Retreat Coach on the Farm

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 80

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1


"I couldn't wait for success... so I went ahead without it."
  ~Jonathan Winters

Success

What is success to you? To me it means that that I tried hard and gave it my all. It is learning new things but most of all for me it knowing when something is finished and letting it go!

It is time to call it quits on my 90-day challenge at day number 80. I feel this topic is done (for now) and it is time for me to move on. I could have hopped on my blog and written just anything at all about creativity for the next 10 days and then jumped up and down with my WIN! Instead I decided that intuitively it felt like it was naturally coming to a close.

It feels a bit sad but you are not getting rid of me that easily! I will continue to write often and I am taking all of my learning’s forward from this challenge and they are many!

Some, of course, are personal learning’s but others I can share. I feel I am now a more focused writer. It gave me confidence to step into new territories like sculpting and painting. But the biggest thing it gave me was a since of play and fun! As a grownup I need to continue to remind myself that I need a bit of that each day!

So SUCCESS for me today is making my 90-day challenge into only 80-days! Yay! I made it to 80 full days! Congrats to me!

Where do you know that you are finished? What do you need to congratulate yourself on? I would love to hear!

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 79

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

I have been writing about my creative adventures here on my 90-day challenge but today I am writing about what I have noticed in nature. I see how nature goes about designing her landscape and that is very creative. Today I just notice.

I had to download this picture when I found it because I have a tree at home very similar. It is a lone cherry tree in the middle of our back field. My husband used to say he was going to cut it down and I would always protest. Then one day it gave him an abundance of cherries and I’m pretty sure he wants to keep it now. Especially the way he has begun to refer to it as his cheery tree.

What is a little more interesting to me is how other people have grown to love the tree. One day I saw my daughter in-law photographing it, when asked why, she said that she always loved that tree. Then I recalled similar things that were said about this one tree before, by other members of my family when we walked in the field.

I looked the tree over and saw it was a bit lopsided from having other brush growing near it before my husband cleared that area. It was actually no nicer than the beautiful large trees that ran up and down the hedge rows. Some of them also gave us cherries so that wasn’t what made this tree special.

Then I realized that it simply was because this tree stood in the middle of the field all alone like a guard. This tree was like a single solider who had not fallen. No man had cut him down because he was in the way of the plowing. For whatever reason he had survived where others had not. It made me wonder if we were all just feeling the strength in that and it drew us all to love this lopsided cherry tree.

 Can you tell that I love trees and especially lone ones standing in a field?

What are you noticing today? Where are you taking notice of strengths? I would love to hear.

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 78

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

Spirit Painting

By Sandra Fioramonti

 

I did the most creative thing this weekend; I actually painted on canvas, no less. It is a rather a nice painting and I may hang it in my office. It looks like a bunch of pink roses with green leaves. I have NEVER painted before but I really felt like I was in a flow. As others around me obviously did also!

I took the workshop at the CNY Healing Arts Center in Syracuse, NY with about a dozen other women. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the center. Everyone working there was so engaging and the facility is new and inviting. If you get a chance to take a workshop, massage or yoga class at the center I’m sure you will enjoy the experience.

The idea of spirit painting is to just let yourself go and enjoy the process of putting paint on paper or canvas as you mix colors and create swirls, straight lines or anything you want while you are releasing blocks like guilt, anger or self doubt. During the entire several hours of painting you could have heard a pin drop. No one said a word. They were all so involved with their art.

The woman who led the workshop, Sandra Fioramonti, was just marvelous. She was able to channel Reiki energy as she did her spirit painting which is a form of healing through mediation. I would recommend her work whether taking an energy healing class (Reiki) or releasing blocks through painting. She had a very unique ability to connect with others on a deep level. This is one of her painting pictured here.

I went to her class not knowing anything about art or her process and found it not only easy to do but it was not intimidating in anyway. Her mediation was very generic and would be accepted by most that have an open mind to alternative ways of healing. Give it a try if you are interested she has a studio in Liverpool, NY called the Liverpool Art Center.

 

When was the last time that you were so creatively involved that you didn’t look up for hours?

I would love to hear.

 

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

 

 

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 77

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

A Poem

Sunday morning hush;

robin’s nest with three blue eggs –

promise of new life.

