Tapping into the healing powers of glowing radiance [Weekly Dream Status Report]

By Andrea Schroeder / October 6, 2023 / Manifest Your Dream Life

Note: This is a post about my daily practice with my Creative Dreams - I often link to the tools, courses and processes I use which are available to Dream Book members. If you're not a member, find out more + join us here.

On Fridays I do my Dream Status Report which is a series of prompts I use every week to help me have more clarity, momentum and groundedness on my path. You can do them with me (Dream Book members: come post yours in the forum!)!

I know doing the same prompts every week can be annoying sometimes but this is magically clarifying. The repetition helps you go deeper into the process and makes it easier to LEARN from your process as you go, and the apply those learnings right away.

Here are the prompts:

PART ONE: (sometimes these can stay the same for months at time, sometimes they change often)

My dream is:

I want it because:

When I have it I will feel:

PART TWO:

Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

PART THREE:

My goal/wish/intention for this New Moon is:

Last week’s focus was:

What happened in the last week?

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

What do I need now?

What does my dream need now?

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

My Dream Status Report for this week:

PART ONE:

My dream is: Being the artist + writer I want to be. Feeling really alive. I already have it AND it's an always-work-in-process... right now there is a lot shifting around how much/what kind of art I want to make and working on creating more nourishing/robust/lively local creative community.

I want it because: Divorce is a new beginning. Of course there is sadness but there are also all these new possibilities and I want to explore them, I want to explore who I can be next.

When I have it I will feel: The same as now - ALL the feelings 🙂 But, I think, more ALIVENESS. And right now, because everything feels unsettled and uncertain, I'd love to feel a sense of stability.

My new moon intention: Treat this transition time I'm in as sacred. (New Moon call was so good this month!!)

PART TWO: Invite your dream in (using the Dream Lab practice) to help you with the rest of the prompts.

I do feel a real sense of stability while sitting in the Field of Creative Dream Alchemy. Like this field has been here, my relationship with the field was here long before I met my husband. This is like - my relationship with me, which includes my relationship with my divine self and all of my magic and power. Even though my life FEELS like so much fell away, and really so much DID fall away, here I still feel a sense of wholeness.

The field is like water, though I sit on it and don't feel wet. But I can move my fingers through it and it makes ripples like water. There are stars above.

I stay here and savour it before inviting my dream to join me.

When I do invite my dream in, I have a hard time holding in my mind what I'm really dreaming of. But the soul of my dream shows up as the sun. A glorious sunrise and then a gorgeous day, everything is illuminated and I see I have everything I need to create anything I want next in my life.

PART THREE:

Last week’s focus was: Be gentle with myself AND intention about what I want to be doing.

What happened in the last week?

The Marketing as a Creative + Spiritual Practice call on structure was soooo good! I got frustrated in my explorations on the call with so much stuff coming up but I've been working through it and getting some clarity on what kinds of structures I want now in my work.

I also - I MEAN HOLY FUCK I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS BUT - I FINISHED THE CREATIVE DREAM PLAYBOOK!!!! (Just waiting for the proof copy to get to me before I can say for sure I don't need to adjust the colours)

I started working on this last winter and it was starting to feel like it would actually take forever to finish it. BUT that's because I was figuring out a lot of things - not just for this book but for the many (dozens?) more I want to create next. It feels like this one is a doorway.

Also - I was so sad so much of the time. My step-son continues to have complications that baffle the doctors. It's so weird going through this experience with Joseph when we're not together.

But somehow my sadness didn't take over everything. I mean "somehow" - I've been working SO HARD at self care and taking good care of my nervous system. I feel so grateful for that.

What am I learning/How do I feel about this?

I am learning next-level self care, especially around my nervous system regulation. I'm feeling ALL the feelings, but really noticing a sense of expansion. Like, this big thing is gone from my life and I can stretch out a bit. What parts of me want to take up more space now?

