Manifest Your Dream Life

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

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So I’ve been adjusting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Except it wasn’t simple, at all.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I worry I’ll get overwhelmed.

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

carrie

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

Carrie Anspach, www.dirtygirlpottery.wordpress.com


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

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

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

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

Melody Flurry

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

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

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

I love what we are doing there.


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

Creative Dream TV: How To STOP Spinning Your Wheels

How to stop spinning your wheels

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

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

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

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

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

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

Update #13. Unlocking a new level of Believing in Myself

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 – 13 weeks in – the goal is less about the numbers and more about stretching 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.

 

This is a BIG week for me.

I feel like I’ve hit a whole new level of creative spiritual entrepreneurship and I am VERY happy to be here.

Inside the Creative Dream Circle, we’re working on module 4 of the Creative Dream Incubator which is all about transforming fear, turning inner critics into allies and shifting comfort zones to include less of what you don’t want and more of what you do want.

I’ve gone through this process many times, and each time there are new gifts in it for me.

And each time it gets a little easier to face my fears.

But this week it’s RIDICULOUSLY easy.

My fears are showing up TINY and with a sense of great spaciousness around them.

This has a such a radical impact on how I feel!

Which is giving me a clearer perspective, which is helping me see the things I wasn’t seeing before.

It’s not just that I have the courage to look at the things I didn’t want to look at before, it’s that I can look at them and see through the problem right to the solution.

I feel like I unlocked a new level of believing in myself.

believing

Of course, I’ve been working on my new Guided Journal & Colouring Book: You Got This. Dissolving Doubt & Bolstering Your Potential to Believe in Yourself and the book is working its magic on me, for sure.

(That book will be available on TUESDAY!)

And, this is update THIRTEEN – that’s thirteen weeks of focused attention to what I want to create.? Momentum builds over time.

Plus, I got some help from my friends this week.

I’ve got Hiro Boga‘s words ringing in my ears, something she said to me when I asked her a question that I am still working out the answer to.? I had a tea date with Jamie Ridler and as we chatted about what we’re doing in our businesses I got a HUGE piece of clarity.? Then I asked Kate James a question about marketing and her response brought me to exactly where I need to be.

Even though I work alone, I have such a rich network of creative support.? Feeling super grateful for this.

When I started this series, I shared the things I was going to do each week, including making time to revisit some of the better business courses I have taken over the years, like Unveiling the Heart of your Business (highly highly recommended if you are just starting out in business) and Become Your Own Business Adviser (much more expensive but highly recommended if you are a little further along) and the book The Creative Entrepreneur.

I’ve been doing that, a bit.?? But I was kind of just flitting around, reading things here and there, and not being clear on where to focus.

This week I saw where I need to focus: marketing.

To take apart my entire marketing strategy and re-build it.

It’s like I am looking at everything with much clearer eyes right now and seeing new possibilities, so I want to re-build.

What I’ve been doing has worked, so it hadn’t really occurred to me to take it apart and re-build it.

I was operating on the assumption that if you can get 10 people you can get 100, and it you can get 100 you can get 800 – it just takes more time.? And the most important part is to stretch your internal capacity, so that’s where I focused.

Well now that I have been stretching my internal capacity for 13 weeks I see things differently.

Also, if you’ve been following these updates you know I’ve been doing a lot of journaling and exploring what “working” means and what I want it to mean in my business, and how I want my business to feel for me and what kind of impact I want it to have.

It’s all coming to a head now.? I can see how and where things aren’t working – according to my NEW definition.? I can see how to take apart the parts that are not working.? I can see what I want to build.

I’ve spent two years building the insides of the Creative Dream Circle as my full-time job.? Now it’s time to build an outside that is worthy of the inside.

People join the Circle are are surprised by how much is there, by how powerful and transformational it is.

It’s a happy surprise, but still – I don’t want them to be surprised!? I want to be describing it better and I feel really clear right now on how to do that.

I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me, and I am super excited about diving into it.

PS: Remember if you join the Circle NOW – you get to come to next week’s Creative Journal Playdate!

