How to be BADASS

By Andrea Schroeder / October 1, 2012

As I shared last week, for the past year I’ve been running a group called Advanced Creative Badassery.? About how if you want to break out of your own patterns and limitations and create your dreams in your world – you’ve got to be kind of basass.

Then my friends Jenn and Amanda sent me a badass email about this new thing they are doing:

Positive Panties. Curing the crabbies one sweet ass at a time.

When they asked me to join the party, how could I say no?

I made a video for their “How To Tap Into Your Badassery” e-Book.

And, since badassery is important to me, I wantd to share it with you too.? This is how I tap into my badassery:

The Badassery e-Book is free.? Download it here.

Also: Positive Panties needs your help! Click here to read more.

PS: The Creative With Money Online Playdate is happening at the end of the month!

Past participants have called this ?A smashing success?, ?Life-changing? and ?So full of magic I?m still seeing stars and glitter!?

How to be BADASS Read More »

Creative Dream TV: What if I don’t know what my dream is?

By Andrea Schroeder / September 26, 2012 / Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

This week I'm answering a question I get all the time:? What if I don't know what my dream is?

Not knowing is so frustrating!

Or sometimes you think you know what your dream is, but you're not sure. That's frustrating too!

In this video I've got 2 solutions for you. Watch it now:

Here is the link to Barbara Sher's amazing book: Wishcraft (you can read the whole thing for free online!)

Creative Dream TV: What if I don’t know what my dream is? Read More »

Spilling my guts

By Andrea Schroeder / September 24, 2012 / healing

I’m doing my superfantastic Monday Morning Creative Genius Planning session (creating space for all of the things I want to happen this week).

This is usually my favourite part of the week.

But today I’m feeling all tangled up.

I’m realising, more and more, how important transparency is to me.

And how hard it is to hide something!? Like, it takes a lot of energy to keep a thing hidden.? Energy that could better be used elsewhere.

There is something I have not been sharing and somehow the not-sharing is starting to take up too much space.

So here’s the whole story:

Almost a year ago, I started an advanced practice group, it was called Advanced Creative Badassery.? Because to actually actively bring your dreams to life, you’ve got to be kind of basass.

I didn’t promote this or put it on my blog, I sent out one email about it, to everyone who had taken a class with me.

I wanted to start small.? It was important to me to do a really awesomely good job at creating the container before filling it up.

I didn’t want this to be just another online group.? I wanted to it to be a catalyst for magic and possibility and dreams come true.? So I had to explore and experiment and figure out how to do that, and exploring and experimenting are easier for me to do in a small group.

It’s not that I wanted the group to be secret, it’s that it’s all about the more advanced practices and processes of bringing dreams to life.? It’s not a beginner group, it’s for people who are already working with me or taking classes with me, so I didn’t mention it on the blog.

And I was still in the process of creating the group – exploring and discovering and helping it grow into the just-right-thing.? It didn’t feel right to share it until it felt like it was out of the incubation phase.

And at the end of the incubation process, I ended up closing that group, and creating a totally new group: the Creative Dream Circle.

This is the best thing I’ve ever made.

And there is so much space for it to keep getting better.

So many things I want to add to it as it grows, and as I grow.

I. Love. This. Group.

And it’s become super-uncomfortable-tangly-weird to not talk about it here!? My blog is my public dream-growing dream-living journal.? It’s important to be to be transparent.? To share my true story of what it means to live everything I teach about creative dreaming.

Not having such a big, important part of the story here just feels wrong.

And yet, because it’s such a big thing, because I’ve been working on it for a year already, I felt like I couldn’t just say it.? I had to come up with some kind of beautiful-perfect-celebratory way to share it.

So for the past few weeks I’ve been waiting for that beautiful-perfect-celebratory way to share it to come to me.? And it’s not.

It’s really uncomfortable, to have this beautiful thing I want to share, and to not know how to share it.

So, I’m just going to put it out there.

Here it is:

PS: The Creative With Money Online Playdate is happening in just over a month.? There are still a few earlybird bonuses left!

Past participants have called this “A smashing success”, “Life-changing” and “So full of magic I’m still seeing stars and glitter!”

Spilling my guts Read More »

Creative Dream TV: How to cure panic + freakouts on route to your dream

By Andrea Schroeder / September 19, 2012 / healing, intention, Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

How to cure panic + freakouts on route to your dream

In this week's episode I share a really simple, silly + totally effective way to keep panic + fear from getting in your way.

Watch it now:

Fear is the #1 thing that is stopping you from having what you want.

Your creative potential is MUCH LARGER than any obstacle you face.

But when you listen to your fears, you shrink, which makes the obstacles seem so huge.