I think I had mentioned here, that we didn't finish moving J's stuff out of the loft. It was actually a really good self care move that I was proud of myself for, to say "let's not finish this last load today" because I needed to stop and rest.

But, honouring my needs in the moment doesn't magically bring me everything I want!!! I guess I hoped that it would. Because I was unhappy that it left me with the consequences of that decision - the couch and a few boxes still in the loft all this time.

Since everything is so up and down at the hospital, I couldn't plan a time with J to finish (the truck usually needs to be booked in advance) so I decided instead to take the couch apart (it's an IKEA daybed, none of the parts are heavy) and I booked the truck to move it myself tomorrow morning.

SO, once that is done, I'll have more open space in the loft to match the open space I am feeling in my life.

What do I need now?

Really more of the same. Focus on self care. Work on creating the lists/structure/organization that make it easier to also do the things I want to do.

What does my dream need now?

I hear the words: glowing radiance.

It feels like: remember how magic it feels in this meditation! Spend more time in this space!

Taking all of this into account, my focus for the next week is:

Tapping into the healing powers of glowing radiance. I look forward to experimenting with this.

Dream Book members:

Come to the forum to share your Dream Status Report or start a conversation about whatever you're working with.

Get your next Dream Book lesson.

Check out the calendar of upcoming calls.

Tapping into the healing powers of glowing radiance [Weekly Dream Status Report] Read More »

A peek inside my process: How I discovered clarity, power + joy in the middle of confusion + self-doubt.

By Andrea Schroeder / July 1, 2014 / journaling, Manifest Your Dream Life

Being engaged in a daily creative/spiritual practice always brings me back to my magic and helps me to receive whatever it is I need in the moment. This is why I teach so many different creative/spiritual processes, so that I always have something I can reach for that is engaging and fun enough that I’ll do it even when I’m SUPERcraky.

Treasure Mapping is one of those processes.? When I was feeling so confused and unsure last week, I knew that Treasure Mapping could help, and the thought of spending the next few weeks making maps every day made me so happy, I ran out and got myself a new journal to FILL with maps, and decorated it:

What happened when I started Treasure Mapping was so magical, I HAD TO make a video to share it, even though last week I went on a summer-long hiatus from making videos.

July 10 (next week!) I?m teaching a live-on-the-phone treasure-mapping class.

(It will be recorded and you absolutely won’t miss out on anything if you can’t be there live – you’ll still get to share your questions and stories and photos in our private forum)

You’ll learn a fun and creative way to GET the clarity you?ve always wanted about what to do next with your dream, without waiting for the answer to somehow magically come to you.? You?ll learn how to access deep and true intuitive wisdom right when you need it.

The cost of the Circle is going up to $147 this summer.? I’m still working out the details to share more specifically when the price increase will come into play, but this will be the last class you can join in for the $100/year rate.

A peek inside my process: How I discovered clarity, power + joy in the middle of confusion + self-doubt. Read More »

Update 29: Manure Makes The Flowers Grow (and dreams too!)

By Andrea Schroeder / June 13, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, intention, journaling, Manifest Your Dream Life

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

At this point though, I’m not interested in the numbers. I’ve been more interested in exploring how to grow my capacity serve dreamers in bringing their dreams to life from a place of delight and gratitude and plenty.

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.

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

This week started HARD, capital H, capital A, capital R, capital D. HARD.

I did have to laugh at myself a bit – I know that doing a class specifically on happiness has a tendency to bring the things that block happiness to light.

The story was always there, rooted in fear and shame and lack.? But it was all tightly rolled up, like a stone.? A stone that was blocking possibility, but it had been there so long I didn’t notice it anymore.

Unraveling the story in preparation for Love Your Life, of course, makes it impossible to not notice.? It’s like the rock exploded and instead of keeping this story so neatly contained it was now… well it was everywhere.? Impossible to avoid.

The teacher and healer in me knows that this is good.