Update #13. Unlocking a new level of Believing in Myself Read More »

Feeling overwhelmed and awkward about some parts of this…

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

It can’t always be exciting.

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Outward as in reaching out and growing your audience.

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

You can do both or one or the other.

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

Now I’m thinking no.

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

awkward

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

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

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

That’s where I’m at.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

This is a 2.5 year long story.

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

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

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

It looked pretty great!

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

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

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

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

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

And it was awesome.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But I have to trust internal over external.

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

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

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









The Dream Loft changes all the time.

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

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

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

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

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

In hindsight, everything was perfect.

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

And here I am.

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

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

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


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

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

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

Mandala Coloring Pages + Guided Journal for Self Love

 

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

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

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

>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IT NOW.

There is magic in this book.

You activate that magic by playing with it.

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

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

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

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

mandala coloring pagesmandala coloring pagesmandala coloring pages

>>> CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IT NOW.

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

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

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

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

Procrastination and finding the easy way to do something hard

procrastination

I put off these two things for months:

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

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

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

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

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

So I decided to do them.

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

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

I was a procrastinating manic.

Everything about working on these things felt HARD.?

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

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

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

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

Ahhh.? Relief. And room to breathe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

affirmation inspiration card

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

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

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


Procrastination and finding the easy way to do something hard Read More »

I want to be MIRACULOUSLY productive.

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

But I am not uber productive.

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

And it’s making me very cranky!?

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

productive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


I want to be MIRACULOUSLY productive. Read More »

How disappointment is LIBERATING

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

liberating

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

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

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

What if WORKING MY ASS OFF had doubled my income?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


How disappointment is LIBERATING Read More »

Art Journal Lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

art journal lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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

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

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

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

What I am noticing:

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

A lot of it comes down to levels of willingness.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So this is where we get stuck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Or is it waiting for perfect timing?

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

Maybe there are no accidents and everything is unfolding perfectly.

Art Journaling is the ultimate Orb of Thesulah.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Art Journal Lessons from Buffy the Vampire Slayer Read More »

Venturing into new Territory

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

(you can read my original post about this here)

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

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

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

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

This week, I am that mush!
mandala creative journal

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

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

mandala creative journal

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

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

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

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

I am really happy with how this is going.

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

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

What worked?

What didn’t work?

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

What do I want to do more of next month?

What do I want to do less of next month?

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

… looking forward to exploring this.

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

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

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

Venturing into new Territory Read More »

There is no magic in the BUT

?CDItoday

Today we start the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course inside the Creative Dream Circle.

Marketing experts would say that today is the day I’m supposed to write one last mind-blowing post to convince you that not signing up will be the biggest mistake of your life.

I’m not going to do that.

If you aren’t interested, I want to encourage you to trust your instincts and not join.? This isn’t for everyone!

Isn’t that kind of obvious?? I only want to play with people who want to play with me!

So if you’re not feeling that pull to join… that is totally OK – me and the Incubator are still sending you and your dream all the love.

What’s NOT OK is that so many people tell me they want to sign up BUT….

But I’m not sure I should spend money on dreams…

But I don’t know if I have enough time…

But I’m not sure I will fit in…

But what if I find out my dream is impossible…

But I think I’m doing ok on my own…

But I already know all about all this manifestation/healing stuff…

And don’t I HAVE TO do this on my own anyway?

Oh sweetie!? Yes, but is so ICKY!

The heart speaks in desire.? And the heart is wise.

A clear yes is a beautiful thing.

I clear no is a beautiful thing.

But your but is just that… a but.? There is no magic in butting!

BUTS are excuses that come from the part of you who is afraid of stepping into something new.

This is a valid fear!? New = scary, it’s true.

But having a BUT doesn’t mean your YES is actually a NO.? It just means you’re nervous about stepping into something new.? Which means you’re human.

I’m sure you already know that it’s actually impossible to GET your dream with ever stepping into something new.

So at some point, the YES has to become bigger than the BUT.? It’s up to YOU to decide when that point is.

