What to do when nothing is working.

by andrea on December 12, 2011

There’s this thing that’s been on my to-do list for some time.

It’s about growing my business.  It’s one of those things that all the experts say you’re “supposed to do” to grow your online business.  And it’s an easy enough thing for me to do, it’s just that I don’t do it.  And every time I try to do it – something gets in the way.

So I finally decided I’d been putting this off long enough, and I sat down to do it.  For real this time.

And, almost immediately, it made me frustrated and angry and I couldn’t get anywhere.

So I stopped.

I had lunch, I knitted, I drank tea.  I went back to it and it made me even more upset.

So I stopped, again.

This time I meditated.  I asked to see the part of me that wanted to get this thing done and the part of me who was resisting.

I saw a jailhouse.

With an angry jailer standing up, leaning forward on the table, yelling at a small, terrified woman.

The jailor was the me who wanted to get this thing done.

The small, terrified woman was the me who was terrified of doing it.  It was kind of like she was sentenced for a crime she did not commit.  She was terrified and didn’t know what to do.

I joined them as wise peaceloving me.

The jailor sat down.  The small terrified woman grew so we were all the same size. I said “Surely we can work this out in a way that works for all of us.”

We held hands and then the jailhouse was gone.  We were in a beautiful forest.  The air was clear and clean and sparkling.

We listened to the jailor who talked about how important it is to do this thing.  Underneath what she was saying were all of these fears about how if we don’t do this thing, everything will fall apart.

We listened to the previously small terrified woman talk about how she gets all tangled up when she tries to do this thing and how trying to do it actually keeps her from being able to do anything.  Underneath what she was saying was the simple truth that this task shut down her creative genius and she didn’t know of anything that could be done about it.

And I wasn’t sure what to do.

First I agreed that we simply can’t do this task.

But that whisked us all back into the jail and made the jailor come back, only this time both me and the small terrified woman were cowering as she screamed and threw things.

So, OK.  We can’t just drop it.

Erasing it from the to-do list does not erase jailor-me’s concerns that this is the only way to get what we want.

So negotiations are needed.

What can we do instead, that works for everyone, that gets the same result as this problematic task?

First I had to get jailor-me to agree that it could perhaps maybe be possible that there is another task we can do that gets the same results.

But of course, she doesn’t have any ideas for what this other task could be.

Small, terrified me is too creatively scarred to come up with anything.

I’m kind of tired from all of this and can’t come up with any ideas either.

But at this point we all agree that there could even be a task that would work better than this one and be easier – we just don’t know what it is.

So we agreed to keep looking for it.  And to keep this other task on the table until the new task is found, so that no one freaks out about us being taskless.

At that point I had to go out and get a latte.

I brought my laptop and started playing with ideas and this new plan was born.

At first, I didn’t recognize it as the new task to replace this icky task because it doesn’t even feel like a task.  It feels like play and light and creativity and joy and generosity and clarity.

Then I brought it back to the other two to see what they thought.

This is when I learned that small, terrified me doesn’t even have opinions.  All she really wants is for this to not be so terrifying.

So I wanted to build her a beautiful soft room to live in.  With soft sunlight sparkling in through big windows, and soft delicate furnishings.  And a tiny magical door where everything she needs just comes to her right when she needs it and there is nothing to be scared of, ever.

But jailor me wants to keep her here because she is me who is easiest to control.

And then I realise – well I should have given the task to someone else!  Maybe then we wouldn’t even be in this situation!  And also – jailor me needs a new job!

Getting things back on track.

Jailor me likes being a jailor.  Making sure people stay in line.  She is 100% in support my secret mission and is going to make sure everyone does what needs to be done to complete the mission.

She really wants to kick people’s asses and make people do their work.

This is problematic because kicking asses doesn’t really fit with creative magic or creative flow or creative dreams.

I can’t think of anything in my inner world that would benefit from the addition of more discipline.

But, she’s here and she’s a part of me so she’s important and valuable and there must be a place where she is exactly what is needed.

So I ask her, if I could build her a perfect room to live in what would it be like?

Just a simple place to rest.  She’s tired.

Oh.

But in order for her to actually go be in that room and rest, she would have to trust that someone else has a handle on things out here.  That someone else will make sure things get done because she really, really wants to take care of me and she’s concerned about all the time I spend resting, or doing things like I am doing right now – instead of getting this task done.

So, if her room had some strategic planning equipment she could stay in there and rest and create a really awesome plan for the secret mission and rest and be happy.

Ahhhh relief.  Everything started to loosen up.

Terrified me was then free to go to her soft sparkling room where there was nothing to be terrified of.

Jailor me turned into strategic planner me and went to her strategic planning headquarters.

And here I am, in the forest, by myself, with this task.

I’d pick it up, but it’s really sharp and ugly.

This isn’t something I want in my kingdom.  This is exactly what I don’t want here!

Which tells me what to replace it with: it’s opposite.

Ease and beauty.

Ease and beauty are what I need to get the results that I want.

So I look back to the new plan I made.

And I see that actually this plan creates ease in my business.  And it is an avenue for beauty.  And it doesn’t freak me out to do it.

So that task is officially off the table.  And the new plan is officially my new plan. Yay!

And now I can quietly happily peacefully get stuff done, and the stress and frustration and stuckness is gone.

It is magic what happens when you go into your inner world, explore what is there, and move things around.

It’s the best way of creating space outside of you for more of the things you want.

And that’s what we’re going to be doing together on Wednesday in the Open Sesame Tele-Class!  The class is free for all members of the Creative Magic Academy (click on the link to become a member if you’re not one yet!) and it’s going to be so fun!

I hope you can be there live on the phone!

It’s this Wednesday, Dec 14 at 2pm CST (click here to see what time this is in your time zone).

 

You don’t need gazillions of dollars, a wall of fancy degrees, or superhuman powers (other than the ones you already have!) to make your dream come true.  You just need a space to nurture and accelerate your dream, from inception to expression to fruition.