This is how those stories get broken down back to their essence and healed and transformed.

This is how the fear and shame and lack get released.? This is how new stories get written.

But every other part of me was not so welcoming of the situation.?

It’s painful and scary and hard.? I felt particularly freaked out to be getting ready to teach this class where we’d be working with joy, delight and love when I was feeling so much the opposite.? And I blogged about that earlier this week.

But I have the tools to work through it effectively and quickly.

And on the other side of that, things look really different.

I am more connected to the WHY of why I do this work and why I am moving towards this particular dream of growing the Circle.

I am more in love with my work, my life and my self than ever.

There is more room inside of me for trust and courage.? I feel indescribably amazing.

This kind of energy healing really is the best drug ever.

That’s why the Creative Dream Circle includes the Un-Sticking Station which is ALWAYS there to lead you through that process.? Because the shitty parts are a part of the journey.? And when you’re in the shitty parts it’s hard to remember how to get out of them.

But when you bring creativity and love and wisdom and power to how you handle the shitty parts – you grow your superpowers and make more space inside of you for more of whatever you want: abundance, joy, calm, delight, creativity, etc, etc, etc.

So as I write this on Thursday morning I am still in the afterglow of deep healing, and in the pre-glow-magic of the Love Your Life Creative Journal Class – we’re doing our live playdate this afternoon.

There is more that I would like to share, about shifting perspectives, but need to save my energy for our class today.? (I usually write these on Thursday afternoons, and this week that time is devoted to the Love Your Life Creative Journal Class.)

So I’m not going to answer the Creative Dream Update Questions (posting them here for Circle members so you can use them in our weekly update circle: What happened in the last week? How do I feel about this? What do I need now? What does my dream need now? Taking all of this into account, my next mission is:)

I am so in love with all of this, and so grateful for all the amazing beings I get to share this work with, inside the Creative Dream Circle.? If you’ve been on the fence about joining, I’ve got to say: DO IT.? If you like my work enough to be reading these update posts, you’ll totally love what I have to offer inside the Circle.

Update 29: Manure Makes The Flowers Grow (and dreams too!) Read More »

I want to help teachers/healers/coaches/helpy-people help more people

By Andrea Schroeder / May 29, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

One week ago today, I woke up with this beautiful idea: a small group mentoring program focused on helping teachers/healers/coaches/helper-people help more people.

Combining the benefits and attention of one-on-one coaching with the magic and synchronicity of a small group experience, the group is designed to support you wherever you are in the process of helping people.

Our goal: to enable your greatness, support your vision for what you want to bring to the world and and help you evolve into the best teacher/healer/coach/helper-person you can be. ?

This is for people who want to help other people: either help MORE people and/or get better at helping people.

Helping people is the BEST THING EVER, but it’s not an easy job!

Those of us who are called to this kind of work have unique issues to face.

You don’t want to tell people what to do: you want to empower them to create their unique path. Which is infinitely trickier to do than just handing them a set of instructions.

You don’t want to offer bullshit platitudes: you want to offer real, effective and grounded support. “Turn that frown upside down” doesn’t really cut it.

You don’t want to get depleted in the process. You know you need to nurture yourself and fill your own well in order to be able to serve from your deepest capacity. Knowing this doesn’t mean it’s easy to DO this.

Because people who feel called to help are innately un-selfish, sometimes we are TOO un-selfish and don’t set things up so our needs get met.? You may feel guilty about “charging too much” even though you know that your helping business needs to be profitable in order for you to be able to help more people.

What I’m seeing for this group: Support, Healing & Magic for the Way-Showers.

That’s a drawing I did in my journal last summer.? At the time when I drew it, it felt important but I didn’t know why.? This morning I flipped through that old journal to find it and when I saw it, I remembered the magic I felt in it.

I have so much love for the way-showers!

I mean, I am one of them, obviously.? But if not for other way-showers showing me the way I wouldn’t have found my way here.? And I just LOVE working with other way-showers/helper-people because we share the same mission: a heartfelt desire to help.

