Holiday Grounding Through Creative Gratitude

This winter solstice I’ve decided to celebrate the increasingly longer days with creative gratitude. The holidays can feel very hectic and rushed at times and that’s when we need to feel grounded most. If not, the stress can get to us and bring our spirit and mood and immune system down.

How do I prefer to get grounded? If it were warm out, I love walking barefoot on the sand or grass, but with it being very frosty out lately, I choose to create art instead. Being creative and expressing ourselves helps us return to the present moment we’re living right now and let go of worries or concerns or to-do lists for a little bit while we dive into a creative project or canvas.

One of my favorite ways to create art is through collaging. I love the freedom of ripping and tearing inspiring images and words out of magazines or junk mail and making something beautiful and unique from it. I also love that it’s a green, eco-friendly art form, using old or unwanted magazines and other printed material in a new and artistic way.

This evening I’m hosting my first online class to demonstrate just this–how to feel more grounded this holiday season by creating gratitude art. We’ll be focusing our collage on what we’re grateful for from this past year. I find reflection around this time of year so helpful and grounding as well so what better way to celebrate the increasing light coming with this solstice than by reflecting on what we’re grateful for.

If you’d like to join me live, follow this link to the Facebook event where I’ll be broadcasting my free class this evening at 5:30pm PST. Looking forward to feeling more grounded and creative with you!

Happiest of holidays!

Maret

Why I Collage: A Reflection

 

Almost 4 years ago I started collaging again, after not having done so since I was a kid. I started with a vision board collage and didn't even have a glue stick. I just sat on the couch while my husband and I were watching TV and plowed through countless magazines I was wanting to recycle and taped together my very first vision board. But what I really discovered was a missing piece in my happiness. I thrive when I'm being creative. And sometimes when we “adult” too much, we forget what brings us to our happy place. Collaging has brought me closer to my creativity and that is so important for me in living a more joy-filled life.

Since rediscovering this vital part of cultivating more creativity in my life, I started sharing my love for collaging with others at get-togethers with friends and later in-services at work and then classes in the community. It filled me up and I loved watching others rediscover a little part of themselves that they may have left in their childhood. 

 

I also collect different scraps from colorful ads or words and phrases that inspire me so that I can create mini-collages fairly quickly. I keep them in a little notebook I started almost 3 years ago and love to go back through the book to see the different themed collages I've created. It's been a really helpful and fun way to destress and reconnect with my creative side. And now I can't wait to share my love for collaging with my daughter!

Do you remember a favorite activity you enjoyed as a child that you could bring back to feel more joyful when you've been "adulting" too much?

 

If you’d like support, I’m here for you. You can learn more about my life coaching services at: http://owningyourgoodness.wordpress.com.

 

Collaging for Reflection

A couple of days ago I taught a new collage class. I decided to focus the collaging on reflection for the end of the year. It's something I enjoy doing each year around this time and I thought it would be neat to combine my love for collaging with reflecting on the past year. Before digging into the collaging, I offered some questions to get us in the mindset of reflection before starting our collages.

Since it was a small class, I got to take part in the fun too and created a collage as well. I encouraged everyone to keep in mind what inspired them over the past year and pick images and words from the magazines that grab their attention. When collaging, for me at least, it's important to not overthink it, to just rip and create. 

In the end, I looked at my own collage and wondered what lessons were hidden in the images and words I chose to paste together. So after the class ended, I decided to send the same reflection questions I offered at the beginning of the class to the attendees and invited them to look at their collage creations while thinking about the questions. I did the same with my collage.

 

I found the questions on a site called Minds In Bloom for teachers actually preparing to end the school year with their students, but I thought they really worked for an end of the year reflection too, such as:

What are some things that you did this past year that make you smile?

When did you feel the most joyful or alive this past year?

What was the most challenging part of the year for you?

What are the 3 most important things you learned from 2016?