There is MAGIC and HEALING and MIRACLES and POSSIBILITY in the Circle for you – if you want them.

There is SPACE in the Circle for you and your dream – if you want it.

At only $100/year – you do NOT have to participate in everything in order to get your money’s worth.

And if money is an issue – you can use the Incubator to create more financial abundance in your world (plus we’re going to do the Creative With Money course this year, and you’ll get that too). You can invest in creating a better future for yourself.

It’s your call, I just want to make it super clear: No matter what your but is, you and your dream will be ADORED, CHERISHED, CELEBRATED and SUPPORTED IN GROWING in the Circle.

Click here to join.


There is no magic in the BUT Read More »

How can you tell if YOUR dream is ready to grow?

How can you tell if your dream is ready to grow?

I have been getting so many questions lately from dreamers wondering… is my dream too small? Or too big?

Too vague?

Too selfish?

Too unlikely to come true so there is no point in even trying?

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

And the right time to get started is always NOW.

I know getting there will be a journey, but just imagine where you’ll be a year from now if you start today!

Here are some of the dreams that participants in the next session of the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course (starting tomorrow!) will be working on:

  • Figuring out how to step out of Corporate America and into something more creative and soul-FULL.
  • Exploring what it would mean to live as an Artist.
  • Creating a warm, welcoming home.
  • Discovering and creating conditions for thriving.
  • Bringing more love and kindness into everyday life.
  • Finding a partner.
  • Building a coaching business.
  • Creating a meditation practice.
  • To be more honest and real with myself.
  • To find my dream.

All dreams are delightful!? When you think about someone wanting to create these things in their lives, you just want to cheer for them, am I right?

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

Your dream is perfect just as it is.? Just like you are.

It’s not too impossible.? It doesn’t take more time or money or talent or support than you have.

It just needs your commitment.

And your courage.

The Creative Dream Incubator e-Course starts tomorrow in the Creative Dream Circle!

I hope you (and your delightful dream!) will take the leap and join us.

If you’re on the fence and have some questions – shoot me an email using the contact form on this page.

The most common question I’m getting is:

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

If you want to join I encourage you to JOIN.

Waiting for “The Right Time” is self-sabotage.

Life is never going to slow down enough for you to magically have time for your dreams.? This is something you have to choose for yourself.

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

You’ll get access to the course for a whole year.? You can take the teeniest tiniest baby steps with this and still get there in the end.

This isn’t about learning a bunch of stuff, this is about internal transformation.? You have to do that in your own time, at your own pace.

As I’ve said, it’s less a course and more a dream-growing bubble of love.? You can always fit a dream-growing bubble of love into your life somewhere!

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

  • You’ll have BIG, STRONG Creative Dreamer Muscles.
  • You’ll see more possibility and fewer obstacles in front of you.
  • You’ll understand what your dream needs in order to grow and you’ll know how to GIVE your dream what it needs to grow, without depleting yourself.
  • You’ll feel like a CREATIVE SUPERHERO.

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

This is the fourth year I’ve been doing this course.? As a creative person, I’m sure you understand that don’t like doing the same thing again and again!

So far, I’ve made an exception for this course because it’s such a beautiful thing and because it’s been such a powerful way to help more creatives have a positive impact on their world.? I love how the Creative Dream Incubator makes the world a better place by empowering creative dreamers.

But it does take a LOT of time and energy for me to put on each session, and I have a lot of other things I want to do too, so I can’t say for sure that I will do this again.

So if you want to join I encourage you to JOIN.? The magic starts tomorrow.? It’s happening inside the Creative Dream Circle.


How can you tell if YOUR dream is ready to grow? Read More »

On turning 40 and being surprised.

40

So I am turning 40 this year.

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

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

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

I am entering a new decade.

I remember being so excited to enter my 30s!

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

Entering my 40s feels really different.

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

A call to a new level of trusting myself.

But the biggest thing is my commitment to my dreams.

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

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

I am here to live MY truth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


On turning 40 and being surprised. Read More »

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