You need a Creative Dream Incubator.

(Good thing it exists!)

The Creative Dream Incubator is a six-week wish-fulfillment master class to help you GROW YOUR DREAM, by guiding you through every stage of the Creative Dream Process.

>>> Next session starts Jan 23.

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Your answers are inside of you

by andrea on December 9, 2011

The Creative Dream Check-In questions seem small, but asking them every week is completely magical. And it works. This process grows dreams. So let’s get started. The questions are:

  • Where am I today in relation to my dream? Or if you are using a map, ask yourself: Where am I on the map today?
  • How does that feel?
  • What does my dream need?
  • What do I need?

This was a week of endings and beginnings and change change change.

Registration closed on the Give Your Inner Critic a New Job e-Course and registration opened on the Creative Dream Incubator e-Course. And I am getting ready to start a new series of free tele-classes. (Starting on Wednesday! Weee! I hope you’ll be there!)

And in times of change, which is basically all the time, these questions are even more important.

The value in checking in comes in really truly exploring where you are and what you need.  Not giving quick answers but really letting the questions in, following them in, and exploring.  Talking to your dream to find out what it wants.

All of your answers are inside you.

Everything you need to do anything you want is inside you. There! Are! Treasures! Within! So many treasures!

But if you’re focused outside of you or caught up in routines or busy-ness or whatever – you’ll never find that stuff.

It can take an incredible amount of exploring to find the treasures.

But if you’re not connected with to your inner treasures everything kind of falls apart so whatever time and energy this takes – this is time and energy well spent.

What I’m working on now is building new mines that can dig into the deeper layers of the treasures within.

It feels like I’ll need this for my next adventure which is, at this point, a secret mission.

So this week I created new systems for my secret mission.

Which inspired a total re-structure of my Creative Genius Planning Session tools.

Both of which are housed in clear envelopes in my Filofax organiser filled with mini cards and booklets and reminders and plans and maps and superpowers.

My Secret Mission is becoming clearer and clearer.

The superfantastic thing about creative journaling, or in this case creative Filofaxing, is that you get to spend time marinating in the creative energy of your dream.

This is such a great way to explore the questions.  It creates an opening where unexpected answers can come through.


This works even when you don’t know what to do, or how to do it.

Which is where I was for much of this week.  It’s hard to know what to do when so much is changing and that’s ok.

So I stayed with it and I did what I felt inspired to do.  Paint this green.  Paint that orange.  Write this word in gold glitter and that word in thick purple marker.

It is amazing what you can learn from this.

It’s like creating fertile ground all around you where inspiration and ideas can just pop right in.

So I played and then I got inspiration and ideas and I did this and I did that.

How does that feel?

Really fun and exciting.

Also I am encountering a lot of small scared selves who don’t like this new deeper mining business.  And who certainly don’t like secret missions.  They do like solid plans and reasonable reasons for doing what I am doing and they really wish I’d do more “real work”.

So I’m spending lots of time with them and giving them new jobs as Safety and Stability Officers at the new mine.

What does my dream need?

For me to remember that when I don’t know what to do,that doesn’t mean I can’t do anything.  I can just sit down and play with whatever I feel like playing with.  To remember that something good and important and useful will always come out of that.

Remembering.  Faith.  Enthusiasm.  Creativity.  Play.  Reverence.  Space.

And the secret mission needs the dream loft.  They are linked together somehow.

What do I need?

Extreme self care.  Delicious essential oil blends and loads of lush baths and eggnog lattes and knitting. Green smoothies and yoga and silly hats.

To remember my supowerpowers.

To talk to my dreams more often.

Want to share your check-in?

Everyone’s dreams grow more fully and beautifully when we grow them together in creative community.

You are welcome to do your check in in the comments or in your journal or silently on your own. Or just pop in and say hello and let us know what you’re up to.

 

You don’t need gazillions of dollars, a wall of fancy degrees, or superhuman powers (other than the ones you already have!) to make your dream come true.  You just need a space to nurture and accelerate your dream, from inception to expression to fruition.

You need a Creative Dream Incubator.

(Good thing it exists!)

The Creative Dream Incubator is a six-week wish-fulfillment master class to help you GROW YOUR DREAM, by guiding you through every stage of the Creative Dream Process. >>> Next session starts Jan 23.

AND!


Free! Tele-Classes!

 

But less like teleclasses and more like magic tea parties that make you feel like you can do anything.

The first one happens Wednesday Dec 14!

Click here to register. Or if you’re reading this in your email – call-in information is on the sidebar on the right.

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Open Sesame

by andrea on December 7, 2011

Open Sesame is a (free!) one hour tele-class happening on Wednesday, Dec 14 at 2pm CST

(click here to see what time this is in your time zone)

Open Sesame is the secret magic word that opens the secret magic door.

We’re going to use magical creative practices to open the door to a sparkling and fabulous 2012 filled with wishes granted and dreams fulfilled.

This means, on Jan 1, 2012 – you’ll enter into the right 2012.

The one that is filled with possibility and opportunity and all of the things you need to do all of the things you want to do.

Because there are a lot of different 2012s out there.  And not all of them are pleasant.  So you want to be really clear about which 2012 you are entering into and what that 2012 is filled with.

You can work with resolutions and intentions all you want – but if you’re in the wrong 2012 everything is going to be much harder for you.

Plus! Bonus!

During the class I will be giving away one copy of Danielle LaPorte’s The Spark Kit ($150 value) which is one of my top recommended tools for growing a sparkling creative business.

And this is just the beginning.

I’m filling my 2012 with lots more Super Awesome Free (But By Invitation Only) Teleclasses and Group Coaching Calls.

I am so excited about this!  This is going to be so fun!

I’m creating them to be less like tele-classes and more like super-inspiring tea parties that make you feel like you can do anything.

Anything!

And if you can’t make it to the live call you will get a recording that you can listen to any time you want. 

So, how do you get an invitation?
All members of the Creative Magic Academy are invited. Call-in details will be emailed at the end of the week.