Reflecting on the year through the eyes of my collage was a really neat exercise and one I'd like to continue doing at the end of each year. It helped me see what I learned in a creative, more abstract way, rather than the more traditional cerebral way of looking back. From my collage, I pulled the following lessons in my life from 2016:

*Giving life and that my motherhood is linked to Mother Earth

*To just keep riding ~ "Ride, Mama, Ride"

*Courage & bravery when scared or uncertain 

*Trusting my wings & that the parachute will catch me when I take leaps of faith 

*Dance when down -or- stand up and dance 

*Home is where the heart is

*"Love, Faith, Attitude, Present Moment, Objectives/Goals, Forgiveness - Keys to Happiness" (translated from Spanish)

*Growing wisdom/knowledge 

*Motherhood is a gift 

 

I'm excited to share my love for creativity with my daughter. Looking forward towards 2017 I know many more gifts, blessings, and lessons will be brought. 

What have you learned from this past year?

Creative Stress Management--The Class

This coming Sunday I'll be facilitating a class on creative stress management, a topic that has been near and dear to my heart for many years. Through trial and error and working in social services, giving my heart and energy to others, I realized that I needed to focus more on managing stress and developing wellness practices. Through many years of research and a passion for shining light on others' creativity, I've developed a class that I'm happy to present to the world this Sunday.

Nearly two years ago in 2014, I facilitated my first official workshop on creative stress management through collage for a professional development day at Edmonds Community College, where I then worked. I provided blank notebooks and each participant used the cover page as the backing for their collage. They were instructed to rip or cut out any images or words that spoke to them. They could then use the notebooks later to record their dreams and goals or for anything they liked. There were no other rules. They were the bosses, and they loved it! And I fell in love! I realized quickly that this is something I want to share with more people and at the same time, something that puts me in my own creative flow.

Several months later, I had the opportunity to combine mindful breathing with collage at another professional development day but this time at Bellevue College. I absolutely loved seeing the relaxation on participants' faces and in their shoulders as they followed a simple breathing exercise. Our collages that day also focused on specifically on work-life balance.

Then last summer in 2015, I had the opportunity to lead another mindful breathing exercise and collage session for a wellness challenge at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Again, the experience reaffirmed my passion for helping others feel stress relief and move towards a greater level of well-being. And people began to request more opportunities to rip and tear inspirational images and words from magazines and flyers to create their own unique visual oasis! I offered 3 more sessions--one focusing on goal setting, another on our personal missions, and the latest session with a group of early childhood education employees on a professional development day.

In addition to workplace creative stress management, I've hosted several collage parties for friends over the past several years as well, at first to try out my ideas and make sure they flowed well and then to continue spreading the creative stress management love. And it's more fun to create and inspire when you're in the company of friends!

With that said, I also enjoy creating when watching TV, when I want to refocus on my wellness and goals, when I'm just hanging out, when I feel inspired, so since I created my collage notebook two years ago, I have filled the pages of the notebook with mini-wellness collages. It's now one of my prized possessions. Think vision boards, but in miniature and mobile form. I can take the notebook anywhere or turn to a particular page and focus on it to feel a renewal of inspiration.

As you can tell, I'm wild about creative stress management and I can't wait to share it with more people. If you're interested in attending my upcoming class on May 1st, please send me an email at: maret.carrillo@gmail.com. More information is below or you can visit: www.facebook.com/owningyourgoodness. (You can pay the supplies fee when you arrive on Sunday.)  Looking forward to creating greater wellness with you!

Letting Go and Starting Anew - A Year in Review

Each New Year’s Eve I like to look back at the past year and take some time to reflect and learn from all I experienced. Last Sunday I participated in one of my New Year's traditions. Five years ago, my dear friend, Julie took me to her family’s church for an end of the year burning bowl ceremony. It’s where you release what is no longer serving you and make room for the new. Ever since, I have looked forward to this ritual each December. 

This ritual reminds me of an Ecuadorian tradition to burn “anoviejos” at midnight on New Year’s. Anoviejos are paper mache figurines that represent the previous year and are burned to release the old year and start afresh. The anoviejos can be range from super heroes to even political figures. 

