create

Your Story. Your Legacy.

Published on February 17, 2017 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Our stories, our words, our openings to others say a lot about our lives. It is interesting to begin a conversation with a complete stranger (grocery clerk, massage therapist, hair stylist, etc) and stories just seem to flow. People like to connect with one another. The trick is…what are you telling? What are you saying about your life? What message are you leaving with those you come in contact?

Another step further—What if you could not “say” anything.

We recently took a trip to Southern Utah and hiked among petroglyphs of the Anasazi people. It was fascinating to think about walking through handwriting of people thousands and thousands of years old. To see what was important to them—food, feet, animals, people with horn hats, stars, labyrinth patterns…fascinating! Again. No words, just symbols.

112246 My cute daughter is doing a report on the Northwest Coast Indians and found out they were tribes of people with no specific written language and shared their history and stories through Totems. A Totem is kind of like a book you could read, but instead of using words it used symbols. Totem poles were used as a way of passing down stories.

I thought this was a very interesting idea that could bring up various feelings for people. Think about it!! If you were to create a “Totem” of your life, what would it look like? What would be the main images that you would include. What words (now that we have them) would you include? What message of your life? What symbols would you use?

I think this could be a very fun personal activity you could do to see what comes up from your soul. Think about it. Draw something out. If you like to carve wood–carve away! Maybe make a collage of visual images. Create something. I think a visual of your life’s journey may say something to you. Try it!!

MAKE YOUR OWN CREATIVE TOTEM. Here are some ideas I came up with…

SONY DSC Maybe make a simple totem for your yard. Pick glass or ceramic beads and make a decorative story line that you know the meaning and symbolism behind.

This made me think of making a personal beaded bracelet that you could create that will symbolize different things within your life. Each bead represents something personal.

tumblr_o19gthtumm1v5h6m1o1_1280 Maybe make a collage of highlights or things that remind you of your life. [example–pulled off google. Not sure of the source]

afb84d4942a1abb2bf4befed1785594d This made me think of a crafty idea–if you know or enjoy quilting. Quilt symbols of your life and put them together.

2044 Make symbols that mean something to you personally. Put them together to create a story.

d4239633957aced98ed266250f0942b1fd4adfbe71b055ee92pimgpsh_fullsize_distr If you don’t feel too artistic you could always find various mandalas and color them to your own style and put meaning into them with specific colors meaning emotion, certain shapes to symbolize parts of your life, etc. Then you could stack and frame them or take a pic to always have close. Mandala’s are a symbol, representing the search for completeness and self-unity.

Hope this post has given you some ideas to finding your deeper stories and unique ways to share them with yourself and those you love.

Happy creating!! -H

Lessons learned from the movie JOY

Published on January 11, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

JOY is a movie about hope, dreams, creating, and finding oneself. Joy is a great movie that is based on the true story of Joy Mangano, a self-made millionaire who created her own business empire.

I would highly recommend you see it if you haven’t yet. Enjoy these life lessons that I took from the movie.

Always DREAM: Joy: What happened to us? What happened to all the things that we used to dream about for our lives? I just feel like it’s getting further and further away. You can see and feel Joy wondering what happened to the little girl who always would create and tell beautiful stories. She was worried that she was loosing that part of herself. I think we all have moments like this, where we wonder what happened to our dreams, how we lost track of time and how we were going to get back on the path to following our dreams. They are just baby steps away. You can take one little step each day to learn something new, to talk to someone who is living your dream, to begin preparing to leave your job, to take small steps in the directions of your dreams. [Old or New dreams]. Just begin.

Just Do It! Create: Joy: In America everyday people make of what they will of themselves. I’m going to do something. This makes me want to share tiny stories about big companies that started small. Melissa & Doug toys began with one toy 25 years ago & they sold it out of their station wagon. Nike also began out of the trunk of Phil Knight’s Plymouth Valiant. Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Disney, Mattel–all began in garages. We are all creators. It is just a matter of finding what inspires, motivates and lights you up.

Don’t let the Naysayers in: Mimi: [to Joy] You don’t exactly have your whole life ahead of you, but you still have a good portion of it. Peggy: Joy has never run a business. Rudy: It’s a big mistake. It’s my fault. I gave her the confidence to think she was more than an unemployed housewife. Peggy: It’s a fantasy! Joy had to push beyond her limiting family and the beliefs they had. Joy was determined to rise above. We each have people like that in our own lives. People who may belittle our dreams, who may naysay our ideas. Rise above it and begin to believe in the possibilities. Remember: there is a positive and negative energy in everything. Do not surround yourself with those that are heavy, who can’t see the vision, who do not lift you and your ideas up. They will weigh you down in the end.