(If you don’t see a sign-up form, click here)
I am looking forward to seeing you on the call!

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How to melt resistance, fear, and anything else you’d rather not be feeling.

by andrea on December 5, 2011

When resistance is present there is usually a good reason to say yes and a good reason to say no.  Or a good reason to do thing A and also a good reason to do thing B.  Part of you wants it, part of you doesn’t.

And rather than be with all of those conflicting reasons and feelings and fears and desires, you push the whole thing away.

Resistance is all of these conflicting things coming together and you trying to squash the whole mess down so you can pretend it’s not there.

This is how a lot of creative dreams die.

Because squashing down that discomfort you’re feeling when you’re in resistance means also squashing down your little growing dream seedling.!

In order to not squash your little growing dream seedling, you have to learn to navigate  your way through your inner world – through whatever fear and uncertainty are there to find the treasures (superpowers! dreams! gifts! wisdom!) that live inside of you.

This is the most important thing you can do.

Because those treasures are real and you need them.

(Also -  when you’re doing this, everything else gets smoother, easier and simpler. Things just magically fall into place.)

And this is what we’re doing right now in the Give Your Inner Critic a New Job e-Course. 

The technique we play with in the course is a very effective resistance-melter.

Also a fear-melter and any-feeling-you’d-rather-not-experience-melter.

And even though we’re doing scary stuff, we’re not doing it in scary ways.  There is loads of creativity and imagination and play to make the whole thing less annoying and awkward and more fun and useful.

And registration closes at the end of today (Monday, Dec 5).

Click here to read more + to register today.

PS: A message from one of the students in the inner critic classroom:

Hello, my name is Sylvie and I am participating in Andrea’s “Giving My Inner Critic a New Job” e-course.

As I tried to contact my inner critic, thanks to the first meditation in the course, I was surprised to meet a little child that wanted to be protected. The inner voice that was so criticizing my way of being was just the “big brother” of this little child that wanted me to act as perfect as possible in order to stay safe.

The second time I used the meditation, I understood that the “Voice of the Reason”, as Andrea is calling it, was so hugely powerful inside me that I could not hear the child in me that wanted to play freely. So I’m using Andrea’s material to help both of these voices, my heart and my reason, begin to know each others and collaborate in full respect instead of always fighting.

This way of reacting to inner voices is totally new to me and feels like such a relief. I was used to arguing in my head for hours around the usual theme “I should do this but I don’t really want to”.

At last, I feel that I’ve found a method to deal with deep issues that are sometimes blocking me totally.

I know I can now move slowly forward, in my own rhythm, and discover what I’m here for, and how I can fulfill my dreams from the inside out.

I’m deeply thankful for Andrea for having made her powerful tools so fun to use, even though this is really deep stuff.

Sylvie

Remember: Registration for the inner critic e-course closes today.

Click here find out more + to register.

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The Mermaid’s Fantastically Epic Journey

by andrea on December 2, 2011

The Creative Dream Check-In questions seem small, but asking them every week is completely magical.

And it works. This process grows dreams. So let’s get started. The questions are:

  • Where am I today in relation to my dream? Or if you are using a Creative Dream Map, ask yourself: Where am I on the map today?
  • How does that feel?
  • What does my dream need?
  • What do I need?

My Creative Dream Check-In:

Instead of a regular check-in I want to share a dream I had earlier this week.  It’s the most beautiful description I’ve got of where I am now.

I dreamed I was a mermaid.

Living under the sea. Happily building a world of creative dreams.  Until my creative dream world grew so fantastically big the sea couldn’t really hold it anymore.

It was a small sea.  There was a bigger sea. Not to mention sparklier!

But to get there I’d have to go over land.

There were paths leading across the land to the bigger sea – secret tubes filled with saltwater.  No one tube that went all the way. This isn’t a simple journey.

Lots of tubes. Some of them going the right way. Some of them going the wrong way. Some of them didn’t even have saltwater in them, just regular water.  Of course, mermaids need saltwater.

And there were these places where the tubes ended and other tubes started.  These were in the basements of big human buildings. Like sports arenas and other places where mermaids are not quite at home being in.

So it was quite the journey.

But I was sure.  I knew I could find my way.

Even though I hadn’t been there before I felt like I had been there before and that somewhere inside me, was a map.

But here I was, in one of those basements, searching for the next secret tube path.

I found one, but it wasn’t saltwater.  And I discovered that you have to actually to into the tube, and let it swallow you up, before you can know if it’s the right tube or not.  And then, when it’s not, you’ve got to kind of fight your way back out.

So all I could do was keep trying tubes. And trust that I’d find the right tube before I’d been on dry land too long.

Because if I stayed on dry land too long I’d dry up.

Here I was. Risking everything.

Risking one life overflowing with dreams in order to get to another life with sparklier dreams in a sparklier ocean.

There was someone there, in that basement who was rooting for me.  But I couldn’t really see them a they couldn’t help me figure out what to do.  All they could do was offer love and support.

And I had infinite internal resources that were summed up in one word: trust.

And I just knew I was going to make it.

What a dream, hey?

(I love my brain on Shiva Nata.)

And what a great new perspective on this transition-period-which-has-been-extended.

The dream reminded me of 2 important things:

  1. I’m on a fantastically epic journey and fantastically epic journeys take time.
  2. There’s no way for me to know what works, and what doesn’t work, without trying.  In other words: there is no such thing as a mistake. There’s just trying different things to find out what works.

How does that feel?

It feels grounded and happy and solid.

What does my dream need?

I’ve been doing some Top Secret Experiments in the Creative Dream Laboratory.  My dream needs more of these.

What do I need?

Space. More time for painting.

I’ll be finding ways to add both of those to next week’s schedule.

Want to share your check-in?

Everyone’s dreams grow more fully and beautifully when we grow them together in creative community. Sharing your creative dream process is magic.

You are welcome to do your check in in the comments or in your journal or silently on your own. Or just pop in and say hello and let us know what you’re up to.