Although I probably won’t be burning an anoviejo this year, one of the best examples of letting go today may be with this blog post. I had just completed and hit “publish” on a beautiful post that I spent the morning working on just now and then lost it! Puff! Vanished into thin cyberspace air. Devastating to lose my creative work but then I began to shift my perspective and see what a lesson it is of the very subject I was writing about. We just have to keep going and start fresh again. Just like the new year. I’m sad to not be able to share my original post with all of you but I did save an earlier version of the content so I will do my best to start again. (Like in life, huh?) And tonight I will eat 12 grapes at midnight, another favorite Ecuadorian tradition of mine.

So here goes...

Almost a year ago, I officially started my journey to become a transformational life coach. (In reality, I had begun this journey years before as I researched ways to better manage stress and help people around as well.) I met some of the most amazing and caring people in my coaching class. I also gained the experience and confidence to offer more workshops and even facilitate a session at an in-service day for support staff where I work. Professionally, I also got a new job that’s closer to my home and is in a more supportive environment with a window that has a few of a protected green area where I’ve seen deer, coyote, and even an owl. 

We took several trips to fun places, both nearby and far away. Our travels took us to beautiful, tranquil Whidbey Island to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary, to Yakima and wine country to celebrate the last of summer, to Portland to visit close friends and their babies, to Grayland, WA for my dear cousin’s graduation party.

We also found a little piece of heaven on Earth in Canoa - Ecuador and up above the clouds of Quito - Ecuador as we visited many wonderful friends and family. 

Our friends and family took us to most amazing places in Ecuador, like a waterfall hike by the famous Otavalo marketplace, fresh fish in Salango for Thanksgiving after an adventure in driving down the Ruta del Sol on the Ecuadorian coast, standing at the Westernmost point of South America and watching the sea lions sunbathe, driving over the Andes Mountains in 3 hours through some of the most breathtaking countryside I've seen, getting a little lost in the valleys near Cuenca but in the end finding a delicious traditional lunch, playing with wonderful children. We are truly blessed to have had the chance to spend 3 weeks in our second home of Ecuador this year!

My husband, Geovanny and I went on beautiful nature hikes and drove late at night to stargaze and see supermoons, Venus and Jupiter, and even the Star of Bethelem! We enjoyed parties with friends and family in our still new apartment and spent time by my brother-in-law’s pool over the summer. I got to see and hear the amazing orca whales pass right below while staying in an incredible house on San Juan Island with dear friends from middle school. I went on my first business trip flying to Spokane for a conference and venturing to see my dad in beautiful Idaho one evening as well. 

I trained with my best bud, Emily to walk my first half-marathon in September. (We completed it in a little over 4 hours.) I decided to take out most gluten, corn, soy, caffeine, and sugar from my diet (that last one is still a journey though of course). And I no longer have to take allergy pills everyday as a result! 

I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity and Divine timing to say goodbye to one of my dearest friends, help her feel safe in her journey to Heaven, and hold her family in love and light. My faith increased as signs from my new angel friend graced the skies over and over again before and after her passing. I feel blessed to have captured so many in photos, as they serve as reminders to look up more often and trust in a higher power.

I didn't blog as much as I had set out to do, but I did participate in another Fun-A-Day challenge last January. (My first Fun-A-Day challenge in 2014 inspired me to post a little blog nearly everyday of the year that year!) In May I posted nature pictures everyday for about a month as a way to dedicate time just for me. I also added 18 mini-collages to my collage book.

So what's in store for next year? Stay tuned! It's sure to be a bright and promising 2016!

Adventures in Vision Boarding

I'm a boarder. A vision boarder, that is. I have been creating inspirational collages on a regular basis for over a year now and it has brought me great joy. I have led several collage sessions with friends and in the workplace and loved it. I loved inspiring others to express their dreams through art and enjoy the relaxation that comes with creating. And I have witnessed the power of making my intentions reality through putting them out there for the Universe to see through my own collages.

