Tag: new year

What treasures did you find this year?

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BEFORE YOU READ THIS….please read my last January Post https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2024/01/

THEN….you can actually answer this question to your fullest.

WHAT TREASURES DID YOU FIND THIS YEAR? As I ask myself this question and I immediately gravitated to LOVE LETTERS TO MYSELF that I have been writing ONLY since September. For me, seeking a deeper connection with something greater than myself has been a need, I should say longing. When you begin to ask a simple question and then just write what comes to you…its like a secret portal for the soul. Its like another layer to your own story. For me, there is magic in finding the hidden places within yourself. There is a necessary connection to a higher place when you have this knowing that there is more beyond your own stories you tell. There is something greater beyond what you can see and feel and a knowing that you are just a conversation away from that existence. It is a gift. I highly suggest you try it.

Another treasure that I would say….LONG-DISTANT LOVE….TIME WITH THOSE YOU CARE ABOUT. This comes in two-fold. My little family got into a job crisis that caused my sweet husband to pick up and move to a different state so we could financially survive. At one point this year—-I was in one home on the Oregon Coast, my daughter in her apt a couple hours away on her college campus and my husband in an apartment in Montana. Talk about long-distance. We have all been living separate lives, which has been life-changing and also eye-opening. My husband didn’t truly appreciate living in Oregon & his time on the coast–he genuinely just wanted to move back to Utah. Now, he lives in Montana and now talks about just needing to get back home, to Oregon. Sometimes we have to truly lose something to genuinely appreciate it, right? Well, the three of us have been home all together for the holidays. It has been weeks of quality time, laughs, memories, moments creating memories, lots of movies, games and time together. We constantly just keep saying how nice it is to be all together. We are cherishing this time because in a couple of weeks we will all be alone again (my daughter doing a study exchange in France, husband back to work in Montana) and having our long-distance relationships. I don’t think you REALLY appreciate those closest to you until they are gone…or at least…at a distance for a period of time. IF anyone out there is not feeling the love for those closest to you—-maybe take an extreme route and have an extended period of time away to truly find your feelings…to unearth the treasures that you have lost.

The other gift—MY DAD…almost losing my Dad to a five-valve bypass of his heart. He was a walking dead man..that survived. I looked at a picture of him taken for Christmas and thought, “he was almost not even here for that moment…that picture.” Since I am out of the state I flew in to spend some time with him after the surgery. Talk about life-altering. My Dad has always been the picture of health drinking his “green juice” every morning with his supplements, playing pickle-ball with guys half his age, so really he could have probably been gone a long time ago if he had not taken such care for himself. Good for you, Dad!! My Dad has always been the spark that ignites the fun in the family. The guy who works so hard to get family together to make those connections. He has been the one who strives to make it to grandkids recitals or swim meets or soccer games. He truly enjoys his family and those connections. They are his treasure and we almost lost him!! He is the families treasure and we are so grateful to still have him around.

OH, LOLA….This was definitely a treasure and a heart-break. To see the genuine love and care that my husband gave to our beloved dog at the end of her life. To see him sacrifice and clean and wrap her decaying body that was being savaged by cancer and just love her through so deeply. I have seen my husband take care of both of his Dads at the end of their life and I know the great, sincere care he gives, but to see his genuine, deep love for our dog was another level. I watched him with such admiration and bravery as we all escorted one another to the vet to say goodbye. It tore my little family apart. We were all in such tears of despair. To see my daughter so bravely handle such a hard situation, I will never forget. She was stronger and braver than me. I couldn’t be so brave. It was an incredibly heartbreaking day, but our family was there together. The treasure was giving so unconditionally to this little dog that loved so deeply. A dog that my husband didn’t want in the beginning (four years earlier) was now a dog that he has cherished and loved on another level. It was so good to witness such love….that was a treasure. Our Lola…such a gift.

