Creativity And The Source Of Awesomeness

We are already in February of the new year – this is about the point when I start feeling a little more settled into the year.  For me, January is still a month of one leg in the past year, 31 days of tying up loose ends and getting a sense of where I am now in time and space.  Now I feel firmly planted in this year.  This may also have something to do with the fact that I can sense Spring around the corner and all the newness that comes with it.  Last night’s dream of tulips budding and blooming was the final push I needed to embrace the new beginning that I find myself in.

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As you made your commitments for this new year, whenever that year begins for you, did you look at ways to add spirituality to your life?

What’s with the spirituality business in a blog that is supposed to be about creativity?  Well, it’s like this.  You can’t drive a car well on a flat tire.  You can’t say your house is clean when one of the rooms is cluttered.  If you look at your life like a car or a house and assign the different parts of you to each tire or room, it makes sense that attention needs to be given to all the parts of you for everything to work smoothly.

In my experience and strong belief, creativity and spirituality are strongly linked.  In fact, they are inseparable.  Creativity, in whatever form it comes to you, is a gift from the Universe.  Your expression of your creativity is a gift back to the Universe. Not to use your gift is not the most gracious way to receive it, right?  Imagine being handed a present at your birthday and then chucking it aside without much thought, or telling the giver that you’re too ______ to use it.  (Fill in the blank with words like tired, busy, imperfect, non-creative, grown-up)

Fueling your spiritual side, therefore, strengthens that connection with your creativity.  It allows your creativity to be easily accessed.  You know those a-ha moments when you are “suddenly struck by a great idea”?  Those happen more and more often when you are open to and aware of them.  How do you become more open, more aware?  Deepen your spiritual connection.

I’m going to be honest.  Because the word spirituality is often connected to the word God, I know I run the risk that people who don’t like the word God will either be offended or will tune me out.  If the word God is offensive to you or doesn’t resonate with you, then change it.  What miracle do you believe in?  Nature?  The Laws of Physics?  Well, then that’s what I’m talking about.  Something awesome that can be connected with beauty and progress.

So, how do you deepen that connection?  That’s a question only you can answer.  For some people, it’s by hiking in the woods.  For others it’s by being very still on the floor or on a chair.  I know people who connect by writing in a journal.  I feel the most connected when I’m sitting in the dark with a sleeping child on me.  It’s whatever makes you aware of your Self and its part in something greater.  Imagine that every time you engage in activities that connect you with that Source of Awesomeness you are widening a channel, or de-cluttering a room, or filling up a flat tire.

I heard from several people last month who said that this year they wanted to be more creative.  It was difficult to have this conversation without bumping into topics like “spending time connecting with your Self” because it would be like trying to fill up an empty swimming pool without first turning on the tap.  (I promise, that’s the last analogy.)

Those conversations prompted this post.  There is an entire page of Writing Prompts on this blog for those of you who wish to connect with your Self through writing.  If you recall, I have also always encouraged readers to sit quietly and think about the prompts and then listen for the answers.  If that doesn’t work for you, try something else that feels right.  You probably don’t have to think too hard to find it, and  you likely don’t need a lot of props.  I’m always open to having these conversations with you so you can feel free to drop me a line, too.

Do you have a practice that keeps you connected to your creativity?  We’d love to hear it!

Try-This Tuesday: Know Your Quirks

I did it yesterday.  Your turn!  Today’s task encourages you to look at YOU with all your quirks.  Really think about what makes you different, a little off-beat.  Perhaps you have a keen interest in something that others might not think are really exciting (like my husband’s passion for finance).  Or you have a unique characteristic that people really admire (like you go out of your way to do random acts of kindness).  These may be things you take for granted; so take a step back and look at yourself from the lens of a complete stranger.  Run through your typical day, go over your interests, the thoughts that live in your head, how you relate to others…examine them from the outside.

What’s different about you?  And why is it important to even know yourself this way?

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It is usually the things that set us apart from others that are platforms for our greatness. 

You know this is true because you see this when other people tap into their talents and become successful bakers, writers, accountants, etc.  Or you see this when someone uses their organizational abilities, people skills and compassionate nature to set up a non-profit organization.  These are very limited examples – get in the practice of recognizing these accomplishments in your environment.  Note how the person you are admiring is really an ordinary person who has pursued and made something of their special skills set or obsession.