About a year ago, I started a vision collage book and have been adding to it little by little whenever inspiration finds me or when I want to invoke more inspiration and creativity in me. When I may have gotten so busy I forgot to express myself artistically. This is a wonderful outlet and has also shown me how vision boards come from deep within. It is almost like the scraps of colorful paper and the words and phrases flow from a higher space, and I get in the groove and time flies by as I create and create.

I thought it would be neat to read over my past collages and write out the messages formed in them, almost like poetry scrapped together by phrases and words that I was drawn to as I collaged. My inspirations are numerous and vary from free pamphlets and flyers to used and donated magazines of all shapes and sizes to my life coaching class lessons. One of my favorite magazines to use when I collage is the Oprah magazine though. 

Here are the wise words I've used to live by and form intentions from on the collages I created this past year:

Milagro, encuentrame ahora!

(Miracle, find me now!)

Cup of Grace, like a diamond:

Art / energy / play / feeling good / calling / bliss / patient / transcendence / way of life / Renaissance / happiness / savoring / deliciousness / peaceful / paradise / freedom / heart / thanks / true love / ideas / journey / abundance / joy 

Oh, beautiful life!

Conjuring a world of endless possibilities,

Defying boundaries.

Taking a leap.

Restore / Replenish / Refresh

Live your best

Find your balance.

Let go >>>>

What makes it awesome 

I imagined myself becoming a woman who was valued for the love she shared.

Passionate

Vigilant

Courageous

Bold

Resourceful

Driven

Fearless

Unstoppable 

Live like a yogi.

Made for my life

Sacred

Beauty

Special 

Soulful and heartwarming 

Breathing space

I say yes to joy 

Opportunity 

Goodness 

Uncork your inner artist

Share your joy ~ 

Life is better when viewed from the top.

~Kerry Boone

Start...

Celebrate life -

For life is a beautiful, fanciful thing.

...Finish

Do you ever feel like you're growing?

Beauty starts on the inside.

Make one simple change 

Love your willpower 

Best life now 

Here's to your health 

Warrior 

Move a little,

Live a lot

What's not to love?

Reach

Bursting with Life

Worth sharing 

Amazing gift 

Beauty 

Find your balance.

Whole body

M'm! M'm! Good!

Beautiful breakthroughs

Joy. Pride. Confidence.

Focus on the positive.

Just simple choices.

Life lessons 

There are no real rules. (Seriously, anything goes.)

Illuminate 

Do more of what you love.

Life your best life 

Inspiration / motivation / celebration 

Your body is a temple 

My healthy life 

I am

Fearless 

Purpose 

Compassion / respect / excellence / collaboration / accountability 

Vision 

Community 

Values 

Mission 

Keeping promises 

"I'm always working towards a balance in life."

~Alicia Silverstone

Awaken 

Inspire 

Feel good / live simply / laugh more 

Celebrating the Divine in all

Hello cozy

Delight

Crisp fall days 

The cozy coat - go full-on cozy...

Cozy-on-cozy is surprisingly chic.

My mantra

Changing the world

Creating art

Spark 

Mind - Body - Spirit

Experience it!

Something fun for everyone!

Creating adventure 

Inspire their passions.

Light up a life...

Shine on

Live your best LIFE

In every way. Every day.

Bright ideas

For awakening opportunity

Prosperity and peace.

Feel the love

Grandiosa

Aloha

Life is a special occasion.

Flowing 

Heart 

If you could change anything 

Share your story 

Build up the excitement.

What are your goals?

Focus on bliss

Inner balance ~ Outer beauty 

Bounce back 

Inspired hope 

Your guiding gift of faith is a blessing 

Serenity

Lift your spirits!

I say YES! to unexpected Miracles!

Joys!

Love!

Money!

And more!

(Mantra from Richard Seaman of Seattle Life Coach Training) 

Yes!

Art + Play

Love 

Smile 

All you need is Love

Surrounded by artists at play 

Music 

Keep a poem in your pocket 

Celebrate 

Home 

Discover artist / author within 

Keep calm and

At the heart of your creativity,

Embrace your strength 

Take your real love,

A miracle of diamonds 

To paradise 

Cocooned in coconut 

& Mangos

Like joy feels 

Hello, Sunshine!