LIVE WITH INTENTION…Learning to be more intentional in all I do from one of our sweet 90 something neighbors who takes time to HANDwrite long cards, she says thank you for every little detail of a gift you give (even down to a banana), she takes yarn and has special knots she ties to make handmade ornaments. She lovingly puts little pieces of herself in all she does. I have boxes of little details she has made that I don’t dare get rid of because I have never met anyone like her. She is a treasure. Thank you beautiful, Patty. You are an incredible example to ALL around you. xoxo

Another treasure—LOTS OF LITTLE MOMENTS that CREATE BIG MEMORIES. Seeing my daughter look up at a giant Redwood tree this year in awe. Watching my daughter laugh with her Dad at funny videos on social media. Walking through the forests where we live and walking strand lines of the ocean together. Seeing my husband so excited to take out tumbled agates after they have been rock polished. Looking at pictures of our beloved dog, Lola that we lost and will never forget. Taking my brothers ashes to the ocean and having them blow back at me into my hair. Love you, Scotty. You will always be with me. haha. Always reading loving letters from my little family. The sincere happiness my husband shared with me in videos, photos and enthusiasm over the phone with his many beloved fishing trips in Yellowstone this summer or his joy at a new pop-up camp tent to make his weekend campouts alone bearable. Finding and seeing JOY in those you care about—priceless gem. My sweet husband giving me one of my beloved childhood stories (The Velveteen Rabbit) and then being able to read it to my daughter this holiday season while she was sick. Lying by myself on the wet, golf tee box and looking straight up into the sky with a prayer and seeing a bird so high up in the sky. It was a beautiful moment to feel like what it would be like looking down from heaven (a very big—I see you moment) . Walking the beach with my Jonny when he is home is a priceless gift and treasure—I appreciate it even more now. Just time together is more appreciated, whether its simply driving to get gas or walking a thrift/antique store together. Seeing the colorful northern lights from the coast with my little family and taking fun photos. Having sunrise and sunset moments with my daughter over the past few months I will always cherish. Seeing my daughter’s excitement and hearing her happiness as she experienced so many different places in the world this year—Her independent adventures & day trips that brought her such happiness—sea shells & big outdoor showers in Fiji…the smallest dolphins, blue penguins, fur seals and Mtn hikes in New Zealand, so many moments & places in France with someone she loves…so many memories of her pure Joy! So memorable. Watching baking shows together and having our family Survivor binge watches are always great treasured time together. Having my daughter break down in tears after I surprised her with a decorated Christmas tree in her room (knowing she had no time to decorate) Watching my sweet daughter mature and grow in her relationships with friends, family and falling in love. Its amazing to see such growth from those you care so deeply about. My sweet dog, Teag that makes me feel so loved and cared about (he has been a huge help when I am all alone) & the little moments when we literally stretch together each morning. Having sincere conversations with my brother and feeling like I am a safe place for him & he for me. Feeling loved and appreciated by valued friends & neighbors. Giving our neighborhood a small lantern fest on Christmas Eve & having people grateful for the light. Convertible rides along the coast with favorite music. Inspired podcasts full of inspiration and life lessons. Books to share wisdom. Music that can transport you to special decades of your life…even a dance, a kiss, a lifetime moment. We were just reminiscing with our daughter about when she was a newborn and how we would stay up watching MTV and listen to the song “Running” by No Doubt & how that song can take us back to that sweet moment in time. It is amazing the power music has….really all of our senses–they take us back to so many places. Which brings me to Photo moments that can touch you with a treasured moment from yesterday to 20 years ago. It is amazing how talking, sharing, seeing, feeling little moments can take you right back to those special, treasured spaces of your life.

EVERY DAY Every day is full of little treasured moments. Write them down or snap a shot so that you hold onto them even longer. It is the moments that are the real treasures in our lives. We live and seek and find them every single day. The moments are what make our lives really rich…..with the things that matter the very most. Those are the real gems. Hold on to those with all your heart. xoxo

Asked my family for their “reaction”Treasures”: They talked about one or two memory highlights from the past year & one tangible thing you could actually put into a treasure chest. Jon–Memory from this past year—walking the streets of our neighborhood, pretty brown trout that I caught that he can still replay back in his mind. Tangible thing—pontoon boat that allowed him to float some amazing rivers. Kate—tangible jewelry that represents various moments and very meaningful memories…photos…moments, intentional photo moments or selfie moments…brings the memories of places, people and important moments to her and her life.