You need to stop listening to your fears and start transforming them.

To get my best tools plus ongoing support for transforming fear into something useful - join the Creative Dream Circle today.

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I’m calling bullshit

By Andrea Schroeder / September 17, 2012 / creative entrepreneur, healing, money

There are all of these crazy ideas floating around there…

that your art is somehow more real if you’re not doing it for money, like money taints your process
that spiritual teachings should be given for free or else you’re some kind of scam artist
that creatives just aren’t good at business (and that the only way to get good at it is to use annoying, sleazy marketing and sales strategies)
that profound meaning and high profits can’t play nice together

…I could go on and on but I am getting annoyed.

What is especially insidious about this kind of bullshit is that it is masking the real problem.

All of these ideas point to –> that’s just how life is.

But the real problem is actually in the opposite direction.

All of these ideas keep you focused in the opposite direction of where the actual problem is.? So all of these ideas are also keeping you from ever finding the solution, because you’re looking in the exact wrong direction.

The right direction is, of course, to look inside you. <—

Believing that your art is somehow more real if you’re not doing it for money keeps you from having to explore that inner voice that doubts your worth.

As long as you don’t do *everything you can* to learn how to market yourself and sell your art, you keep yourself safe from ever experiencing the terror and heartbreak of putting yourself all the way out there and being rejected.? (This is the holding pattern that kept me stuck in Starving Artist Land for years, putting myself part of the way out there.)

Believing that your art is somehow more real if you’re not doing it for money also keeps you from ever doing your best work. It keeps you from discovering what your real art even is, because doing your art as your living forces you to find your creative edge.

Same goes for the belief that spiritual teachings get tainted when you charge for them.

For years I taught classes in spirituality and lead meditation groups and healing circles and did spiritual counseling, all for free or for a very low cost.

The work I do now, which is not free, is about 90X more powerful, effective, transformational (and fun!) than the work I was doing then.

Money is an amplifier and an activator.

Unfortunately, too many spiritual creatives are allowing their limiting beliefs to be amplified and activated by money, instead of allowing their purpose, spirit and creativity to be amplified by money.

Results of limiting beliefs being amplified + activated by money:

under-earning
over-working
feeling worn out
feeling resentful that you’re not doing what you want to do
not having the time/energy that your best work needs, because you’re doing other things to bring in the money to pay the bills

Results of purpose, spirit + creativity being amplified + activated by money:

trusting + experiencing that what you need is there when you need it
having the lifestyle that supports you in doing your best work
the indescribably delicious sense of satisfaction that comes from having your whole life be in alignment with your purpose

We need to shift our collective relationship with money.

It’s not about having millions in the bank.

It’s about being truly in alignment with your purpose, spirit and creativity.

When you bring creativity and play into the process – shifting your relationship with money does not have to be hard and painful and difficult.? I can show you exactly how to do this, step-by-step, in the Creative With Money Kit that you get inside the Creative Dream Circle.

I’m calling bullshit Read More »

Money does not have to be the part of Creative Dreaming that you struggle with the most.

By Andrea Schroeder / September 13, 2012 / money

The truth is you can make friends with money and then the two of you can work together to bring your wildest dreams to life. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

And that’s what we do at the Creative With Money Playdate.

Past participants have called this program “a smashing success”, “life changing” and “so full of brilliant I’m still seeing stars and glitter”.

The next Playdate is happening October 26.

>>> Click here to read more + register.

There is a special bonus for the first 25 people who sign up.? I gave first dibs to the people on my email list, as of this morning, there are 20 of those bonuses left.

Money does not have to be the part of Creative Dreaming that you struggle with the most. Read More »

Creative Dream TV: Fear vs Purpose

By Andrea Schroeder / September 12, 2012 / intention, Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

This Creative Dream Question: How do I discern?if I am choosing a dream because it truly is aligned to my soul's purpose, or if I am choosing a dream because I am operating out of fear?

If you are:

confused about what your purpose is
confused about your dream is
struggling to bring your dreams to life

this is for you!

Inside the Creative Dream Circle there is a whole hour-long class on How To Tell Fear from Intuition.

That class is changing lives!

When you know, for sure, what your higher self wants you to do, and learn how to act on that knowing.... you become absolutely unstoppable.

Click here to join the Circle today - you won't regret it!

Creative Dream TV: Fear vs Purpose Read More »

Creative Dream TV: What if no one cares about what you have to offer?

By Andrea Schroeder / September 5, 2012 / creative entrepreneur, Vintage Creative Dream TV

Ohmygosh when you're worried that your thing isn't good enough, that you're not good enough, that if you put it out there no one will care - that makes it so hard to get started!