Breathe breathe

Love

Journey to greater health 

Enjoy 

Well rested 

Making poetry

Refresque su vida!

Let your health shine 

Connect with nature, 

Nurture your creativity.

Just say Yes!

Find your signature strength 

Developing 

Confident 

Trust

Amaze your confidence 

Believe / love / imagine

Celebrating the power of expression 

Whatever your story you're the boss of you!

Make waves

Reclaim your life

For calm

Blessings are all around us.

Add some SPARKLE to your 

Matters of the Heart 

The Meaning of Life

Instructions for living a life:

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

~Mary Oliver, "Sometimes"

Dream

How to make your goals reality - for good! 

(Inspiration)

Grow!

Miracles

A hug a day

How does inspired creativity express itself through you? 

Collaging For the New Year

Finally a collage for the new year! Actually 3 collages! I have been itching to create a collage for the new year and was lucky enough to make several today with a few good friends. Collaging flows so much better with friends. As do many things.

This is my New Year's collage for 2015. 

And because it's hard to stop once I start collaging, two more pages for my collage notebook.

4+ hours dedicated to ripping and cutting and gluing and reflecting and sharing good, creative times with friends. What more can I ask for on a Sunday afternoon?

Making Art From the Bits and Pieces

I feel like expressing myself through art. Creating a collage seems to exude a certain quality of ease and grace that I don't know if I can recreate in words. I'm thinking of the many life lessons from this past year, although my collages tend to have a life of their own, as I let the words and images I find lead me to creating a unique piece. Let's see what happens.

That felt good. I realized in looking at my collage book today that I hadn't created a collage in it since October. No wonder I've been out of sorts. Never mind stress and some chaos in my life. No matter what, I need to create! It's where my inspiration for new ideas ignites. It's where I find relaxation. It's where I feel most comfortable. It's where I feel I'm in the flow of life.

Is there something you've been neglecting that you love to do? Is there any way you can do that thing for just a few minutes today? Trust me, it'll be worth it.

Here are some of my other collages on health, wellness, and creativity from this past year of making art from the bits and pieces.

Looking back at the pictures I've taken from this year, it reminds me of how I started my collaging craze. Ironically I had already been collecting pieces of paper with words and images that I liked to add to a collage someday when I started collaging, and I created a vision board a year and a half ago which is a similar style to my collages. But I think it started first, after participating in the Fun-A-Day challenge in January where I created something everyday, but also after going to the Edmonds Art Walk and discovering that collage art is a recognized art form even in galleries, called mixed media art. I have been a fan of Kelly Rae Roberts' mixed media art for some time now. But I guess I never really thought I could create art in that same realm. It has been so rewarding to not only create a book of different collages that I've added to throughout the year but also inspire others to start their own collaging craze. One good friend started collaging her closet door! I have absolutely loved sharing space and time with friends and colleagues to create art together. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to lead collage sessions at two different colleges on professional development days also.  

This year has definitely been one of creating and sharing! I wonder what 2015 will hold for us. :)

Letting In Joy

Where has this month gone? I found myself asking earlier today. And then I started thinking about it. In learning a new job, family BBQs, pool time, morning nature walks, a few urban hikes, a Super moon, World Cup viewing parties, several collages made at home after work, some beautiful photographs, buying a new car, saving money, selling my dear Opie to a good home, going through some of the papers I’ve accumulated and feeling a little more ready for our upcoming move in the fall, losing 3 pounds, daily--or almost daily blog posts on joy and finding zeal and zest in life, a submission of writing and collage to a friend’s magazine and getting accepted, and signing up for and committing to a 100-hour coaching certification program to start in August! Wow! I’m on my way!