There are sooo many moments for everyone. Take the time to even write down or reminisce over some of the many memories made over the last year. That in itself is a gift—to hear what is meaningful and memorable to one another is a priceless treasure. Take the time together.

HAPPIEST NEW YEAR. May you find everything you hope for…long for…need…wish for…desire…seek…may you find it. xoxo

New Year. New Obsessions. New TREASURES

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haha.

According to many—New Years marks a day in which we begin some sort of New Obsession—we change our eating habits, we begin running, we start journaling, we promise to meditate, we start penciling in more…seeing a therapist, doing a cleanse, organizing a room, making kids start new rules and regulations…starting ‘a new’ with some sort of new habit…some type of re-wire…some sort of obsession, right!?! Well, to each their own. haha.

I am choosing TREASURE. YOU DECIDE.
YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT THIS YEAR.

The very word, “TREASURE” has a great connotation to it…by definition, “a quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects.” We often associate it with a treasure hunt, finding buried treasure, seeking some sort of treasure, whether it is a personal journey to find our own pleasures, pursuits, direction, values, etc. There is a treasure within to find. OR there is also, the “things or objects” treasure in which you seek things outside of yourself. BOTH will bring enJOYment on some level, but you need to find out what will bring the real FULFILLMENT. I just had a great visual…a metaphor, if you will. Bare with me for a minute. IMAGINE…An empty treasure chest that needs to be FULL and FILLED…but with what?? Look at it like your life. Ask yourself—What do you want to fill it with? What will make it FEEL FULL and truly rewarding? Life is FULL of treasures of various shapes, sizes, values, decisions, lessons learned, relationships made. It is the small jewels and gems of a life well lived that will make you truly RICH.

When you are young the world tells you that once you get this or that, make more money or have two houses or this job or $$ per year….you will finally be happy. But as you grow wiser you begin to see it is the experiences, the memories made, the moments collected that truly create a wealth of immeasurable riches.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will

find your treasure.” -Paulo Coelho

What will you select of put inside as your treasure? Will it be gold coins to be saved up for a day to finally spend them? Will it be collectibles that increase in value? Will it be a trip of a lifetime that will hold priceless memories, Will it be precious time and memorable moments with your family, or will it be education and experiences that you can learn and share throughout your lifetime?

I think you can do a little bit of everything as long as you find a happy balance for your life. The riches can allow you to dream a little bigger and find those places to wander. Maybe it is fun for you to literally treasure hunt. I know for me, I love a goodwill treasure hunt to see if I can spot a unique piece of antique jewelry or a valuable bowl of pottery. Or maybe, you want to utilize some of your riches to take a photography class that will be an investment in yourself. If you can take the time to learn, dream a little bigger, educate yourself to further your future, and then place it all in the treasure chest of your choosing….a balanced life can have many variables and special pieces held inside.

“There’s a treasure hidden in every moment.

The JOY of life is finding it”. -Katrina Mayer

Life can be a bit daunting and you may struggle to know what you truly want for your life. (What you want in your treasure chest) You may need to play, experiment with things that bring you joy, invite friends to share their experiences of finding treasures and priceless gifts in their life. It is a process to find what brings meaning, it takes time to educate yourself on the necessary experiences to find your true treasures. You may have to stop, look around, evaluate where you are, what you have, what you need and do a little more digging on some level. It is YOUR life…YOUR treasure. YOU need to figure out where the value really lies. What the treasures really are to YOU. Everyone is different. One person may fill their chest up with a collection of Air Jordan shoes waiting for a pay day, while someone else may leave it empty until they can fill it with albums of photos or souvenirs from trips around the world. Maybe you fill it with books because you find such value in the words and lessons expressed by others. What is priceless to one, may be a different value to another. We are each uniquely made and that is why it is very important to take the time to figure out what YOU need on varying levels of your life.