Linda Robinson

I have a very good friend, Linda,who loves to write little Hikai’s. I have always admired someone who can write any kind of poetry. For some reason my mind just doesn’t work that way.

Linda will take a walk and look for something to photograph and then later write a poem about it! To me that feels like such a creative way to capture life. I never thought that I could do that until I came across these instructions “How to play Haikai (Collaborative poetry game)”, now that sounds like fun. I may even try it at my retreats.

I printed out the instructions and I am going to try to entice my husband to a Haikai challenge or perhaps my daughter the English teacher. That might be a little one sided since she is already a poet! I bet if I called a group of women to have a hot cup of tea with homemade cookies and play Haikai I could generate a lot of local creativity.

I’ll let you know what I come up with. In the mean time go to this site and print out your own instructions.

Did you get a creative Haikai club going yet? I would love to hear.

 

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!

 

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 76

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

My creativity is on a roll! I am putting the finishing touches on my woman’s weekend retreat at the Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, NY. (September 19-21)

This is so much fun!

I wish you could see the big fat smile on my face! The women are coming together in a little over 2 weeks and Linda and I want everything to be perfect.

Linda is busy working on the music and I am gathering motivational readings! We have so much planned yet the women are going to be able to have plenty of time to connect with one another and reflect alone! They will make a vision board that supports them to manifest what they truly want to bring into the world. This exercise alone can be very powerful yet we have a whole weekend full of surprises!

We just want it to be the perfect combination of inner work, relaxation, pampering and more fun than they can imagine! My creative energies run high when I get to create in this way!

I won’t give away too many details because I want much of it to be a surprise. The women coming on retreat need not worry about anything. Once they arrive at the center they are free to check all worries at the door and step into a world that supports their every need!

You may want to join us for support around a project you are working on or just to get clarity on an idea you feel stuck around. Other reasons to retreat are to let go of stress and connect with your inner self. Whatever YOU need, this is the retreat that will jump start your life.  Then continue to give you support by telephone in the coming weeks!

If this sounds like something you might enjoy there is still time to sign up! Email or call Coach Judith 315.497.3059~~ Tell me you saw my blog and I will take $50.00 off of the cost!

Is your creativity on a roll? I would love to hear.

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 75

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese proverb

 

For me learning is a life long journey that I truly love and know is very creative, but hey today is Labor Day! MY DAY OFF or so I thought!

I take virtual classes (over a bridge-line on the phone). I enjoy it so much because we often have people from all over the world coming together to learn. I have made friends with people from other countries such as,

• China
• Japan
• Australia
• Canada
• and more

 

You guessed it we have a class today! It is not Labor Day in all countries so our classes just keep moving ahead! I do love to learn and know it does fill my creative cup. So I will attend my class with joy, but for now my blog is short because I am going to enjoy all of the day I can and I’m off to ride my horse before class!

 

How are you filling your creative cup? I would love to hear.

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

Me with my mare Dee! 

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 74

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

EXPLORE INTENTIONS

I was thinking about creativity and our ability to create. This set me off on an exploration! I dearly love to set an intention and then tend it with great care as I watch it develop into being.

I find that just the act of setting an intention helps me to focus on what my next step is, in my business as well as in my personal life.

Today, I not only set a rather large business intention, I absolutely believe it is possible. When we are able to truly believe it can remove all of our fears and doubts. TRUST is so important in all areas of our life.

I will set a new mini-intention each day for the next 9 days building toward my final goal.  The larger intention! I will write, in great detail, what my intention is each day in my journal and write a special daily affirmation. These affirmations I will recite out loud each morning and evening. Speaking it out loud can be powerful. Helps you own it for yourself.

BUT I will also take essential action along the way! Using all of my positive thoughts and words I will also take a mini action step each day that will move me closer to my bigger goal.

What do you want to create in your life?  I would love to hear.

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 73

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

Last night I was in the company of a very creative man Mr. Ken Blanchard. I had heard wonderful things about Ken and his lovely wife Margie for years but to actually meet them in person was a real treat.

I believe when we are working on our own creativity it is a marvelous strategy to surround ourselves with others who are on a creative path.