 

As I've had to practice letting go and trusting A LOT recently in the buying and selling of cars, I have also looked back on the last 2 years, since I first bought my Opie car and I now see how very far I've come on so many levels. It's sometimes hard to see when we're busy living our lives, day to day, but when we stop and look back, even if ever so briefly, a wider angle comes into focus and we can see growth and struggle and triumph and difficulty and love and change and joy and wisdom and hopefully a whole lot of fun and laughter with those we love. 

Life seems richer when I take the time to stop and look at who I am now. I'm proud of who I am. It's getting less and less scary to be who I really am. Being vulnerable can still be painful, but it's very healing to share my experiences with others, in hopes that the lessons I've learned may help someone else--and myself through taking the time to articulate and honor all of life. I think a big part of becoming ourselves is accepting everything about us, even what we don't particularly like yet. If we can really embrace our whole self and love ourselves unconditionally, then we can begin to spread that love wholeheartedly into the world.

This month I decided to focus on joy and adding more zest and zeal to life. I've found through this process that I don't always feel joyful and I must respect all my feelings. But in focusing on bringing forth more zeal to every day, it gets easier to bounce back from a difficult moment and smile again. That's the key.

So here is a collage of expressions of joy. I realized when creating this that many of the pictures I found as examples of sheer joy were taken by others. In a way it seems like the camera finds a way of catching me right when I'm laughing and being joyful, over and over again. I rarely take a "selfie" in this state. It's really all about being in the moment, away from my phone or camera, and feeling spontaneity and breathing in joy and mirth which is then expressed to the world through my big wide smiles. :-)

Striving for Good Enough

This past week I've felt a little bit better about my paper addiction by making some progress and even thinning down some of the piles. I have collected paper since I was a girl. I still have some papers from my childhood. Honestly I love paper. I can't deny it. I'm one of those people who can stare at the scrapbook paper at the craft store for a long time. But my collection has gotten a little out of hand and after moving twice in the past 2 years, I would have liked to have been more organized by now. So this week I think I finally got tired of complaining about not having enough time or energy to go through things. And a few mornings ago, I just started going through some papers in a box in our bedroom before I went to work. It wasn’t that sunny out so I didn’t feel as motivated to get to work early and go for a nice walk in the park like in previous weeks, so I instead went through some papers. I didn’t recycle anything or get rid of anything in that instant, but I at least started. Starting is half the battle, I’m finding! So let this be a reminder to my future self to just get started. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to get finished. It just has to get started and keep restarting until it’s good enough. 

I'm striving for “Good Enough!” It's a new normal for me, as a recovering perfectionist. A more realistic and kinder way of living. A more compassionate process, rather than pushing myself to finish everything perfectly and completely the first try and feeling horribly when I don’t succeed. That’s not helping matters. It’s not helping me feel supported in my development. I am working on many personal growth projects right now and showing kindness to myself is probably the number one predictor of my future success and follow-through.  Life isn’t all about productivity. There are so many more interesting aspects of living. So many wonderful lessons to learn. Observations to be made. Love to share. Laughter to be had. Stories to tell. Tips to teach. Creativity to form!

And because of the small progress I made that morning, the next day I came home after an almost hourlong commute miraculously with enough motivation and energy to go through another box that had been sitting in the closet for almost a year. This time I separated things into different piles, deciding what was worth saving, what was worth photographing so that it could then be recycled, what was worth pitching, and what could be used in a future collage. :) It is a lot easier now that I'm collaging regularly to get rid of cute invitations and cards I had been saving, because I can now use the images and words that really inspire and resonate with me and give them a new life in a unique piece of art. :)

The pressure of having to go through EVERYTHING I've collected that sits in the closet, in the drawers, in boxes, in the bookcase, on the table is frankly too overwhelming. By striving for good enough instead and practicing self-compassion in the process, I can work on a small pile of papers that I pulled from one of the problem places and feel more accomplished going through that small pile than I ever did just staring at the daunting task as a whole before me. Breaking it down into little piles is manageable and helps me feel more successful. Also not focusing on finishing, and instead on getting started--over and over again--is much more realistic and doesn't overwhelm me as much. It takes the pressure off. The pressure to do a perfect job and finish going through years of paperwork in the blink of an eye. This is not going to be a quick process with me. I know myself. I love to relish in nostalgia from time to time. I love history. I love reminiscing. I was after all the historian of an honor society club back in high school. Not everything in life is a rush to the finish line. Many things in life turn out better and more enjoyable when taking our time.