“Your life is a treasure and you are so much

more than you know.” -Richard Bach

Life is a precious gift. Treasure it.

LIFE IS A TREASURE. Take the time to seek and find the right keys that unlock the authentic treasures you need for your best life. What makes a great life to one may be something completely different for another. Seek and find what YOU need. You have this ONE, unique, powerful, exhilarating, challenging, soul seeking, beautiful life that is truly so short. Don’t waste it…treasure it!

After losing my younger brother tragically this year, I hope I can make more promises to myself to seek greater experiences, to risk the mundane & shake things up, to get out of being comfortable and push myself to be even better than before. The richest treasures are in our LIFE…the little details that bring us the biggest JOYS, the people we love and get to enJOY, the places that are extraordinary that we get to experience, the gifts of learning and growth, the opportunity to LOVE more than we did yesterday, to pray more, to seek beyond what we know, to live the challenges we can push beyond, the highs and lows, the stuff that makes us FEEL EVERYTHING.
LIFE IS IN SESSION. I love that!! I strive to continue to LIVE IT!! TREASURE IT!! to my best ability.

What will be your greatest treasures

you find this New year?

Peace. Love and Light to you this New Year. May you seek and find what YOU need. xoxo. -H

–photos found on pexels

New Year New Pages

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I Love the thought of a new year with 365 new pages to create, to write, to dream, to live. With a new year there are new pressures we place on ourselves, new expectations, new goals…etc. Maybe we need to take it day by day, be gentle on ourselves and ask simpler questions.

Autosave-File vom d-lab2/3 der AgfaPhoto GmbH
Maybe we need to ask, Did I Love enough today? Yourself and others.

laughingMaybe we need to ask, Did I Laugh enough today? Because everything changes with a little laughter.

201211-orig-deepak-chopra9-949x534Maybe we need to ask, Did I make a difference today? Because you may be the very difference someone else asked for.

Begin there. Let go of the long to do lists, the “day 1” approach, the way we beat ourselves up if we didn’t work out on “day 1” or enjoyed the holidays too much & gained 5 lbs. Be gentle. Begin to ask little questions, simple questions that will begin to move you in the inner direction you need to be going. YOU know yourself better than anyone. What do you FEEL you are missing & begin with that. Maybe you are tired—take a nap. Maybe you are “hungry” for something other than food. Maybe you need more self love. Maybe you need to laugh. Maybe you need to serve. YOU truly do know what you need to be your best for yourself and everyone around you. Begin with the little things and the bigger things will follow.

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Begin. Day by Day. Happy New Year. Peace and Love to all.  -H

Exercise & its spin on depression

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ImageIt’s the new year and every gym is busier than ever, so I thought this would be a good topic to talk about because it hits home with me. You always hear the benefits of exercise, but I am here to attest to the benefits it has on depression.

My husband has had swinging bouts with depression to a point where it almost ended his life & would have altered mine and my little girls forever. We struggled to find a solution that did not involve pills or long visits at a psych office, so he began working out. He began to feel better and even signed up and competed in numerous triathlons. It seems to be his magic, natural cure for the darkness. It brings out the hope of feeling good, the light that helps him deal with the stresses of life. I can literally see and feel a difference in him when he has not worked out for a week, his attitude, his irritability begin to creep in & I remind him gently that he needs to work out to feel better.

If you or someone you love struggles with depression or even a bad day, get them moving, get them doing something that will trigger the good chemicals in their body. I promise it will help.

Here are some good tips that I pulled from the Mayo clinic to help…

Try a happy hour to your health!

Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms

If you have depression or anxiety, you might find your doctor prescribing a regular dose of exercise in addition to medication or psychotherapy. Exercise isn’t a cure for depression or anxiety. But its psychological and physical benefits can improve your symptoms.

“It’s not a magic bullet, but increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression and anxiety,” says Kristin Vickers-Douglas, Ph.D., a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

When you have depression or anxiety, exercising may be the last thing you think you can do. But you can overcome the inertia. Here’s a look at how exercise can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Plus, get realistic tips to get started and stick with exercising.