PS: Registration closes for the Inner Critic e-Course on Dec 5 – that’s on Monday!

Read more + register here.

PPS: You can win a free spot in the Rainbow~licious Creative Healing Circle in the Wish Studio on the Creative Magic Academy facebook page (scroll down a bit to find the post about it and leave your favourite colour there in the comments).  I’ll pick a winner next Monday.

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A Bottle of Comfort + The Cure For Stuckness

by andrea on November 29, 2011

Once upon a time, there was a cranky cranky girl.

And she was moping around her parent’s house because construction on her new dream loft condo was delayed. FOR TWO MORE MONTHS.

And then a package arrived in the mail that changed everything.

That packaged contained a bottle of comfort, which was exactly what the cranky girl needed.

Comfort: Tender Love + Gentle Healing

The cranky girl dosed herself in the magical oil and then *pouf* all was well in her world.

Because one of her magical, magical friends had created this oil using the cranky girl’s very own magic potions.

And when the cranky girl experienced her very own magic potion, wrapped up inside this ridiculously gorgeous magically charged perfumed oil it struck her:

There is so much magic in life, it’s ridiculous.  Ridiculous!

And she woke up from her cranky spell.

So this happened last week when I was having a rough time.

I was incredibly disappointed about this most recent delay in the loft condo.

I also didn’t want to be disappointed.  And I recognized that I am one lucky girl.  Hello!  I bought my dream loft condo!  It’s amazing!  So what that I have to wait 2 more months?  As if it won’t be worth it!

So I was tempted to try to “positive think” the stuck away.

I wanted to not dwell on it.  Or complain about it.

I definitely wanted to not tell the truth when people asked “How are you?”

And yes, that’s tempting.  It’s also exactly the wrong approach to take.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!

I have a lot of training when it comes to positive thinking and using the law of attraction. I have had a lot of clients. I have been in classes and taught classes with so many different people. (I am a trained and accredited New Though Practitioner which is a teacher, mentor and guide for using the law of attraction.)

And I saw the same thing happen Every Single Time.

Positive thinking your way out of stuck puts you onto a hampster wheel.  Saying, and maybe even believing, that everything is just fine.  Always taking steps forward but not really getting anywhere new.

Changing the characters and scenes but not the story.

As you know – I don’t like to see people be stuck.  And I don’t like to be stuck, myself.

But there is no way to be more stuck than to not even admit to yourself that you are stuck.

Because being stuck is normal.

So.  Deep breath.  I let my temptation to positive think my way out of the cranky fade away.

And instead I turned around and faced the cranky.

And then I followed my disappointment inward and I found other things hidden there:  Worry that I’d made the wrong choice somewhere.  Worry that this is just the start of everything derailing for me.  Lots of small and big worries.  And it started to make sense why I was so cranky.

Now none of these worries were true.

But they were still there.

And they were making me snap at people and want to hide in bed all day.

Not good.

So here it is. The cure for stuck.

First fill up on:

Compassion.

Gentleness.

Self care.

Love.

Comfort.

Doesn’t that already feel so much better?

No need to beat yourself up just because you’re stuck.  Or make yourself wrong. Or bad. Or in any way less than.

Remember: being stuck is normal. So if you’re stuck – congrats! You’re normal!

OK. So you’re stuck. Be stuck then.

Actually be with the stuck.

Find out what the stuck needs and give it that.

If you can’t figure out what it needs, just send it love.  Send love to the stuck and to the part of you who is stuck.

This gets you un-stuck so fast your head may spin!

But please notice how this is different from diving headfirst into the stuck or believing that it’s the truth about who you are or that it’s bigger than you.

(It’s not true.  And it’s not bigger than you.  I promise.)

Being with it is different from being in it.

Just be with it.

Find out what it needs and find out how you can give it what it needs.

As long as you stay open to it, what you need will show up.

Maybe not as quickly as you want it to, but it will show up right on time.  (Just like my condo)

You may not have the most deliciously amazing bottle of magic oil show up at your doorstop. Or you might.

It may take a bunch of practice. It may take a lot of time.

Every time you need to, and even more often than that, remember to fill up on:

Compassion.

Gentleness.

Self care.

Love.

Comfort.

That’s really the key. Be gentle with your sweet self.

I know. Your Inner Critic is the last thing you want to talk about.

It’s stupid.  And annoying.

You definitely don’t want to spend money on a course to learn more about it!

But this is important.

Because as much as dealing with your inner critic is annoying and stupid what’s more annoying and more stupid is letting it hold you back.  Which is what happens if you don’t deal with it.

Registration closes on Dec 5! That’s just a week away! Click here to learn more.

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When adventure turns to uck.

by andrea on November 25, 2011

The Friday Creative Dream Check-In questions seem small, but asking them every week is completely magical.

And it works. This process grows dreams. So let’s get started. The questions are:

  • Where am I today in relation to my dream? Or if you are using a map, ask yourself: Where am I on the map today?
  • How does that feel?
  • What does my dream need?
  • What do I need?

My Creative Dream Check-In:

This week I set sail on a new adventure: the Give your Inner Critic a New Job e-Course.

This means a lot to me.  A lot a lot a lot a lot a lot.

A big part of my mission is helping people unravel the mysteries of dealing with their stuff.

Bringing creativity and imagination and possibility and light into those dark, tight, uncomfortable spaces.

It always breaks my heart a bit when people resist.

Because there isn’t a way to hold the dark, tight, uncomfortable spaces back without also holding back on your genius and your ability to bring those big dreams to life.

And I still haven’t found a way to explain and/or describe this in a way that deals, effectively, with that resistance.

Sigh.

So this week, even though this fantastic adventure started, there has been some uck in my creative dream world.

Because, even though there are these amazing brave dream-growers in the classroom – outside of the classroom I’m getting a lot of resistance from people about this course.

And, for some reason, I didn’t see this coming.

So I’m surprised and annoyed and sad.