I have A LOT to say about this so let's get right to it:

PS:When you join the Creative Dream Circle - you also get my Creative BUSINESS Incubator.

It's got hours and hours of creative business videos, packed with tips, journaling prompts for uncovering your magic, unique approaches to success, resources and everything I've learned about how to grow a business with integrity and creativity and heart.

Creative Dream TV: What if no one cares about what you have to offer? Read More »

I am doing something Very Very Scary. ARgh!

By Andrea Schroeder / September 4, 2012 / creative entrepreneur

I’ve been happily working away on my Amazing New Thing.? And I am shifting and re-arranging other parts of my business to give it the space it needs, and deserves.

And I am getting to the hard part… the part where I have to let go of what-is to make room for what-is-coming-in before it’s arrived.

We always want to wait until we have the new thing before we let go of the old thing.

And it just can’t work that way.

The whole point of letting go is to let. go. The point isn’t to hold. on. until the letting go becomes somehow easier.

It doesn’t just somehow get easier.? Things change when you change them.

You’ve got to activate courage and trust-in-your-inner-knowing.

So I’ve been standing at the edge of this pool for some time, working on that part.

A lot of my time spent standing at the edge of the pool I didn’t even realise I was standing at the edge of the pool!? But now that I realise it, it’s getting harder and harder to not do something about it.

Even though: OMG! Scary!

So here’s the deal: I want this Amazing New Thing I am doing to become the main part of my business.

This thing isn’t just amazing, it’s my Best Work Ever and It’s The Way That I Can Help Dreamers Grow Their Dreams, The Most.

But it’s different, really vastly different, from the work I do now (mostly one-on-one coaching, with classes sometimes).

It also, happily, costs way less than one-on-one coaching, so I can help more dreamers grow more dreams.

But that’s also the scary part, right now.

I have to let go of one-on-one coaching (eekk!) in order to create space to grow this new thing.

Coaching is where most of my income comes from, it’s how I support myself.

Letting go of the thing that supports me financially?? As a single girl with a brand new dream loft condo to pay for? Fucking terrifying!

But here’s the thing: my intuition does not lead me wrong.

So I know that this is the right thing to do.

But you know how I talk about baby steps and finding the safest way to do things?? Stopping coaching immediately is not a baby step and it’s not safe!

And I have commitments with my long-term clients that I absolutely want to keep! Not to mention: I love working with them!

I’m going to put the brakes on, and ease out of it and ease into the new thing.

Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath.

So: Last call for coaching.

If you want my help turning inner critics into allies or showing you how you can stop letting that thing stop you, or if want to pick my brain about anything to do with creative dreams, creative business, glitter eyeshadow – whatever.? Now’s your chance.

You can go directly to my coaching page and book a session, or a three month creative dream package.

I am doing something Very Very Scary. ARgh! Read More »

Newsflash: Soaking Up Deliciousness Trumps Working My Ass Off!

By Andrea Schroeder / August 30, 2012

Those first yellow leaves are so sad.? And as much as I don’t want to say this, it looks like my Summer of Dreams project is coming to an end.

I set out to soak up all of the deliciousness of summer and to find out what could happen if I used it to nourish me and my dreams.

(As opposed to how I approached last summer: working like a crazy lady teaching 2 online courses while creating the Creative Magic Academy website, including a personalized page for each of my students that contains all of their kits/course materials, fixing up my old house and selling it, packing to move, and then running to the beach every chance I got to try to avoid burnout)

I loved this summer. So much!

Soaking up deliciousness trumps working my ass off!

Not only was I so super happy this summer, I also got as much (or more!) actual work done.

And I got TONS more play done.

And I connected so much more deeply to my Purpose and Power and to The Places Where Creative Dreams Come From.

Things my Summer of Dreams project taught me:

Being in the flow is even more magic than I realised.
A daily Creative Journal Magic practice is an uber-powerful thing. This scares me, and I keep running away from it.? And that’s ok, as long as I keep coming back.
Trees and lakes are the best teachers.
It’s ok to change your mind.? As often as you want to.
My business is my partner in bringing my dreams to life.? It’s not a static thing.? It’s more dynamic and flexible and ready to change than I could have imagined.

Surprise Gifts my Summer of Dreams project gave me:

Absolute clarity about what my best work is
A re-structured business (complete with new website design) based on that clarity
And the BEST THING EVER which I am not ready to share on my blog yet but OMG YAY it changes everything about how I approach everything, going forward.

So, the Summer of Dreams changed my life.

