Excellent End of Summer Reading!

I just finished reading a wonderful book by Tama J. Kieves, a creative career coach, entitled "This Time I Dance!: Creating the Work You Love. " Ms. Kieves left a lucrative law practice to found Awakening Artistry, a foundation dedicated to linking a global family of visionary, creative, and empowered leaders.

Engaging in work that you love is fundamental to leading a creative, happy life. I took the leap 10 years ago to leave the safety of the academy and become an entrepreneur. Over time, I've fashioned a fulfilling life in which I look forward to going to work rather than dreading Monday mornings. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I earn money by being creative each day. What a gift! It's not a perfect life--who has that?--but on most days it feels nearly perfect.

I wish that for you too.

Get Creative!

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the obligations of your life--family, work, and community? Are you forgetting to tap into your wellspring of creativity because you don't think you have the time to do so? Many of us rush from one activity/responsibility to another, forgetting that taking the time to engage in creative thinking/doing will help you achieve a greater level of energy. Being creative puts you in touch with your Higher Self and thus unleashes hidden energies/meaning into your life.

Creativity Activity: Julia Cameron wrote the book, The Artist Way, several years ago. It continues to be a very popular read because it helps "blocked creatives" (that is most of us) to incorporate creative living into our daily lives. She debunks many of the myths surrounding being a creative person and provides tools for unleashing your own creativity. Check out her official website at www.theartistsway.com. I've taken the 12 week course described in her book--and I'm very glad I did!

Getting Creative With What's On Hand

We have an apple tree in our backyard. The number of apples this year is amazing! But, they are the tartest apples I have ever tasted. My girls, ages 8 and 9, have been picking them up off the ground by the buckets-full and feeding them to our goats (a few at least). It seemed like a shame to let them go to waste. So, we decided to make some applesauce tonight.

Part of being creative is letting go of the outcome. It wasn't important to us (though it would be nice) if our applesauce was delicious. What was important is that we spent time together in the kitchen, thinking up a recipe using ingredients we had in our refrigerator and cupboard.

Here's what we came up with:

Spiced Tart Applesauce

3 pounds tart apples, stemmed, cored, and sliced

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 cups strawberry/mango fruit juice

4 drops cinnamon essential oil

2 drops clove essential oil

Stir everything together in a pot and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Start mashing the apples up with a spoon as they cook.

I had to add 1/2 cup sugar to this because those apples were the tartest ever! With less tart apples, I think you could skip the sugar.

Let cool and serve.

The girls gave this a thumbs up.

Get Creative!

I think I was smartest when I was 8 years old! At that age, I knew what I liked to do--and I did it. I spent many happy hours in my home's basement, painting and sewing. I spent as many hours outside with my horse, playing in the woods, and swimming.

As we grow older, we tend to "forget" where our true passions lie. And we believe that we don't have the time/money/energy to follow our passions. The following activity is designed to get you thinking about what you truly love to do.

Creativity Activity:
Grab a notebook and pen. Take yourself to a quiet spot and answer the following questions. For each question, list as many activities that come to mind. No judging, just writing:

1. When I was a child I always enjoyed...
2. My soul lights up when I...

Now look at your list--are you engaging in any of the listed activities currently? If not, why not? How can you take small steps to integrate your passions into your everyday life? Try it--it's not as hard as you might think. And the results are truly amazing.