl 1 row, bind off.

Enjoy! And if you knit it, I’d love to see your photos on the?Facebook?page!

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