These quirks, or knacks, when utilized can bring an enormous sense of joy to ourselves, our families and our communities.  What I’m asking you to do today is look at yours.  Get out a piece of paper, set aside 15 minutes of quiet time and do a quick scan of YOU.  Make a list.

Need help?  Sometimes asking someone who is on the outside and knows you really well can be helpful.  But remember, if you give yourself enough time, you’ll be able to come up with these on your own.  It’s good practice to get to know yourself and listen to your own inner wisdom.

Have fun – and if you want to share, we’d love to hear about what makes you YOU!

5 Things About Me That Could Easily Make You Question My Sanity

1.  I hear voices in my head.  I told you before about the old man who lives in my head.  He has a roommate, a woman.  She’s witty, intelligent and strings words together like beads on a necklace.  Unfortunately, she talks to me at the most inconvenient of times, like 4:30 am, when my body is too tired to respond to her excited “You should write this down!”  She has a lot of opinions and they’re all pretty good-natured.  She is like the opposite of the old man but somehow they have managed to both make comfy homes in my head.  I never hear them both at the same time.  I mean, come on, that’s totally nuts!  Hearing two voices at the same time – ha!
2. I cry a lot.  I hear a touching story, I cry.  I imagine something sad, I cry.  I am excited, I cry.  A dream comes true, I cry.  A dream falls through, I cry.  You see the pattern?  Sometimes the crying is more like a welling up of the eyes, sometimes a ginormous lump in the throat, sometimes a leaky nose.  But basically, I react with emotion to everything.  As a child, I heard this a lot:  “Oh, there she goes again, crying about _(fill in the blank)__”  As an adult, I have learned to restrain a little, or blame my allergies, or blink repeatedly (just watch my wedding video, you’ll see).  Or I cough.  If you’re crying, I will cry.  It’s not just a physiological response (you know, like yawning when you see someone else yawning).  It’s definitely 100% emotional, because that’s me.
3. People walk in and out of my head.  Now, this is different from the old man and the witty woman.  These other people don’t actually live there.  Seriously, my head’s not that big!  But every so often, a character will walk in to my head, fully formed, complete with a name and voice pitch.  They don’t actually talk to me but I think I could get them to talk to me if I asked them the right questions or just gave them the space.  Before I can say “boo” though, they waltz right out.  Such a shame.  I always like to meet new people.
4. I believe myself to be a freaking amazing artist.  Yes.  I am a bonafide Super Artist.  Don’t believe me?  Step in to my mind the next time Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal is playing in my car.  You will see, right there in my mind, that I am the only one on the dance floor of an otherwise packed night club.  The lights go off, the first beats of the song are heard and then Flick!  On goes the spotlight, flooding me in a glow as I start the number off with hard, strong movements.  My moves are truly fit for a king…the King of Pop himself, actually.  I am agile, toned and just damn awesome.  I can jump high and land low.  And my hair – you should see it as I whip my head around (and not even lose balance!).  Sometimes the huge disconnect between my mind and my body surprises me.  For example, on Friday I tried my first Bollywood fit class.  I totally thought I was going to be the star pupil.  I imagined being asked to perform on stage with the dance school that hosts this exercise class because I thought I would be that good.  If Michael Jackson can make me move like a hardcore, hip hop genius, (even if only in my mind) then how could I not be a born Bollywood star?  Genetics should have some factor, right?  I mean, sure my family hasn’t been in India since my great-grandparents’ generation but moving my hips like that should be in myblood.  You can take the girl out of India but you can’t take the India out of the girl…or something.  Anyway, like I was saying…complete disconnect.  And it surprised me.  What’s even more strange is that the next time I am on my way to the Bollywood fit class I will imagine myself nailing every move.  Nothing can reason with this delusion and I’m OK with that.  I like being delusional!  It keeps me going!  I think the old man and the witty woman have it right.  It’s way more enjoyable to be living in my head sometimes.
5. And the final thing that could easily make you question my sanity, is that I am letting go of a career that offers me financial security and a respected position in the health sciences profession, to spend more time getting other people to listen to the voices in their head, welcome all kinds of crazy (what some might call delusional) ideas into their lives, cry when they want to, recognize and use their creative talents, and finally, to believe that they are Super Human, born to do great things!

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What’s The Difference Between Selfish and Self-Love?