Also: even though things are still delayed, construction is moving ahead on my condo and I don’t think I’ll be waiting that long.

So I started looking at appliances and furniture because there are some things I need for the new place.

Which set off my money monsters.

(On top of already being surprised, annoyed and sad about the course thing)

Even though I have money for these things.

My money monsters want to know how I plan to replace my savings.

Even though I’m looking at buying big things because my condo is almost here!

Dream loft! Yay! Happy! Over The Freaking Moon Excited!

Which only makes the money monsters louder with their reminders that even Dream Lofts must be paid for.  And that the price is not really all that dreamy.

So – lots of ups and downs this week. Including being up and down at the same time.

Intense gratitude for the teachings in the inner critic course

Because that’s what’s helping me with the surprise and sadness and annoyance and money monsters.

(As my students are discovering – this process isn’t just for inner critics.  It’s for all upset/afraid/angry/freaking out parts of us.)

Getting them all smoothed out and calmed down.

Bringing peace and harmony to my inner world.

Which is, of course, the only way to create it in the outer world.

In short: Having uck doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you, or your dream.

How you handle the uck will play a huge role in whether or not you ever get to live your dream.

And I spent this whole week handling uck.

Ha!

Handling uck. Makes me giggle.  Much better than “working on my stuff” (bleh!).

So this week my dream and I both needed a lot of care and attention.

Journaling (Creative Journal Magic style), meditation, shiva nata, map making.

And so many genius insights came out of this.

I gathered them up and used them to map out everything I want to do with my business, and my secret mission, in 2012.

And I am so inspired by my plans!

Want to share your check-in?

Everyone’s dreams grow more fully and beautifully when we grow them together in creative community. Sharing your creative dream process is inspiring for others.

You are welcome to do your check in in the comments or in your journal or silently on your own. Or just pop in and say hello and let us know what you’re up to.

I know. Your Inner Critic is the last thing you want to talk about.

It’s stupid.  And annoying.

You definitely don’t want to spend money on a course to learn more about it!

But this is important.

Because as much as dealing with your inner critic is annoying and stupid what’s more annoying and more stupid is letting it hold you back.  Which is what happens if you don’t deal with it.

Click here to learn more.


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Taking that first step…

by andrea on November 21, 2011

Your intuition says to take the step.

Your Creative Dream Fairy is cheering you on.

You have all this support.

And yet….

And yet that first step is really damn scary.

You haven’t found your groove yet – you’re just stepping into the unknown.

And no matter how much you’ve planned for this – you really can’t know, for sure, exactly what you’re going to encounter.

But on the other hand, if you don’t take that first step – you miss out on the entire adventure.

So what do you do?

I plan.

I carry flexible tools.

I bring the things that make me feel safe.

I remember all of the adventures that came before and how, even when things ended up very differently from how I wanted them to be – I wouldn’t have traded them for the safety of staying home.

I take a deep breath.

And I take that step.

Adventures change you.

They can help turn you into who you really are.

They can help you find lost parts of you.

They can help you let go of the stuff that is no longer needed.

Today I’m taking the first step on my new adventure.

Giving your Inner Critic a New Job e-Course.

The course is a move-at-your-own-pace adventure through your inner world.

In the end – you come out with a totally new relationship with your Inner Critic.

Less critical, more helpful.

And a lot of the things you thought were in the way of you doing what you want? Gone!

And you realise that those things were only the results of your inner critic’s current job. Pouf! They don’t even exist now that your inner critic has this fabulous new job.

The online classroom will be open until Feb 24, 2012. This is where you can share your journey, ask questions and get whatever support you need for your inner journey - I’ll be checking in there every day to answer your questions and help you out.

When the online classroom closes – you still keep the course workbook which includes:

  • a beginning section with everything you need to gt your adventure off on the right start
  • 4 modules that lead you through every aspect of your adventure, with video lessons, guided meditations and creative journaling projects
  • an ending section so you fully integrate what you learned and can fully accept all of the benefits of it
  • 6 videos, 2 guided meditation mp3s
  • secret messages that calm down your inner critic

We start today!

Click here to join.

 

{ 1 comment }

Friday = Magic Bubble of Possibility Day

by andrea on November 18, 2011

I used to do these on the Creative Dream Incubator blog but right now it feels right to do them right here. So here I am.

The Creative Dream Check-In questions seem small, but asking them every week is completely magical.

And it works. This process grows dreams. So let’s get started. The questions are:

  • Where am I today in relation to my dream? Or if you are using a map, ask yourself: Where am I on the map today?
  • How does that feel?
  • What does my dream need?
  • What do I need?

My Creative Dream Check-In:

Disappointment on the Creative Dream Path.  The news came last week. I’ve been sitting with it and deciding what to do with it.

The DreamLoft has hit several construction delays.  I’m not moving in 2 weeks like I thought I was!

Sad sad sad sad sad disappointed.

At the bottom of the sad was something very interesting.

A totally new perspective.  And a very long story.  So I’ll give you the short version of what it taught me:

  1. The DreamLoft still felt like a dream. I wasn’t grounded in it.
  2. Me-Who-Lives-In-The-Loft is quite different from Me-From-Last-Week

Me-From-This-Week is already much closer though.

I’ve been talking a lot about how these 3 months since leaving my house were about the transition.  And here I am at the end of the transition.

It’s time to get out of the transformation soup, dry off, and be the shiny new me.

Because the disappointment and sadness weren’t about the loft.

It’s not like I’m not getting my loft.  Of course I am and of course construction delays happen.

But even more than moving into the loft, what I was looking forward to having happen was becoming this shiny new me.

The me who lives in the loft, which is what I’ve been calling her for lack of a better name.

So I’ve decided to become her now.

Because she’s not defined by where she lives.

It’s about embracing new qualities.  Establishing new practices and rituals.  And shedding what is no longer needed.

So, I’m working on a brand new map.

(Yes those are monkeys and palm trees in the background! I’m using my bed as my art studio. These are the sheets I use for camping – soft snuggly jersey.)