I used a simple recipe:

Commitment: Giving it a name (Summer of Dreams) and a clear container (just the summer) helped me create and maintain a commitment to staying in the process of consciously soaking up the deliciousness of summer.

Structure: I used both the Creative Dream Incubator and Creative Journal Magic to create a structure that supports the growth of dreams (just using one of them would create a strong enough structure, but I like them both) so the deliciousness had somewhere to go to, once it was soaked up.

A Spirit of Openness/Discovery/Exploration: I didn’t set out to FORCE the magic of summer to grow my dreams, I set out to soak up all of the deliciousness of summer and to find out what could happen if I used it to nourish me and my dreams.? What could happen.

So using this same format, as I ease out of the Summer of Dreams I’d like to ease into the Fall of Dreams.

Trading iced coffees for hot steamy lattes. And wearing handknit socks!

Mmmmm.

Less about the deliciousness of summer and more about the deliciousness of life.

Newsflash: Soaking Up Deliciousness Trumps Working My Ass Off! Read More »

Creative Dream TV: How to build your Online Empire

By Andrea Schroeder / August 29, 2012 / creative entrepreneur, Vintage Creative Dream TV

This week's question is from a Creative Dreamer who has been doing free, in-person art + yoga workshops and wants to know how to transition to a paid, online art + yoga community.

Creative Dream TV: How to build your Online Empire Read More »

It’s not all unicorns and sparkles.

By Andrea Schroeder / August 27, 2012

I set out to participate in?Susannah Conway?s August Break and post a photo every day for the month of August.

Last Friday I posted about Creative Burnout and I haven’t posted anything since.

Ha.

Funny how that works.

I am putting together The Best Thing I Have Ever Done.

I am so proud of this and so happy that I have created it.

I’m also so terrified about it.

And everything in between.

That’s all I can really say about it for now.

It’s amazing how much energy it takes to bring something shiny and new into the world.

Right now I’m either working-on-this-thing or actively-filling-the-well, there isn’t space for much of anything else.

It’s not all unicorns and sparkles. Read More »

I hate my creative capacity!

By Andrea Schroeder / August 24, 2012

This morning I had a beautiful picnic breakfast in the park.

Mostly because I am too TOAST to do anything else.

And being in nature recharges me (as do lattes with honey).

I have a lot on my plate right now. A lot a lot.

So yesterday I overdid it.

And today I am TOAST.

I want to say this mostly as a reminder to me:

(Even though I already know this.? But, we all forget sometimes.)

It’s much better to slow down, and do the refilling-of-the-creative-well-things every day when you’re not TOAST then it is to push yourself to work as hard/fast as you can and then become TOAST.

Keeping something from toasting is easier than un-toasting TOAST!

I don’t like that I have a capacity.

But I’ve got it.

And learning how to care for it is so important.

Learning how to care for it opens up possibilities to play with it and stretch it and find out how miraculously flexible it can be in certain situations.

Ignoring it and bulldozing through leaves me TOASTED with no options but to go into Extreme Recovery Mode, which is where I’m going to spend the rest of the day.

PS: For the longest time, I didn’t even know I had a creative capacity!? This is because my creative capacity is actually quite large, and I was always working well enough within it that I never experienced it.

I first started experiencing it when I decided to give myself 6 months to quit my part-time job and do my creativespiritual work full time.

Luckily, I was in Jamie Ridler‘s Circe’s Circle at the time, a Creative Dream Coaching Circle.

Jamie’s support, guidance and expertise were instrumental in helping me learn more about my creative capacity and what to do about it.? And now, thankfully, the days when I become TOAST are few and far between.

PPS: Jamie’s Circe’s Circle Creative Dream Coaching Circle is starting again soon.? I highly recommend it! You can check it out right here.

PPPS:? And now I am off to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and eat popcorn and take a bubble bath and a nap and let my brain recharge.

I hate my creative capacity! Read More »

Today, at the entrance to the Dream Loft

By Andrea Schroeder / August 23, 2012

Kokeshi dolls my dad brought back from Japan when I was little. (The one with pigtails totally looks like me-from-then)

SARK’s Living Juicy Cards.

An awesome old hutch my mom found in the basement of a house she sold when she was a real estate agent, and then painted pink for me, recently re-painted purple.

Today, at the entrance to the Dream Loft Read More »

What if you can’t afford the kind of support you need to grow your dream?

By Andrea Schroeder / August 22, 2012 / money, Vintage Creative Dream TV

support

This week's question is from a Creative Dreamer on a fixed income who cannot afford the kinds of programs that would give her the kind of support and tools she needs to bring her dreams to life.

Even if you can afford the support you need, most of us do find ourselves in a situation when we think something has to change before we can have what we want.