Believe in Yourself! If you don’t, who will? Joy: I have real ambitions and real ideas. Tony: What if they don’t see you? Joy: They’re gonna see me no matter what. Joy had quite a few obstacles that she had to handle and in the end it was her pure determination that got her through. Each one of us will have walls that we hit within our lives and we have to figure out how to hurdle over them. Whether they are personal insecurities, having to learn something new for a job, changing jobs, creating a space to pursue a dream or just pushing forward when life gets tough. If you don’t believe you can–find a way. If you can find pure will, there will be a way. Believe.

Use any motivation possible to propel yourself forward: Even if it is your negative family. Joy: I don’t want to end up like my family. I have to do things myself, once and for all. It is safe to say that Joy was stuck in many ways. She was feeling like her back was up against a wall and all she could do was go for it. She found determination in that.

Trust those people who have your back: In the end, Joy was betrayed by many she loved, but she also learned who would always have her back. We have people who come and go within our lives, but hold tight to those who will be loyal no matter what. They are the true gems that will be worth the most in your life.

Be yourself! Even if it scares you. [backstage at QVC Joy is dolled up and given a poofy black early ‘90s style dress]
Neil Walker: Wow. Beautiful. What do you think? How do you feel?
Joy: I’d like to change just one thing, do you mind?
Neil Walker: Okay, surprise me.
Joy: Small thing. I’ll surprise you.
Neil Walker: Okay, surprise me.
[she goes back into the dressing room and closes the door, Neil paces impatiently]
Neil Walker: I wonder what the small thing is that she changes.
[Joy comes out of the dressing room wearing her hair down and she’s wearing a shirt and trousers]
Neil Walker: What? You undid the whole thing.
Joy: This is me.
Neil Walker: This is you? You’ve got the exact same outfit you had when you came in here.
Joy: I wear a blouse and I wear pants. That’s who I am. I want to go on as me.

Joy believed in herself and her product. She was determined to do it her way and did just that. She broke through the fear and found her wings.

landscape-1451924720-joy-movie The Real JOY

Published on August 28, 2013 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

“We are the makers of music and the dreamers of dreams.” -Willy Wonka

I was laughing at my whirl of ideas that I have collected on my phone, so I began this week to tackle my whims of creativity & take it a day at a time.

I like the idea of creating something or finding a piece of creativity in the every day, so I am taking on the challenge. I am striving to create, work on an idea, take a picture, try something new, learn more about a creative venture, finish books, write a musical….the ideas are endless, but NOTHING will be done if I don’t take it a little step at a time.

I just watched a great ted talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best-selling book Eat, Pray, Love. She talks in this conference about how she gets through the conversations that everyone asks—how are you going to top this book? She has a great twist on your elusive creative genius. This talk may not be for everyone, but I definitely could relate in understanding the ideas and gifts that seem to come to you in your dreams or the early hours of the morning & always wondering what to do with them or how to bring them to fruition.

Here is the link to the conference: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

SHOULD YOU BE AFRAID TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU WERE PUT ON THIS EARTH TO DO? Great question taken from this Ted Talk by Elizabeth Gilbert

This statement reiterates in my mind that ideas come to us for a reason. Do we do every little spark that swirls in our imagination? Do we follow even one? Do we write and when the fog comes or the ideas dwindle, do we stop writing? Do we get inspired by a song & envision an amazing musical but not attempt to write it because you don’t have the first clue of how to create a production? Do you not begin a blog because you are afraid you wont know what to write? Do you put your camera down because everyone else is taking pictures? Do you not begin when a spark of genius lands within your heart?

That little spark was entrusted to you, a gift that has followed your souls desires & is trying to help you break free from the limitations you are putting on yourself. It is only yours for a time, so nurture it, learn from it, grow it & give it wings to help you fulfill the endless possibilities.

“Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.” -Pablo Picasso

Create. Find something to bring out your creative genius. Sketch a flower, write a poem, listen to a new piece of music, look at magazines for interesting patterns and fonts, take a picture on your phone, notice the details of a feather & create an image, create sounds from drumming, whistle, dance…listen to what calls your heart to play.

Happy creating -Heather

Tap into the vision for your life

Published on January 2, 2013February 15, 2013 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

IT IS A NEW YEAR! the energy, the timing, the need to organize, to begin again seems to play in the air. This year I had my little family sit down and create individual vision boards. Needless to say, they were very resistant and not very excited to begin such a creative process. I had to guilt my husband into the experience & my nine-year-old whined “noooo!” Yet, after begging and pleading, we all sat down and plowed through a large stack of a variety of magazines.