How does that feel?

Exciting.  I want this and I’m ready for it.

I’ve spent the last few months preparing.  Getting rid of things.  Learning new things, etc, etc etc.

It’s time to put it all together into a sparkly new way of being.

What does my dream need?

Grounding + commitment.

What do I need?

Ha ha! Grounding + commitment.

And permission. To explore and experiment and make mistakes.

Want to share your check-in?

Everyone’s dreams grow more fully and beautifully when we grow them together in creative community. Sharing your creative dream process is inspiring for others.

You are welcome to do your check in in the comments or in your journal or silently on your own. Or just pop in and say hello and let us know what you’re up to.

When you give your Inner Critic the job of Inner Ally – everything changes.

Right now your inner critic is hard at work doing everything it can to keep you from getting what you want.

Not because it’s a jerk or anything. It’s just because that’s what it does. That’s its job.

And until you give it a new job, that will continue to be its job!

This is important.

Do you want to grow your dreams? Start here.

Do you want to be more creative? Start here.

Do you want to be happier? Healthier? More shiny and vibrant? Start right here.

Start by giving your Inner Critic a new job.

Class starts Monday! Click here to register.


{ 8 comments }

Soul Sparkling Work

by andrea on November 16, 2011

One year ago – I gave official notice that I was quitting my job.

Yesterday I was thinking back to that time.

How exciting it was and also how terrifying it was.

And then, flash-forwarding to now.

Wearing flowers and wigs and costumes and glitter.

Doing the work that makes my whole soul sparkle and giggle and say YES!

Sigh.

These days the excitement has kind of mellowed into purpose and joy and bright creative enthusiasm.

And a lot of the terror has matured into acceptance and remembering and knowing.

Sigh.

If only it knew what you are really capable of.

If only it knew what is really possible for you.

Sigh.

This week my Soul Sparkling Work is all about pouring the love and healing behind those sighs into my new Inner Critic course.

Creating a space that acknowledges how amazing and scary and complicated this can be.

And how much love there is for you here.

And how much potential you carry within you.

And then filling that space with creativity, possibility, play and an invitation for profound inner transformation.

Yes! Soul! Sparkling! Work!

I can’t even explain how grateful I am to me-from-then that she took that big risk and went after her dreams.

I can’t even explain how greateful I am to me-from-then who learned so much about inner critics and fears and how to navigate through them with purpose, clarity and love.

Mmmm. Mmmm. Good.

Happy happy happy sigh.


Join me on this amazing adventure!

Give your Inner Critic a new job starts Monday!

Read more + register here.

{ 9 comments }

A (Free!) Sneak Peak Inside the Inner Critic Course

by andrea on November 14, 2011

Giving your Inner Critic a New Job is a course that is not really a course.

It’s more like a guided adventure through your inner world.

And even though it’s guided you are the one who is not only setting the pace – but choosing the path you take!

And I know people are wondering what the heck that means!  How does that even work?

And it is hard to explain the logistics of all of that without giving you the course material.

And after I recorded the Introduction to the Course That Is Not A Course video I though “Yes! This! I want to share this video with everyone!”

It’s like a ticket that lets you stand in the doorway and peek in, so you can get a sense of what it’s like in there.

But then!  My Inner Critic popped up and started tripping me up and trying to stop me!

Panic! Fear! All these many important excuses and reasons to not do this!
But I knew I wanted to do this.

So I decided to have a chat with him (my inner critics are hes, your may be shes or neithers):

[Inner Critic Chat Rules: My words in regular text, Inner Critic's words in italics]

So what’s up?

Ummmm hello?  As if you have to ask?!  This video SUCKS.  I don’t know why you’re including it in the course, much less putting it on YouTube for the world to see.  You are being insane.

Hmmm.  I don’t agree that the video sucks.

What?  But it’s so blah!  The wall colour is almost the same colour as your skin, and you’re too close to the camera.  There’s no visual interest.

Well those things are true.  I’m not sure they make the video suck.  The lighting is good and everything is clear.  And it’s not really about how it looks.  This isn’t an art movie this is a course!  I’m speaking to give the people the information they need to get started with the course.  It really does do its job.

But your videos used to be cute and fun!

Well my house used to be cute and fun.  And right now I don’t have a house.  And soon I’ll have an ever better house than before.  Until this, this is the best place I could find to do a video.

Ahhh.  See, do you really think you do your best work just “using the best place you can find?”  Hello!  Since when do you just settle for the best you can find?  Shouldn’t you create the best possible place instead?

OK I hear you.  Yes I don’t want to just settle for the best I can find.  And actually I did create this place in terms of moving things around so I could be where the lighting was just right.  This is the best space I can create right now.  The thing is – you’re never happy with my videos.  I wonder why that is?

Because they’re not professional.

Well no they’re not.  That’s kind of the beauty of it.  It’s just a camera that picks up what I’m saying so that I can teach a course just like if people were here in front of me.  It’s not meant to be like a movie or a tv show.  Hmmmm.  I think Mr. Perfectionism is hiding in there somewhere?

Hello, yes, I am here.

Well dude!  Really!  I’m sorry this video isn’t going to win an Academy Award but – its does the job.  I think it does it well.  It’s clear.  What does it need besides that?

Something interesting to draw people in.

If people are not drawn in by what I am saying then those people are not interested in giving their inner critic a new job then they shouldn’t be watching anyway.

Oh.  Whoa.  I hadn’t thought of that.  I guess the video is good for the people in the course.  It gives them the information they need to get started, and the meditation at the end is really good and even I can see how it sets the stage for success in the whole course.

Thank you. Yes that is the point of this video.  To get people ready to begin.  So we agree now?

Not really, I don’t want you to share this on You Tube.  This isn’t right for that.

Oh!  That could be a good point.  Probably every part of me would feel more comfortable if this wasn’t on You Tube.  The people who read my blog are amazing and we don’t mind sharing with them.  But random strangers from the internet?  Ack!