Before I dive in to yesterday’s workshop, I’d like to congratulate Sandie Martins-Toner on being the random winner chosen to receive Nadir’s gift, Salt in his Shoes by Deloris and Roslyn Jordan.  Congratulations, Sandie!  Incidentally, we will be hearing from Sandie and the Cake-Pop Cuties this Friday in a delicious People With Passion interview!

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Yesterday, I ran a workshop called Commit to a Balanced 2012 (and Do Away with Resolutions!!).  A wonderful, warm group of fabulous ladies joined me for the afternoon; we cried, laughed and worked our way through an enormous amount of material.  The workshop was designed to help participants identify their own personal motivation style and thereby understand why past resolutions haven’t worked.  Each participant then had a chance to determine what their lives look like on paper, in terms of how much time they spend on 6 important areas and make commitments in areas that required more focus.

To make a commitment that they are more likely to keep, they learned the following:

1.  To use the motivational method that best suits them and

2.  Most importantly, to make commitments to themselves from a place of SELF-LOVE!!

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You try it.  Make a statement about something you would like to add in your life and then ask yourself, “Why do I want to add this in my life?”  If the answer is anything except “I love myself and am worth being loved and taken care of”…then re-evaluate your need to focus on it.

For example, one workshop participant suggested she needed to add more to her “spiritual” life and felt she should be going to church more often.  When I asked her why she wanted to go to church more often, it became clear to both of us that her reasons stemmed from a place of guilt.  That is not a commitment made from self-love, it is not self-serving and it will a) not stick b) not add anything to her life except stress and c) not really give her the spiritual connection she is looking for.

It sounds simple and like something we should all be able to do, but it’s a challenge for most of us.  To really love oneself often requires a lot of peeling away at layers and removing harmful underlying beliefs that we have accumulated over our lives.  But this workshop was a step in the direction of change and progress, and a reminder that support is available when you are ready to take those steps.

Because self-love is the basis for making all areas of our life work (and this is something Louise Hay writes about in her book, You Can Heal Your Life), it is important to understand what it is and what it is not.

Self-love is not being selfish.  According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, the definition of selfish is:  concerned exclusively or excessively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for others. 

Loving yourself or believing you are worthy of love has no relationship to being selfish – there is no disregard for other people, just a kind regard for yourself.  I would even say that the more you commit to acts of loving yourself, the more loving energy you put in to all of your relationships, interactions and activities.

What are YOUR thoughts?  How often have you struggled with the notion of self-love being selfish?  We all have at one point or another.  What we learned at the workshop is that when we share these experiences, they are easier to understand and work with.

 

What Do Michael Jordan, J.K. Rowling and Kathryn Stockett Have In Common?

All 3 of them were told, in one way or another, at some time or another, that their work wasn’t “good enough”.  Maybe you NBA fans out there already know this, but my jaw dropped to the floor of my car as I listened to the radio a few weeks ago.  Michael “Air” Jordan who we all know as #23 of the Chicago Bulls, 5 time NBA MVP, 6 time NBA Champion, 6 time NBA Finals MVP, and countless other distinctions that you can find here, retired with the NBA’s highest scoring average.  And he got cut from his high school varsity basketball team.

Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org

Ever heard of a small deal called The Harry Potter series?  Did you know that author J.K. Rowling had her manuscript of Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone rejected by 12 different publishing housesbefore eventually being picked up by a small publishing house called Bloomsbury (who, by the way, also advised her to get a day job).  In fact, Bloomsbury picked up Rowling’s book largely because of the 8 year old daughter of its chairman who loved the manuscript’s first chapter.

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The Help by Kathryn Stockett is one of my favourite books of all time and it stuns me that 60 literary agents refused to represent Stockett after the 5 years it took her to write this moving tapestry of stories.  As of the end of last summer, this book had sold 5 million copies and is enjoying a well-deserved spot on The New York Times Best Seller list.

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So, what else do these three people have in common?  They demonstrated perseverance, passion, and purpose.  They didn’t give up.  They believed in their work as an undeniable part of who they are and they didn’t let anybody tell them different.  Maybe there were moments of self-doubt.  Maybe they had to rely on an inner or outer support system to keep going.  Maybe they have other tools to help them.

Maybe we are just like them. 

Maybe “I wanna be like Mike” isn’t just a cute Gatorade jingle.  Even if you don’t want to be a basketball player, do you want to be you, no matter what it takes, no matter who tells you you can’t?