How exercise helps depression and anxiety

Exercise has long been touted as a way to maintain physical fitness and help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other diseases. A growing volume of research shows that exercise also can help improve symptoms of certain mental conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Exercise also may help prevent a relapse after treatment for depression or anxiety.

Research suggests that it may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve symptoms of depression. However, smaller amounts of activity — as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time — have been shown to improve mood in the short term. “So, small bouts of exercise may be a great way to get started if it’s initially too difficult to do more,” Dr. Vickers-Douglas says.

Just how exercise reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety isn’t fully understood. Researchers believe that exercise prompts changes in both mind and body.

Some evidence suggests that exercise postively affects the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. Exercise may also boost feel-good endorphins, release tension in muscles, help you sleep better and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also increases body temperature, which may have calming effects. All of these changes in your mind and body can improve such symptoms as sadness, anxiety, irritability, stress, fatigue, anger, self-doubt and hopelessness.

If you exercise regularly but depression or anxiety still impairs your daily functioning, seek professional help. Exercise isn’t meant to replace medical treatment of depression or anxiety.

The benefits of exercise for depression and anxiety

Exercise has numerous psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety. These include:

Confidence. Engaging in physical activity offers a sense of accomplishment. Meeting goals or challenges, no matter how small, can boost self-confidence at times when you need it most. Exercise also can make you feel better about your appearance and your self-worth.

Distraction. When you have depression or anxiety, it’s easy to dwell on how badly you feel. But dwelling interferes with your ability to problem solve and cope in a healthy way. Dwelling also can make depression more severe and longer lasting. Exercise can provide a good distraction. It shifts the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to something more pleasant, such as your surroundings or the music you enjoy listening to while you exercise.

Interactions. Depression and anxiety can lead to isolation. That, in turn, can worsen your condition. Exercising can create opportunities to interact with others, even if it’s just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood.

Healthy coping. Doing something beneficial to manage depression or anxiety is a positive coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol excessively, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping depression and anxiety will go away on their own aren’t helpful coping strategies.

Tips to start exercising when you have depression or anxiety

Of course, knowing that something’s good for you doesn’t make it easier to actually do it. With depression or anxiety, you may have a hard enough time just doing the dishes, showering or going to work. How can you possibly consider getting in some exercise?

Here are some steps that can help you exercise when you have depression or anxiety:

Get your doctor’s support. Some, but not all, mental health professionals have adopted exercise as a part of their treatment suggestions. Talk to your doctor or therapist for guidance and support. Discuss concerns about an exercise program and how it fits into your overall treatment plan.

Identify what you enjoy doing. Figure out what type of exercise or activities you’re most likely to do. And think about when and how you’d be most likely to follow through. For instance, would you be more likely to do some gardening in the evening or go for a jog in the pre-dawn hours? Go for a walk in the woods or play basketball with your children after school?

Set reasonable goals. Your mission doesn’t have to be walking for an hour five days a week. Think about what you may be able to do in reality. Twenty minutes? Ten minutes? Start there and build up. Custom-tailor your plan to your own needs and abilities rather than trying to meet idealistic guidelines that could just add to your pressure.

Don’t think of exercise as a burden. If exercise is just another “should” in your life that you don’t think you’re living up to, you’ll associate it with failure. Rather, look at your exercise schedule the same way you look at your therapy sessions or antidepressant medication — as one of the tools to help you get better.

Address your barriers. Identify your individual barriers to exercising. If you feel intimidated by others or are self-conscious, for instance, you may want to exercise in the privacy of your own home. If you stick to goals better with a partner, find a friend to work out with. If you don’t have extra money to spend on exercise gear, do something that is virtually cost-free — walk. If you think about what’s stopping you from exercising, you can probably find an alternative solution.

Prepare for setbacks and obstacles. Exercise isn’t always easy or fun. And it’s tempting to blame yourself for that. People with depression are especially likely to feel shame over perceived failures. Don’t fall into that trap. Give yourself credit for every step in the right direction, no matter how small. If you skip exercise one day, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure and may as well quit entirely. Just try again the next day.