So in order to seek progress rather than completion, I must celebrate each and every little victory. Each time I get started. And remember that life is a process, not a destination. Not everything in life is about completing something--so much of life's joys are found along the way as we step forward.

I'll leave you with some decluttering inspiration that serendipitously found me this very week on Facebook from author, Elizabeth Gilbert:

"Pick up an object. Ask self: 'Does this object fill me with a sense of light and possibility?' If yes, keep it. If not, throw that sh*t away." ~Liz Gilbert

Feeding My Soul With Creative Energy

I am realizing that I used to give out my creative energy more freely or uncontrollably but not in ways that refilled my spirit with this ever precious energy force. I have discovered that saving my creative energy for dancing, teaching, praying, making art, brainstorming, cooking, dreaming, and loving is a much better use of this powerful energy, and the responses from others are so much more affirming. As a creative free spirited individual, I have sometimes felt misunderstood and not quite known how to remedy this or explain my at times quirky ways, but one very important lesson I took from my 5-day Dependable Strengths training last October is that in order to reach my goals and lead a more fulfilling life, I must truly OWN my strengths, and creativity is definitely one of my most reliable and natural strengths. 

Expressing my creative side brings me so much joy and I feel like I'm at home in myself in these moments of creative flow. I think after going through the Dependable Strengths process, I have a greater awareness of my almost physical and most certainly emotional and spiritual need to express my creativity. I regularly look for opportunities now to express this gift to the world. 

I spent the greater part of 7 years attending many personal and professional development workshops, and now I'm finally coming into my own and creating my own workshops! It feels so amazing to start with an idea, begin planning and brainstorming, and then see it to fruition! And positively impact others' lives. That is the greatest gift--to bring a new perspective and learn to appreciate my own natural qualities in the process.

So just to give you an idea of how strong my need to be creative is, here is just a snapshot of my latest creative endeavors in the past week or so:

• Tonight I'm writing and reflecting while outside in nature by a beautiful stream.
• Earlier today I brainstormed about a new workshop to combine strengths identification and collaging...stay tuned!
• This morning I facilitated an Introduction to Dependable Strengths workshop in a high-intermediate English class for immigrants and refugees from all over the globe.
• Yesterday I made a beaded bracelet for my dear friend's birthday.
• On Monday, I made a rainbow stir-fry with leftover vegetables from the farmer's market and created a kaleidoscope of colors and of course, photographed it.
• On Saturday, I met a creative kindred spirit for an impromptu pre-Mother's Day collage get-together to create gifts for our moms.
• On Friday I led a collaging session at the annual building community/professional development day at work.
• Last Thursday I visited the art museum with my good friend and we happily geeked out analyzing Joan Miró's art. :)
• Last week I created several collage pages on my own and in the company of friends.
• Nearly everyday I feel compelled to photograph nature's beauty and share this art with friends and family through social media and sometimes on this blog.

These varied creative endeavors feed my soul and spirit and help me stay grounded in the present, so even when I'm tired, I feel pumped full with energy and excited to share my light in the world through my spiritual gift of creativity.

Gorgeous flower my mom and I saw on Mother's Day while picking out a flower basket for her 

Bracelet I made for my amiga querida, Tami 

Mother's Day collage book for my dear mom 

Rainbow stir-fry creation 

My collage pages created during the session I led for Building Community Day 

Amazing collaging crew on Building Community Day...over 20 co-workers attended!

What's one of your spiritual gifts? Or an inner strength that fills you with joy when you utilize it? Please share below. I love hearing about people's strengths!