I would love to be offering these groups as a regular thing but have some experimenting to do to see how it fits in with the work I’m already doing.

Since this is my first time offering this, I am offering a Special Price For Brave Adventurers.? If you feel called to participate, you’ll help me shape this in return for receiving coaching + support at a special price.

This is not a program where I lead you through a bunch of steps and we work on the same things. This is custom-designed-for-you: you bring what you want to work with, and we’ll work with it together. You’ll have my guidance and support, but we’ll draw on YOUR unique skills, talents and approaches to create your path.

I’m seeing this group as a place where you can get support to:

strengthen your helping skills
step up your work to start helping MORE people
figure out what your next steps are in your growth as a helper-person
do your work with less depletion and more ease
find new ways of helping

But if there is something else you’d like to work with, send me an email and we’ll discuss if it will be a good fit for this group.? (Or if you’d rather work with me one-on-one, you can book a private session with me right here)

This is going to be amazing.

When I woke up with this idea, it felt so beautiful and healing and nurturing and needed.

I love that so many of us are feeling called to help others.? I know that helping others create happier & more fulfilling lives makes me feel so much happier and more fulfilled – it’s a self-fueling loop of delight. I want to invite more people into the loop!

And I want to encourage everyone who feels called to do this kind of work to get the support they need to help others effectively and joyfully and sustainably.

What you’ll get:

Four group calls: one call a week for four weeks.? The group is limited to 6 people, each person will get 15 minutes of coaching time on each call. Plus you get extra bonus insights from listening in on each other’s process.

Each week you’ll get a customized assignment/mission/challenge based on what’s going on for you and what you want to be working with.

We’ll have our own private forum inside the Creative Dream Circle for accountability and support. (The group will stay open for 1 week past our last call, then disappear – but you’ll still be connected to everyone through the Creative Dream Circle for the rest of the year)

You’ll get a playbook to help you get clear on where you are, where you want to be and what you want to work/play on during our time together.

The calls:

The calls are planned for Tuesdays at 2pm, Central, North America – June 17, 24, July 1, 8.

But if you want to participate and that time does not work for you, email me with some times that do work for you.? If I can get a group of 6 people together at one time – we’ll do it at that time!

The monies:

Membership in the Creative Dream Circle is the prerequisite for joining this group.

The?Special Price For Brave Adventurers for the first run of this group is $200.

So if you’re already a Circle member you can do this for $200, if you’re not a member yet the total cost is $300.

The Special Price For Brave Adventurers is a very special price!? A regular 45 minute session with me costs $175 for Circle members, $225 for non-members and does not include being a part of a gorgeous support group for 5 weeks.

There is only room for 6 people, it will be on a first-come, first-served basis.? The way to reserve your spot is to pay in full.? My regular coaching policies apply.? If you have to miss a call you’ll still get the recording, but you don’t get a make-up call.

Edited to add: Wheee! This group is full.

I want to help teachers/healers/coaches/helpy-people help more people Read More »

The Cure For Writer’s Block

By Andrea Schroeder / May 14, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life

I’ve been wanting to share some of the super-inspiring stories of amazing things that happen inside the Creative Dream Circle but I haven’t known how to do it. Working with dreams is working with heart – so vulnerable and delicate. It’s no small thing that people trust me with their dreams and I’m not going to betray that trust by trying to force anyone into the limelight.

But some of these stories keep tapping me on the shoulder, demanding to be shared.

So I’ve decided to share bits and pieces – without naming names or sharing photos or anything like that. So people’s privacy is protected, their dream remains sheltered from public view, while the essence of the story can come out and play.

The cure for writer’s block:

I received the following message from someone who was in my free Give Your Dream Wings course:

I know what my creative dream is and what the soul of it is, but I’m lacking the joy and flow to do it with ease and happiness. It’s still loaded with fear for me. I need to write and I want to do it but boy do I delay it every single time. That blank page is tough! Would your Creative Dream Circle help with that?