Sticking with exercise when you have depression or anxiety

Launching an exercise program is hard. Sticking with it can be even harder. One key is problem solving your way through when it seems like you can’t or don’t want to exercise.

“What would happen if you went out to your car and it wouldn’t start?” Dr. Vickers-Douglas asks. “You’d probably be able to very quickly list several strategies for dealing with that barrier, such as calling an auto service, taking the bus, or calling your spouse or friend for help. You instantly start problem solving.”

But most people don’t approach exercise that way. What happens if you want to go for a walk but it’s raining? Most people decide against the walk and don’t even try to explore alternatives. “With exercise, we often hit a barrier and say, ‘That’s it. I can’t do it, forget it,’” Dr. Vickers-Douglas says.

Instead, problem solve your way through the exercise barrier, just as you would other obstacles in your life. Figure out your options — walking in the rain, going to a gym, exercising indoors, for instance.

“Some people have the idea that being physically active is supposed to be easy and natural,” Dr. Vickers-Douglas says. “Some think of it as just having enough willpower. But that really oversimplifies it and can make us feel like failures. You can’t just rely on willpower. Identify your strengths and skills and apply those to exercise.”

“Act as if you are and you will become such.”  -Leo Tolstoy
If you begin to believe in yourself, your possibilities and the direction you are taking your life, all will be well in health and happiness. Best wishes for new beginnings, new hopes.
-Love, Heather

Get Creative!

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628383_15013214The art of a people is a true mirror of their minds. -Jawaharlal Nehru

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.

-Andre Gide

I thought since I was talking about creativity & making vision boards that I should add some additional tips and tricks to get you moving in a NEW direction. There is a lot to be said about the creativity of the soul…

Here are some suggestions taken from an article 21 Ways to Be More Creative

by Christine Kane and some other good stuff by me!!

1 – Stop watching television

Or better yet, get rid of the damn thing. Any time I teach writing or creativity, this is one of the biggies. TV is a mind-killer. It numbs you. It fills you with emotionally-charged images and over-simplified solutions. It dulls you. Turn it off. Even if this idea scares you, turn it off.

2 – Take a 20-minute walk everyday

It’s easy to become driven about exercise. You go to the Y. You go running. You think that a 20-minute walk isn’t productive or worth much. Take a 20-minute walk and allow the world to just be. Watch things. Stop and smell things. Notice birds. Let the world unfold and show itself to you.

3 – Write with pen & paper (or pencil and paper)

Keep a journal. Do morning pages. Write in long-hand. Typing on a keypad into a computer doesn’t always open up that tactile sense-loving part of us that loves to create.

4 – Write songs to your pets

5 – Dance around the House

Put on old disco (Earth, Wind, and Fire, baby!), or new Madonna, or swing. Put it on loud. Dance

around your house while you make dinner. Or start the day shakin’ your groove thang.

6 – Walk in the rain

I haven’t owned an umbrella in about 10 years. I love the rain. I love walking in it. I wrote the song Everything Green after I hiked in the mountains in the pouring rain. I was journaling about how alive everything was, and I wrote “It was all just rain and mud and wild and green.” That’s how I got my CD title. Walking in the rain can be a happy thing. (Use an umbrella if you want. Rain on umbrellas makes a good sound.)

7 – Make a collage

Magazines. Some Yes Paste. A scrapbook page and lots of crayons and paints and stickers. (And thou.) This isn’t a vision board. It doesn’t have a purpose. It’s just for fun and beauty and making something. I love collaging. I’m not great at it. But I’ve gotten better and better at laying out the page and learning what colors and shapes I love. I always feel more alive when I do one.

8 – Make a list of things you love

My song Loving Hands (on my first CD) was born out of a journal exercise I did where I just wrote a long list of all the things I love. That song remains one of my most requested songs. I had so much fun thinking of things that delight me in the world. Finding feathers, finding pennies, the sound of big flags flapping in the wind, the smell of my cat’s fur when she’s been out in the snow (she smells like a big box of wool mittens). I remember reading it to a friend of mine who just sat there smiling and nodding his head. Even though this was years ago, I still remember how much fun I had making that list.