Practicing Letting Go Through Collaging

Funny, I've been reading about the benefits of collaging to prepare for a session I'm leading at the end of the week for a campus community event on collage art as a creative stress management tool, and several sources say that collage art is recommended when you're feeling stressed and feeling a lack of control over your present situation. This is because in collaging you get to control which pictures and words you choose to include in your unique expression of art. You're in charge, and this process of creating gives you the sense of control that you felt you were lacking beforehand. 

At the same time, through my own collage creations, I'm finding that collaging has helped me let go and just soak in the art that I'm creating. I let go of a need to strive for perfection or stress about where each piece will go in the collage. There are really no rules when I collage and this is a very freeing and forgiving process as a result. I am in charge because it’s my creation, and I always enjoy seeing how the pieces turn out. In creating in this way, I develop and practice a greater sense of self-compassion too, because I'm not hard on myself if I paste a piece I've torn from a magazine in the "wrong" place, because I always paste something over it or bring in other pieces to compliment the misplaced piece if I really don't like how it looks, but that hasn't really happened in my collage process so far. I don't strive for a masterpiece, I simply create and create and enjoy the flow that comes with this freeing practice. I enjoy the energy it gives me, the inspiration it calls forth in me, and I enjoy sharing what I've created with others. So far I've worked on creating an inspirational collage art journal in the company of friends two times and both have been such wonderful experiences. I love seeing what others will come up with and feeling their inspiration levels rise at the same time.

My collage creative process reminds me of the balancing act of maintaining control of our responses in life while letting go of the need to control everything else. This is truly an art. I have dedicated this month of May to learning and practicing the art of surrender, and so far this daily focus has been so helpful when I run into a situation that I cannot control. I have also been using a new app I found called Mindfulness Daily that reminds me throughout the day to focus on the moment, notice how I'm feeling both physically and emotionally, and if there is anything beyond my control that I can accept for now. This last part has helped me practice letting go in the moment and has reminded me to take a breath and feel grateful throughout the day. I think the combination of dedicating time to express my creativity, along with focusing on what I can control in each moment is proving very helpful in remaining centered no matter what's going on around me.

These are several of my collage creations that I made on Sunday.

Little Things Matter

I decided to combine my photography of today's amazing sunset with my love of affirmations and so I created a blollage (I made that word up to combine blog and collage!) for my blog post this week.  I also had fun making this blollage so my Fun-A-Day challenge #21 has been fulfilled as well.

I have really found in the past 3 weeks that doing little things everyday makes a BIG difference.  I have realized this in just adding simple things like meditating/praying every morning, creating something for Fun-A-Day everyday, usually in the evening, and writing in my gratitude journal every night before bed.

I start the day out with strength, am able to express myself creatively through Fun-A-Day, and end the day remembering what I'm grateful for.  It's the best way to get through any day--whether it be an easy one or a challenging one.  And after 21 days, I find myself craving these activities so I can say now that more than just a habit has been formed, a new way of living and thriving has been created.  Getting through your day struggling to come up for air is merely surviving, but paying tribute, creating and feeling gratitude are all things on the beautiful, golden or rainbow-colored road of thrival.  I most definitely prefer to thrive than just survive.

I feel so much more alive in my heart and soul when I'm creating and feeling grateful, rather than just going through the day "getting by."  Getting by doesn't fulfill me.  I know this now.  And if I let myself go too long just getting by, my mind and body start to rebel.  So it's just like flossing or eating your vegetables everyday, meditating and creating and feeling grateful are necessary steps to take for my overall health. Like doctor's orders, but in this case, I made the rules; I'm the doctor; I'm the master of my own future and so I'm choosing to take part in joyous activities whenever it's possible.  Some days it's only been a few minutes posting a quick photo I took to achieve my Fun-A-Day but other days I have enough time to go on a nature walk and really look at all that I've created and choose which one I would like to share with you.

So no matter how little time we have to work on the things that bring us joy, the most important thing is to keep doing them, every day, so that we crave them and they become as common to us as driving to work or eating lunch or brushing our teeth.  That is my hope.  To make joy a regular part of my day, every day.