That question really hit me in the heart.? So many creatives know exactly what they want to be doing, but their dreams are, as this writer put it, LOADED with fear.

I hate knowing that there are people out there in this situation!? So much so that I’ve made it my life’s work to help people out of this situation.

Writer’s block, like all creative blocks, is an emotional block.

Facing the blank page is terrifying.? Going after your dream is terrifying. Starting is a terrifyingly vulnerable thing.

The secret?? Meeting your fear with creativity and love.

My response:

Yes! The Circle will definitely help with that. Fear is the biggest obstacle to dreaming, so I have a lot of material about it in the Circle. In the Creative Dream Incubator course (which you get in have circle) there is an in-depth module about how to work with fear effectively. Plus there is an “un-sticking station” to get quick help any time you get stuck. I use that almost every day.

It’s totally natural to be afraid, I find that learning how to work creatively with fear is one of the most important skills to learn to bring any dream to life.

She joined the Circle and one of the first things she did there was listen to my hour long audio class on How Meeting Fear With Creativity And Love Means You Never Have To Stay Stuck.

And then: she started writing!

She found the cure for writer’s block and she started writing!? This is from one of her first posts in the Circle:

Hello! I’m brand new here and decided this morning to get right into it by listening to the recording of “meeting fear with creativity and love”. I found it extremely helpful [removed for privacy]. I went on to write the piece I wanted to write…

She went on to write the piece she wanted to write.

Being un-blocked and in the flow really is that accessible.

Does this mean our heroine is never going to suffer from writer’s block, ever again?

Of course not.

She’ll have to keep meeting fear with creativity and love and learning new techniques for transforming fear and doubt and all the things that hold her back.

This is the secret to bringing any dream to life: to stay in the process of transforming the blocks.? To meet them there on the blank page – every day or every week.? To keep showing up no matter how hard your inner critics start to fight back.

I can promise that if you stay with it, it does get easier.

When I first left my day-job to be a full time Creative Dream Incubator, I had a major fear freak-out at least once a week.? But now?? In my fourth year of doing this full time?? I’ve had ONE fear freak-out all year. And it wasn’t even major.

You can transform your inner landscape.? You can make more space for freedom and glee and creativity and delight and trust and dreams come true.? You do not have to let fear stomp all over your dream garden.

This is what we do inside the Creative Dream Circle.

The Cure For Writer’s Block Read More »

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

By Andrea Schroeder / May 13, 2014 / healing, Manifest Your Dream Life, Vintage Creative Dream TV

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:

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

Update 21: Growth Spurt

By Andrea Schroeder / April 11, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So this week is a growth spurt week.

And I am really happy about this.

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

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

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

I feel like I have created the perfect welcome sign.

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

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

This shifts the energy, big time.

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

Update 21: Growth Spurt Read More »

On Being Afraid And Doing It Anyway

By Andrea Schroeder / April 9, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life

Yesterday I hosted by first blog hop.? It was totally rad.

It was also totally outside of my comfort zone.

I am seriously introverted.? And seriously HSP.? Just the volume of emails needed to pull off something like that was/is outside of my comfort zone.? Nevermind all the other things that scared me about it.

I felt overwhelmed at the thought of it.? I also felt inspired and sure.

There is this thing in the Creative Dream Circle called the Crazy Smart Wisdom Council.

When the right thing for you is outside of your comfort zone (which is where most, if not all, dreams live) – you will tend to try to talk yourself out of it because who wants to be uncomfortable?? The beauty of having a Crazy Smart Wisdom Council is that it roots you back into your truth.

Not the small truths: I’m scared. I’m unsure. I don’t have time.? The Big Truth: When I both LISTEN and ACT ON my intuitive wisdom, anything is possible.