It was such a fun process to see my little girl get excited about all the animal pictures she could find. Rip, tear, cheers and big smiles, as she found pictures that resonated with her heart. She has always loved animals, but this year she made and sold bookmarks for the World Wildlife Fund, constantly makes wishes & prays for the animals safety, and whenever we visit a zoo gift shop she seeks out the stuffed animal that will make a donation to an animal cause. Her heart has been centered around giving & learning about animals, so it was fun to see her work for hours on a project that she ended up embracing and loving.

My husband sat quietly tearing, while I anxiously waited to see his creation. Every detail spoke of his innate loves—images of triathlons, cooking and flyfishing filled the board. His work has been very stressful, so it only made sense that his deep inner spirit yearns for play, for passion, for things he loves and enjoys.

My images ended up telling me of my need for change, adventure, my desire to be surrounded by nature, to travel, to be quiet.

I wouldn’t have pushed my family to do this activity if I didn’t whole-heartedly believe in the creative process of our subconscious minds. There is a magic, a knowing that seems to exist when we just allow our creative desires to come. The subconscious is a very powerful tool that we tend to overlook or think it may be a little “whoo-whoo.” There is so much that is unknown, something that no one talks about because of the unfamiliarity of the mere chance that someone will mis-interpret our view point or belief.

I have always thought about the depths and power of our mind, but never truly understood or experienced the potential guidance our subconscious holds. This is a great story that taps into how powerful the vision of your life truly is…

I was attending my first women’s retreat coach training in Colorado. There were about twenty women in attendance, none of whom I had ever met. For our first meeting together I was sitting near a beautiful, african-american women (the only one in the group). Our first assignment was to one by one got to a stack of pictures that were upside down on a nearby table, pick one and then sit down. I was curious to know what this had to do with retreating, but I followed along and selected my picture. None of us were to look at the images until everyone had chosen one. We were then broken into groups of five women and we each turned over our images. Well, before I turned my image over I sat in amazement as the beautiful women next to me had chosen a image of a african-american woman holding a small child. She got a little emotional and explained to me that she had one little daughter and the image touched her so. I was shocked by the seemingly beautiful magic that was happening. How else could this happen unless we have a innate, inner knowing of what our souls desire is–it longs to share a deep, inner knowing, a guidance.

Needless to say, I was eager to see my image. I slowly turned over my magazine page and there was a young, blonde boy flyfishing up on a rock. I began to weep. It was like a vision of my husband as a young boy. It looked just like him. I even have a similar picture of him up on a rock flyfishing. It was unbelievable. My husband had recently been struggling with some personal depression, so the image touched me. It was as if it was reading my heart, my love for him, but I did not understand why it was affecting me so much that I was sobbing uncontrollably. I thought for a minute and then it hit me with an even deeper surge of emotion. It was the very day that one year earlier my sweet husband had taken a gun, wrote me a goodbye letter and drove to the mountains to take his life. I wept. I wept at the very thought that my soul had such a spiritual connection. I wept knowing how different my life would be without this amazing man in my life. It was then that I realized the power and knowing of the subconscious mind. How else would I have been drawn to this image?

It was a very powerful personal lesson for me. One that will always stay with me and remind me of the innate gifts and powers that are given to us to help guide us in all we do.

CREATE YOUR OWN VISION BOARD

I wish for you at this time that you will gift yourself the opportunity to have a deeper understanding of what your soul needs and desires. Take the time to create your own vision board. Take the time to nurture your souls desires by taking the necessary steps to make this a beautiful experience. You may not understand some of the images and why you are drawn to them, but do not dismiss the message. There may be something within you that is trying to get your attention and longs for you to see it.

Get a variety of magazines—you can pick some up at thrift stores or buy a variety as a gift to yourself. Say a quiet prayer of inspiration and guidance. Go through each magazine and rip out ANY image that you are drawn to–words, colors, someone who looks fit, a couch cushion that you like, etc. Then go through them again to FEEL which ones you desire to include on your board. Then cut and arrange them on a piece of foam-core board. Put the vision board somewhere that will inspire you. Look at it often & seek any inspiration that it shares with you.

This exercise is to help you find a deeper understanding of your soul’s desire, your personal vision for your life, what is needed and essential for your personal growth. Take the time. Do the work. Create. Enjoy the gifts life has to offer.

-Love and Best Wishes. Heather