Think about this today.  Think about what basketball or the writing and film industries would be like if people like Michael Jordan, J.K. Rowling and Kathryn Stockett let other people decide who they are and how they could or could not shine in this world. (I’ve posted this in Writing Prompts as well – it’s a great concept to spend some time with in your journal)

Think of more examples – there are plenty.  If you’ve got one, leave it in a comment!

Facing My Demon

Yesterday I came face-to-face with the man who gave my mom the news that would change all of our lives.  He gave her the diagnosis, he gave her five years (if she was lucky, he said, but not likely at the rate she was “deteriorating”), he gave her the brutal reality of the disease and he handed it all over to her on a platter devoid of hope and compassion.  He even took a social call in the middle of the appointment and went about his life while my parents stared at the floor where theirs lay in pieces.  Since that day almost 6 years ago, I have harboured a special kind of distaste for that man.

I have thought about writing him a letter. I have pictured myself storming into his office, words flying.  I have contemplated writing a review on those online rate-your-doctor sites.  I tried to stuff him away so that he would disappear.  He didn’t disappear and neither did my anger or my grief or my sorrow for what my parents had to have experienced sitting in his office.

So the Universe stepped in.  It got me in his office, in the patient’s chair of his sterile clinic.  It got me to face my demon – my own anger.  Thankfully, after an extensive exam and detailed questions, it was determined there was no physical need for me to be there.  But boy, was there ever an emotional one.

We talked about my mom and I needed to do that with him.  She wasn’t just another sick person, my tears told him.  She was my mom and I am what’s left.  I nodded when he suggested, “It must have been so tough to watch her go through that terrible illness.”  Your patients are people with families.  Sometimes when they leave your office they have to tell their children they are very, very sick.  I am the after-math.  I saw that he understood that; his eyes were no longer just scanning my body for signs of a connective tissue disease.  He could see the ripples of his words in my quivering chin as I blink, blink, blinked to stop the tears.  “You are going to be fine,” he said without a hint of condescension.  I know that because my mom told me that before she left.  

I looked him in the eye as I stood to go.  We shook hands, this man and I, this man who was the physical representation of my fury.  I walked back out in to his waiting room where an elderly woman waited for the doctor’s time.  There’s your next patient.  Handle with care.

Me, Mom, and my brother - celebrating our birthdays one year after diagnosis.

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I am sharing this experience with you, dear Readers, because I want you to look at your own demons.  What are they?  Where are they?  In whom are they housed?  The next time you find yourself in a situation that evokes a strong emotion, ask yourself why you are there.  Because there’s a reason.  The Universe, in its helpful way, will put you in that seat.  You might make it easier on  yourself if you put yourself there first.

Creative Commitments For 2012

I wrote about NaNoWriMo, NaBloPoMo and the 30-Day Yoga Challenge some time back.  I didn’t even know about Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) until I stumbled upon it on Elizabeth’s blog!  And then there’s the To Be Read (TBR) Pile Challenge that I found on Tia’s blog!  What else am I missing out on?  Is there some kind of Cook A Different Meal Every Day For A Month challenge?  I won’t even try to figure out what that would be shortened to.

My point is, they’re out there and there may be one that interests YOU.

I just signed up for this today! Follow my challenge at The Finer Things In Life!

If you’re like me then you’re a little gun-shy to sign up for something you may not be able to carry out perfectly or completely.  I think this has become a subconscious block for me born from my love-hate relationship with resolutions, New Year’s or otherwise.  So I got a little Wayne Dyer on myself and remembered, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  The drill-sergeant resolution has now become a self-loving commitment (and if this sits well with you, see my upcoming workshop).  And a year-long challenge to read and review 12 books is merely a commitment to fun and writing practice, to be molded and shaped so it fits me like a pair of lululemons.  Nothing more and nothing less.  By this I mean, a commitment to myself is not something to be taken lightly but it also should not become the very thing with which I end up clubbing myself to the ground.  You know what I’m talking about.

So, here’s a thought.  Poke around a little in cyber-space and see what you find.  Then give it your own spin or do it the way it was intended – whatever suits YOU.  Is the reading challenge intriguing because you’ve been meaning to tackle your to be read list but you don’t want to blog about them?  Fine!  Grab a few lit-loving friends and set up your own challenge – hey, wait, isn’t that called a book club?  Great!  Start a book club!

What could you do if you love taking photos?  What kinds of commitments can you make in 2012 to keep this passion alive and well?