The thing is, a lot of people search for things on the internet using You Tube.  If someone is searching for inner critic stuff, don’t I want them to find this?  Don’t we want them to be in this course?

This stuff really works.  And it helps with everything.  And my job here is to help people with this stuff so why wouldn’t I put this video where someone who doesn’t know me yet could find it?  And see that “ohhhh here is a course that actually helps me deal with this problem I have”.

Whoa.  Now I think maybe you have a point.  It’s scary, but maybe we need to take that risk.

So what could help make it feel like less of a risk?

Close comments on You Tube.

OK that’s fine.

And we’ll do that meditation and journaling stuff about being afraid and create safety and comfort.

Sure, we can do that today.

Well then, if we do both of those things, then this is ok.  You can go ahead with the video and I won’t try to stop you anymore.

Great!  Thank you!  I really appreciate your help with this.  And you know – we’re doing really important work here.  If more people could give their inner critics cool new jobs like you have the world would be a much nicer place!

It would be a nicer place for you people and a funner cooler place for us inner critics.  I love my job!  I love my office and my equipment!  Speaking of which, I saw you enjoying all of those lattes in Portland and you know what I want in my office – a tiny latte stand with a tiny barista who makes the most amazing lattes ever and can make me one any time I want.  This way I won’t worry that may fall asleep and miss something important.

Sure thing!  You now have a tiny latte stand with a tiny barista who makes the most amazing lattes ever in your office and he’ll make you a latte any time you ask.

Thanks!  You’re the best boss ever.

Oh wait.  I have to say something more.

I feel like you need to let the people know that this isn’t the best video in the course! If you’re giving a sample, shouldn’t that sample be your best work?  This is not the best part! Aren’t they going to see this and think the rest of the course is not as good so it must suck?

Oh sweetie.  I love that you worry about me like this.  Can I first just give you a hug?

OK.  I am feeling pretty flustered by this.

[Hugs.]

OK sweetie.  I do appreciate your concern about this.  The thing is – this is the introduction video.  Not the course videos.  Yes the content in the course videos is much better than this.  That’s how it should be.  The introduction video sets things up and gets people ready to start.  It’s not the actual start.   It’s the doorway.

I know that!  But will they know it?  Won’t people see this and then think you suck as a teacher?

Actually, teachers who take the time to create an introduction that gives people what they need to get started and sets them off on the right path don’t suck at all.

The introduction isn’t about content, it’s about creating the space where the course can be magic.  It’s the doorway.  The people who would enjoy my courses would agree and appreciate this.  The people who would not agree are probably not interested in my courses anyway.

Oh right.  That is true.  I feel so relieved now that I remember that.

And maybe you also need a reminder that everyone in the world doesn’t have to like me or think my work is good?

Oh yes.  I forgot that.  I forget that all the time.

Anything else?

No, I think I’m going to go have a latte.

Enjoy!

—————————

And with that conversation out of the way, I am free to do what I want to do which is share the video.

Though after journaling/meditation/time to reflect I did decide not to put it on You Tube.

I can always do that if I decide to run this course again next fall.  For now I’m happy to share it just with you guys.

So  here it is.  The introduction video.

This is the doorway, the stuff you need to be able to begin the adventure that is Giving your Inner Critic a New Job. It’s like the part where we pack our bags and make sure we’ve got the plane tickets and passports and all of that.

Giving Your Inner Critic a New Job starts next Monday!

And it’s going to be amazing.  (If I run this course again, it won’t be until next fall – at the earliest.)

> Click here to read more + to join the adventure.

{ 2 comments }

Steps along the path to a dream

by andrea on November 11, 2011

Friday = hang out with your dream in the magic bubble of possibility day.

I used to do these on the Creative Dream Incubator blog but right now it feels right to do them right here.  So here I am.

The Creative Dream Check-In questions seem small, but asking them every week is completely magical.

And it works. This process grows dreams. So let’s get started. The questions are:

  • Where am I today in relation to my dream? Or if you are using a map, ask yourself: Where am I on the map today?
  • How does that feel?
  • What does my dream need?
  • What do I need?

My Creative Dream Check-In:

Ahhhhhh.  I really love the Friday Check in. To just stop and be with my dream.  To pick up my map and get clarity, once again, on where I am, before I zoom off to somewhere new.

[Also: Sqeeeeeee!  Did you see the new page for the Map Kit?]

Love.

One of the secret missions I had for my session with Alexandra was to take the things that I’d learned in Portland and pour them into my website so that it would be filled with those qualities.

It feels like that happened.

It feels like I fit here better.  Like I’d outgrown the old site but hadn’t yet moved into the new site.

(Ahhhh art imitates life!)

So – yay!  That’s a big deal for me and a significant step along this dream path.  I’d sought out help and advice for my business before but never had anyone else actually do work for my business.  Very cool to dip my toe into that pond!

Also new, noteworthy + exciting:

The next session of How To Build a Blog You Truly Love starts in January.

I really, really love what I made for this course and if you want a blog you can truly love, this is the course for you.

The contributors are impressive and amazing, if I do say so myself.

How does that feel?

I’m feeling lighter than air this week.

What does my dream need?

My dream is benefiting greatly from the amazing things I learned from Havi.  Right now all it asks is that I please keep doing them, PLEASE!

Also my Giving your Inner Critic a New Job e-Course needs some love and glitter dusted on it.

Next week I’ll be putting finishing touches on everything.  My dream needs me to not cram next week full of other things, but to give lots of space and time to this course.

This course is really important.

Everything I can do to make it easier for the participants to create that shift in their relationship with their inner critic is important.  I need to give it all of my best stuff.

What do I need?

Hmmm.  The same thing.  To keep working with these new tools and to remember how much better my days are when I take the time to do them.

And that if I fill up on those things first then it will be easy to give my best stuff to the Giving your Inner Critic a New Job e-course and not end up depleted. I am really learning to find that balance!

Want to share your check-in?