Ken Blanchard has co-authored a new book with Garry Ridge about compassionate (my words not his) leadership in the work place. He asked a group of us to read the new manuscript then invited us to a wonderful meal at the Skaneateles Country Club so we could offer him feedback. Ken has mastered the art of listening. He writes a book and I would imagine has a learned staff to assist him with whatever he might need to make the book just the way he would like it to be, yet he wants more. He wants input from others far and wide on their ideas.

He wants you to tell him the truth about how the book appealed to you. As he was recording the info the group was offering him you could see his own creative genius come alive. Someone would suggest something which would spark a fire in Ken and he would run with it. It was a true pleasure to watch a creative genius at work.

Keep an eye out for Ken’s new book. I’m (he’s) not sure of the title yet but you will know it when you see it is co-authored with Garry Ridge. It is a good read and not only for companies but also teachers, parents and more will benefit from these innovative ideas.

Have you surrounded yourself with creative people lately? I would love to hear.

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 72

 To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

 

I would love to tell you about SoulCollage! I have made several cards of my own so far and it is so creative that I loose myself in the process.

Here is a picture of a SoulCollage (sample card) from Seena Frost’s site.

Quote below from the the SoulCollage website:

What is SoulCollage®?

“SoulCollage® is a process through which you contact your intuition and create an incredible deck of cards which have deep personal meaning and which will help you with life's questions.

Following the simple SoulCollage directions, your hands move fragments of cut-out magazine pictures around, fitting them together in a surprising new way and gluing them down on a card. Cards containing the images you select --- or the images that select you --- come straight through your Soul, bypassing the mind.

This is a multi-leveled, creative process which anyone can do. All you need is a good pair of scissors, pre-cut mat board cards, and images you can cut out from magazines, greeting cards, personal photos, postcards, catalogues, and calendars. It is wonderful to have other people with whom to share the process. The cards are fun to take to a friend's house, to work with in therapy or support groups, or to keep on your coffee table.”

When I gather all my materials to begin a SoulCollage card I do it in a retreat mode. I block out at least 2 hours of quiet time to work on my cards as I play soft music in the back ground. I might even light a scented candle. Anything is perfect that adds to a relaxed mood.

The way I usually do cards (we all do it differently, no right or wrong way) is to cut out objects that I am attracted to. I always make two cards at a time. I never know which card, I am going to put which imagine on, until the end. After I have several images I like I set them on the cards in a random fashion until some sort of a pattern emerges. This method seems to work well for me.

Others like to look in the magazines for certain imagines they have in mind. I prefer to just use my intuition and see how the card unfolds on its own.

Everything you could ever want to know about making SoulCollage cards is at Seena’s site. Check it out!

I make Vision Board Collages at my retreats. I have not done SoulCollage at my retreats, at least not yet! I am curious if there is an interest in the process. Maybe this blog could be a survey of sorts. Would anyone be interested in giving it a try? It is very powerful when done in a group!

Have you ever made a collage of any kind? I would love to hear!

 

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!

My Personal Creativity Journey ~ Day 71

To follow along with the 90 day challenge start with day 1

Creativity has been my focus on this 90 day challenge. Even though I had to skip a few days posting, I have held the intention that I will not only tap into my own creativity but also pay attention to those around me. If I notice creativity that needs to be nurtured then I will do my best to assist.

This past weekend we were blessed to have our granddaughter staying with us. As we sat eating pizza and wings I noticed Athena was eating more celery than chicken and dipping it into her ranch dressing. Suddenly she became side tracked by the dipping process. As she dipped one piece of celery into the dressing, she was then brushing it onto the second celery piece lying on her plate. She began to do what she called painting. As she stroked the celery with great concentration it turned from green to white, each careful stroke added a bit more paint (dressing).

I questioned her about this and she explained to me in great detail how she is a very good painter. Since she is only 3-years old I didn’t give it much thought at first. Then I remembered my intention. I am purchasing paints for her next visit. Probably not as elaborate as the set in this photo but I want to encourage her with something she feels is a joy and also has a sense that she is already accomplished at it!

This has set me on an exploration of my own. What would my heart say; I am really good at, if I left my ego out of it as children do?

What does your heart tell you that you are really good at? Remember to leave out the ego when you think about your answer. I would love to hear.

Gosh, isn’t life exciting when we CHOOSE it to be!

I feel my passion rising!!!!!