Do you know of other creative challenges out there that you can share with us?  I would love to learn about more!  Also, what do you see as your blocks – what makes you nervous about taking on a challenge?  If you shy away from them, why?  These are all great things to consider as we say goodbye to another year and keep marching on!

What Do I Think?

Sometimes I ask people a lot of questions.  They sound varied but they all boil down to, “What do YOU think?”

Then I get their responses – those are usually quite varied – and then it always boils down to, “What do I think?”

It seems to me that eliminating that first step might make my life a little simpler.

Can you relate to this?  How many different ways do you ask the world, “What do YOU think?” and how often do you stop to ask yourself, “What do I think?”

Sometimes it makes sense in some settings to do a little ‘market research’ but ultimately doing what works for you will bring you the kind of success that comes with peace of mind and simplicity.

The Night I Prayed My Water Wouldn’t Break!

The evening of January 5, 2010 started off as a peaceful night.  My daughter, then 2.5 years old, was asleep, my husband was out (I think at a Canucks game) and I was relaxing on the couch in a very pregnant state.  Then I remembered something I was really, really angry about and quickly I started entering this dark and stormy space inside me.  Why would this creep up on me when I had been looking forward to this quiet evening with no distractions, no plans, and nothing to do but be with myself?  Probably because there were no distractions, no plans and there was nothing to do but be with myself!  So, from the depths of my mind and my heart tumbled these thoughts, scenarios, words, visions, people and I was mad as hell.  The last time I got that worked up when I was pregnant, my water broke hours later –  5 weeks sooner than my due date and since I still had about 7 weeks to go in this pregnancy, I knew I had to remove myself from this anger…and I had to do it fast.  Taking deep breaths, willing my heart to slow, I started to think.

What could I think about that would remind me that this particularly upsetting situation was really just a small thing in the grand scheme?  What would help me remember that my world was so much bigger than the hurts that were carelessly tossed my way?  Suddenly my mind went to Greg Mortenson.  You may know him as the Three Cups of Tea guy – the mountain climber who “lost his way” and stumbled on to a community of mountain-dwellers who nursed him to a full recovery.  In turn, he overcame mental and physical challenges to build them a school as he promised and has now built…gosh, I don’t even know how many schools, in various regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  You can read more about his books here.

He popped into my head that night because I had just purchased a ticket to see him speak at a local school.  His presentation was coming up a couple of weeks from that point (another reason I was determined to stay pregnant!) and I was beyond excited to be in the presence of someone who has done such incredible things and lived to tell about it.  I’m sure you can imagine that it’s no easy feat to set up schools, primarily for girls, in Afghanistan and Pakistan!  It doesn’t quite work the same way as it would here.  Thinking about Mortenson, having just finished reading his book, reminded me that there is so much to be done in this world and better still, that there are so many awesome, amazing, loving people in this world…and suddenly focusing on a handful of people who had such different meaning to their lives was kind of like a waste of time.

I’m not saying that something that makes me that angry should be swept under the rug (I always think that that only causes a bump to swell – something easy to trip over!).  But it did put it in perspective.  It made me feel like I am an able person who can do something bigger and better with my life than dwell on the negative things that really don’t have to affect me as much as I let them. 

This is totally easier said than done, but later that night when I pulled out my journal to work through these feelings, I couldn’t help but feel inspired.  I started brain-storming ideas of how I can give back to my local community and my night did a 180.

Getting rid of emotional clutter is a MUSTfor living a healthier, fulfilling life.  And if you come to one of my workshops, be prepared to look in the nooks and crannies of your mental attic for the grudges gathering cobwebs!  But I was in a pinch that night, more concerned for my blood pressure than for a long term solution and it was amazing the peace I found in someone else’s love for humanity, literacy and female empowerment.

This pic was taken a couple days before the night I wrote about here. I look like I'm ready to burst, but my son was still growing...and stayed in for another 4 weeks...almost term this time!

Do YOU have a go-to thought for when you really need to turn your thoughts around?  Do you have a physical practice that helps?  Deep breaths?  Yoga postures?  And what are you doing about the cobwebs?

Most Of The Time I’m Pretty Neurotic

You know when you read personal development blogs and you think wow, that person really has their act together?  They must be like a crazy organized, zen, balanced superhuman?  I used to think that but I don’t anymore.  Why not?  Because I am the voice behind a personal development blog and guess what?  Most of the time I’m pretty neurotic.  I thought you’d like to know that.  In fact, I stated it right there in the title of this blog post because I knew it would reel you in.