Yes, it’s scary.? Yes, I will probably do it wrong.? Yes, I will feel overwhelmed.? Yes, it would be much more comfortable to just not do this.? Yes, I know this is my right next move.

It’s NOT about steamrolling over your fear.

That is a bad idea, always.? “Leap and the net will appear” is bullshit.

Steamrolling over your feelings is really different from sitting in the discomfort and being willing to be vulnerable in service to your dreams.

When I was willing to be vulnerable in service to my dreams:

I asked for help even though just the thought of asking for help makes me uncomfortable. I reached out to other bloggers and asked them to offer their time, talent & energy in support of my project.
I moved forward even though I was sure I was going to do it wrong.? I have met SO MANY amazing talented bloggers – hundreds of them.? I couldn’t ask everyone I wanted to ask.? I was afraid of asking the wrong people, of other people feeling left out or pissed off, of everyone saying no.
I facilitated something really beautiful.? There was a lot of magic in this blog hop, in sharing people’s honest heartfelt stories of how they nurture their dreams.? It inspired people all over the world.? It introduced people to interesting & amazing new bloggers.? And it got attention for my new free course.

I’m so glad I did this.

On Being Afraid And Doing It Anyway Read More »

Give Your Dream Wings Blog Hop

By Andrea Schroeder / April 8, 2014 / Manifest Your Dream Life

Today I’ve got some pretty ding dang BIG news for you: a new (free!) course that shows you how to nurture, support and grow your dream… in only 10 minutes a day.? It’s called Give Your Dream Wings.

I’m celebrating with a blog hop.

The Give Your Dream Wings Blog Hop is a peek inside the process of how inspiring people make the magic happen. We?ve got some of the internet?s most inspiring bloggers sharing how they give their dreams wings ? what they do that supports, nurtures and encourages their tender dreams to come to life.

Here they are….

Amanda Fall, Persistent Green & Sprout Magazine: Love or Fear?

Amy Goetz, Amy Creates Stuff: Dreaming While Under Construction

Angel Sullivan, Bringing Soul to Solo-Preneur: Giving My Dream Wings

Barbara Martin, Barbara Martin Art: Growing Creative Dreams

Connie Hozvicka, Dirty Footprints Studio: Big Dreams, Small Packages

Effy Wild, Effy Wild Love & Glitter: Give Your Dream Wings

Gretchen Miller, Creativity in Motion: Giving Your Dream Wings Through Creative Practice

Hali Karla, Hali Karla Arts: Give Your Dream Wings {[Hop-Flap-Fly}

Jamie Ridler, Jamie Ridler Studios: Giving Your Dream Wings, One Feather At A Time

Jane Cunningham, Numinous Jane: Furnishing My Dreams With Wings And Other Daedalus Like Activities…

Jo Anna Rothman, Conjurer of Electric Creative Wholeness: Magic Middle

Kylie Bellard, Effervescence: My Recipe For Dream Fulfillment

Laurel Bleadon-Maffei, Illuminating Souls: 5 Tips For When Your Dreams Feel Too Big & Fear Tries To Talk You Out Of Your Destiny

Lisa Sorona Beam, The Adventures of a Creative Entrepreneur: Creative Dream Visual Journal

Liv Lane, Human Sparkler: The Big Reveal: My New Dream

Liz Lamoreux, Be Present Be Here: On Living Dreams Into Reality

Max Daniels, Better Your Life: Keep Calm And Ask For More. And Then Some.

Shannon Wilkinson, Perception Studios: How I Give My Dream Wings

Tamara Laporte, Willowing Arts: Giving Your Dream Wings

Tara Leaver, Art, Words and Creative Encouragement: The Simple Way To Bring Your Dream To Life

Victoria Brouhard, The Practical Art Of Letting Your Soul Lead The Way: How to Come Back to Your Dream After Heartbreak

Violette Clark, Violette’s Creative Juice: Give Your Creative Dream Wings

If you’re a pinner, you can find all of these posts on the Give Your Dream Wings Board.