9 – Write 10 postcards

Go pick out some really cool postcards, and then go to a cafe somewhere, and order your Genmaicha Tea (Okay, get yourself a Latte if you want) and write postcards to friends and family.

10 – Get up early and watch the sun rise

11 – Listen to music you’ve never listened to before.

After I saw the movie Tortilla Soup, I downloaded a bunch of Latin music from iTunes. One of my favorite nights in my memory this year was a hot rainy night thick with humidity. My husband and I opened up all the windows and doors. We pressure cooked (I love our pressure cooker) some black beans, shared a froo-froo mixed drink and made a fantastic dinner while all of my new Latin and Tejano music was cranked up. It was one of those really happy nights, partly because I loved discovering new music.

12 – Eat with your hands

Be a kid again. Make a meal and put the silverware back into the drawers. Eat with your hands. Have some friends over for a silverwareless dinner.

13 – Be quiet

Light a few candles after dark and just sit. Don’t meditate if you don’t want to. Just sit quietly and listen. Watch the candles. Allow for more silence in your life.

We are a noisy people. I hear people say they can’t stand silence. But it is in silence where we can hear the voice of our creativity. Maybe not at first. But it will come.

Drive with no music on. Make dinner in silence. Pay attention to your hands as you slice the veggies. Just be quiet.

14 – Take a nap

15 – Take photos. Real photos. Not digital photos.

My favorite camera is a Pentax K1000. It’s completely manual, and it’s how I learned to take pictures. I’m not very good. When I first moved to Asheville, I used to walk around town on Sundays (the whole town was closed up then) and take pictures of all the buildings. These photos are now a treasure to me because nothing is the same anymore. (Every building has been bought, remodeled and now is filled with stores that sell trickly fountains, Buddahs, and things that smell grassy.)

Take pictures of anything. And have fun in the old method of actually getting your film developed and the excitement of flipping through photos you haven’t seen yet.

16 – Make an event out of watching the full moon come up

One of the things I love about my husband is that he’s always looking for the perfect place to watch the full moon come up. He’ll make an event out of it. We pile in the car and go to this one field or to a bench on the college campus and sit and watch the moon rise.

17 – Read poetry aloud

Poetry is meant to be read aloud. The words and phrases will tilt your brain and open doors like you never thought they would. My favorites: Mary Oliver, e.e. cummings, Rumi, Pablo Neruda, Sharon Olds, Barbara Brooks, and Alicia Suskin Ostriker. There are lots of collections of poetry if you don’t want to pick just one.

18 – Go see a play or live music or live anything

Get out of the house and experience creativity. Avoid mega-blockbuster-Hollywood movies whose trailers begin with the deep gravelly voice saying, “IN A WORLD_” (And then bombs go off and Mel Gibson appears)

Live performance is an exchange. As an audience member you get to participate. I know this because I perform. Every night is different. Everything is about the audience. You receive so much more energy from live shows. Go see the symphony, even the small local symphony. See a play. See some improv. There is so much life on a stage, so many improvisational moments, so much about authenticity. You can’t help but take it in.

19 – Visit a gallery

See another artist’s creation. The downtown of any city is bound to have some great galleries. You don’t have to buy anything. Just experience the artistry of someone gifted in glass blowing or pottery or woodwork.

20 – Write a letter

When was the last time you wrote a letter? I just got a long letter from one of the women who participated in my last retreat. It was funny. And it was fun to read. And I kept thinking, “Damn. It’s been too long since I’ve experienced this.” Every time I write a letter, I feel clearer and happier. Not only is it more fun to make something for someone else, it’s also just a way to get out of yourself.

21 – Stop watching television

This is an important one. It bears repeating. There are so many better things you can do than watch American Idol

I hope during this time of reflecting on a new year that you will take the time to create, to go within to understand yourself better and know that divine gifts lie within.
Best wishes for a creative January.
-Heather

Tap into the vision for your life

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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