Here are 3 more dirty little secrets that may shock and relieve you at the same time:

1. I fear many things on a regular basis.  I alluded to one, not so discreetly, yesterday when I told you about my very unrestful Savassanahs.  I’m sure a lot of parents out there will relate to the fear of something horrible happening to their children.  Rest assured, I am one such parent.

I also fear looking like an idiot and I have to push past this fear every time I publish a post, here and on my recreational blog, The Artist’s Loft.  When you’re a highly sensitive introvert, it’s a bit daunting to invite the entire world into your mind.

Another fear I have is falling ill just before an event I am looking forward to and not being able to attend, especially one that I have a big part in – like I’m a speaker, or facilitating a workshop or hosting my child’s birthday party.

I know it’s important to turn our fear into fuel, to charge past these strong emotions, wipe the sweat from your pits and do it anyway.  I know that there is ‘nothing to fear but fear itself’.  (Did you know that’s a quote by Roosevelt, NOT Winston Churchill?  I just found that out.  My world just shifted on its axis a teeny bit.)

2. Technology gives me anxiety.  Well, that’s being a bit dramatic.  I should say, if I had to deal with technology on my own it would give me anxiety.  I can get by.  I can set up a blog.  I once even set up a webpage using html, with step-by-baby-step instructions from a college teacher.  But faced with a computer, unaided, makes my right leg jiggle up and down.  As it is, I have come to have no shame in asking techies for help (in the form of frenzied text messages, emails and phone calls) doing even the smallest things.  It’s a little time consuming to do it this way, but not as time-consuming and annoying as having to figure it out myself.  I have decided that it’s OK with me to ask someone who loves this stuff to do it because a) I’d rather spend that time writing or reading or coaching or hanging out with my family or taking a shower b) if I have to fork out some money for the help, hey, I’ve just supported someone else’s business and passion and that feels good! and c) there are some really cool techie people out there I may otherwise never have met or re-connected with.

I’m no dummy.  I’m not against continued learning but when it comes to technology, too much changes too quickly.  This is how I choose to simplify my life.

3. I have control issues.  Right now I’m in the middle of setting up a community workshop at a local coffee shop.  This type of venue is teaching me a lot about the control issues I have.  I want to be able to control the noise level, the music level, the lighting, the seating.  Everything.  I know that letting go will allow for more positive energy to flow.  I know that with the excitement and passion I feel toward this workshop everything will go well.  I know that the best things happen when we least expect them to, when we don’t plan for them, when we give the reins to Something Else, when we let go and let God.  I would still like to control the world sometimes.

So there you have it.

A lot of the credentials earned in this industry, for me anyway, seems to be from on-the-job training.  Every event in my life has brought me to this point –  the point where I am growing comfortable in my own skin as a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a yogi, a creative life coach, a speaker, a writer.  ME.  So even though it seems like I’ve catapulted light years on this new path and therefore, I must have figured out all of “this stuff” overnight in some prophetic dream, no.  That is not how it happened.  I was merrily, and not so merrily, going about my life while the pathway was being laid and I said in the very first post of this blog, I’m on “a path that’s been paved by innumerable events, big and small, and that I have only recently begun to recognize.  You know when you’ve been driving on auto-pilot, going the same route to and from school or work every day?  At some point on the drive you go, ‘Hey!  Where am I?  How did I get here?  Oh right…that’s where I’m going.’  Yeah, it’s like that.  Only, recognizing your creative path is a lot more exciting!”

Bringing my first-born home from the hospital; I had no idea what was ahead! Inaya was a catalyst for my creative life ❤

And so that’s how someone with fears, anxieties and issues just like you has come to be the voice behind a personal development blog.

The point of this entire post is to illuminate some of those shadowy areas of the personal development industry, to tear down the barrier between us and them, the ones who have it figured out and the ones who don’t.

My philosophy is that we all have the answers we need in our Selves, waiting to be heard, that will lead us to fulfilling lives of happiness, passion and brilliance!  I don’t have YOUR answers but I have had to dig for mine enough to have discovered some neat tricks along the way that I love sharing with YOU.  I love it so much, it makes my Self buzz with such giddiness, that I have made it my work.  And it chose me, too.  It’s quite a love story!

I know this was a long post and so thank you for taking the time out to read it.