Let’s give YOUR dream WINGS.

Living with your dreams is about living your truth: shining as the bright star you are, open hearted, deeply connected and ridiculously inspired.

Give Your Dream Wings is a FREE 10 day e-course. It’s where I’ll show you how to, well, give your dream wings. Like, right now. In ten minutes a day, for zero dollars.

You’ll get a lesson every day for 10 days, delivered via email.

Once you get to the end of this course, you’ll have a simple but magically profound technique for accessing your genius, nurturing your dream and making the MAGIC happen, in 10 only minutes a day.

What you’ll need:

A computer with internet access for receiving emails and watching videos.
A journal (or a bunch of sheets of paper) and a pen (I’m pretty sure it will work better if you use glitter pens, but that’s up to you).
10 minutes/day that you can devote to this.

You do NOT need to already know what your dream is, or believe that it’s possible for you to have what you want. Just give this a try and see what happens!

Ready? Let’s do this.

Once you’re signed up, you’re also going to get my inspiration-filled weekly emails with links to my latest videos, updates about what’s happening inside the Creative Dream Incubator and other treats. Of course, you will be free to unsubscribe from the emails at any time, with a simple click of a button.

Give Your Dream Wings Blog Hop Read More »

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

By Andrea Schroeder / April 4, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, intention, Manifest Your Dream Life

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TRUST. STABILITY. BLISS.

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

I thought about that a lot this week.

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

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

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

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

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

I’m happy about that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Andrea Schroeder / March 31, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life, money

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

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

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

The truth is, size doesn’t matter.

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

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

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

I think they’re missing the boat completely.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EMPOWERMENT. TRUST. ALIGNMENT.

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

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

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

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

I know you can do this.

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

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

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

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

Update 18: Why Being Stuck is Very, Very GOOD

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That is not how I want to get there.

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

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

Right now, the Circle feels absolutely blissful to me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Much, much longer process than simply following proven tactics.

Also: richer.

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

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

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

See what happened there?

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

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

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

Then I showed my frustrated self what I want.

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

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

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

Nothing, EVER, has to stay stuck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spotlight!

By Andrea Schroeder / March 27, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life

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

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

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

?Tell us about yourself!

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

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

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

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

Tell us about your dream!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And I thought… I can do something about that.

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

What’s your favourite part of the Circle?

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

I feel like I’m glowing for days after.

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

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

Spotlight! Read More »

Creative Dream TV: The Truth about Money and Creative Self-Employment

By Andrea Schroeder / March 25, 2014 / creative entrepreneur, Manifest Your Dream Life, money, Vintage Creative Dream TV

Some days it feels like the only people who talk openly about money are the people who are making millions.? And it starts to feel like more money = more success. Which is not true.

Being successful with money is about having what’s right for you.

Being successful with life is about living in a way that lights you up with joy.? For me, this has to include being my own boss so that I can be doing the work that is the most inspiring and fulfilling to me.

While I’m feeling a little uncomfortable about sharing this today because it’s just more personal than what I am used to sharing publicly, I also feel like it’s really important that I do share it.

We need more not-millionaires sharing their happy money stories.

So today I’m sharing my actual story about money and being a creative entrepreneur.

I am 100% self-employed. I am single and don’t have anyone helping with the bills.? Of course, this story changes from day to day and week to week, but this is where I am right now:

If you want to become a more conscious, empowered and deliberate creator of your money story, join me for the Creative with Money e-Course.

This course is deeply healing and magically transformational.

You can get it inside the Creative Dream Circle.

Creative Dream TV: The Truth about Money and Creative Self-Employment Read More »

Spotlight!

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

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

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

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

?Tell us about yourself!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tell us about your dream!

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

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

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

my dream is pretty freaking big.

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

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

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

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

What’s your favourite part of the Circle?

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

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

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

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

Let’s peek inside Angel’s journals!!

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

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