Everyone’s dreams grow more fully and beautifully when we grow them together in creative community. Sharing your creative dream process is inspiring for others.

You are welcome to do your check in in the comments or in your journal or silently on your own. Or just pop in and say hello and let us know what you’re up to.

When you give your Inner Critic the job of Inner Ally – everything changes.

Right now your inner critic is hard at work doing everything it can to keep you from getting what you want.

Not because it’s a jerk or anything.  It’s just because that’s what it does.  That’s its job.

And until you give it a new job, that will continue to be its job!

This is important.

Do you want to grow your dreams? Start here.

Do you want to be more creative? Start here.

Do you want to be happier? Healthier? More shiny and vibrant? Start right here.

Start by giving your Inner Critic a new job.

Class starts soon.  Click here to register today.


{ 1 comment }

Secret Mission revealed…

by andrea on November 10, 2011

I had my superfantastically amazing velocity session with the superfantastically amazing Alexandra Franzen this week.

I’m still kind of just standing here, blinking.

Like, wow.

It’s like a hurricane of sweet, delicious clarity swept through my website.

Even though the day that we worked together was actually not a great day for me – I was fuzzy-headed, disoriented and distracted.

I was coming down with a cold, having a hard time focusing and got some disappointing news.

It was probably the least articulate I’ve ever been.

Which was awkward because I had to explain things to Alexandra so that she could do her work!

But, she heard my inarticulate ramblings and found the little nuggets of gold and drew them out into the most amazing story.

> My about + contact page used to make me cringe every time I thought of someone reading it.  And now I keep re-reading it and grinning!

> And my new coaching page is so sweet I want to hire me!

> Also grinning at my adorable new calendar of upcoming courses and the kits page!

Yay! I heart my new website!

And about that secret mission….

S p a c i o u s n e s s

It was all about creating more  s p a c i o u s n e s s.

(Which I knew I wanted but I didn’t know how much I wanted it or how easy it would be to create it or just how amazing it would feel to have it or what new dreams would be able to pop in because this opens up space for them! Magic!)

Alexandra created magical little shifts that open up huge new worlds of  s p a c i o u s n e s s.  Which of course opens up all sorts of tiny doors into sparkling magical rooms… lots to explore here!

In the spirit of spaciousness, I’m not rushing to make all of those magical little shifts or open all of those tiny sparkling doors right now.

I’m just soaking up the deliciousness of it all for now. Like a big long sigh of relief.

One change I will be making is that I’m not going to run my courses so often.

So it will be about a year before I teach Giving Your Inner Critic a New Job again.

We start Nov 21 and the online classroom will stay open until Feb 21, 2012 so you’ll have lots of time to work through the course in your own time. I’ll be there every day (Monday-Friday) answering questions and cheering you on.

Read more + register here.

{ 8 comments }

This Is Important. I need your help.

by andrea on November 9, 2011

Yesterday as I spent the day with Alexandra, talking about my life and my work and why I do what I do, I realised, a little more than I’ve ever realised before, how important this is.

This being wish-fulfillment.  Purpose.  Spirit.  Creativity.  Abundance.  Bright shiny sparkles.

Living the beautiful life you came here to life and not settling for less than that.

And key to all of that is: dealing with your Inner Critic.

Because there isn’t anything out in the outside world that can hold you back, when your inner critic is on your side.

There is nothing more important that dealing with this.  Nothing.

Nothing!

So, my new e-Course, Give Your Inner Critic A New Job, is Really Very Super Important.

It’s helpful and amazing and life-changing.

And I want to get it out to more people.


So I am asking for your help in spreading the word far and wide across the interwebs.

We can start a Turn Your Inner Critic Into Your Inner Ally Revolution!

The course description is here.

At the bottom of the page are a Facebook “like” button and a Twitter “tweet” button. If you could like and/or tweet the page that would be so helpful!

Or, copy and paste this as your Facebook status and/or tweet it on Twitter:

Are you ready to give your Inner Critic the boot? http://bit.ly/uIh98r

Or email it so a friend who would be interested.

Thank You!  Mwah!

{ 3 comments }

Friends, I’m doing something crazy today.

by andrea on November 8, 2011

I’m doing this.

That, in itself, is not crazy. Alexandra is awesome and this is amazing.

And my “real reason” for doing this is not crazy – to have the descriptions for my amazing e-courses re-written.

But I know there is a secret mission here, too.

So secret I’m not sure I know what it is.

Which is why it feels kind of crazy.

Which is why I’m writing about it now, to learn more about it and explore and discover the qualities I want to bring into this experience.

And maybe even find out what my secret mission is.

Also, I feel like I need to say: not that long ago I was Quite Certain that I would never, ever hire a copywriter.

Ever.

I mean, hello?  This is my business.  My website.  These need to be my words.

Right? Except that’s starting to feel like kind of a rookie mistake.

And my wise self says: do it!

So. Doing it.

And thinking about what’s going on for me right now, it starts to make sense.

Yesterday I wrote about all of this internal change.

It feels like what happens today helps re-arrange the external stuff, to get it more into alignment with my shiny new internal space.

And even though, Hello I’m a Creativity Goddess, I should be able to express myself adequately, the truth is this part is hard for me.

And I don’t want to do it anymore.

I want my energy and internal resources all going into creating amazing transformational courses and programs.

And not going into figuring out how to best describe those courses and programs so that the people who can benefit from them sign up.

And because the describing part is not my strength it ends up taking more time than you may think, which is time away from the things that are my real gifts and strengths.

And taking time away from my real gifts and strengths is no longer worth it.

Qualities: purpose, clarity, focus, authenticity, honouring my unique gifts

Also: support.

This is me being supported in my business.

By an absolute Creative Genius.

Nice.

You know all about what happens when Creative Geniuses collaborate, yes?  MAGIC HAPPENS.

Qualities: support, ease, relaxation, gentleness, sustainability, delight, play, joy, possibility, magic

Also: Congruence

I just finished the last Q+A video for the Creative Business Incubator e-Course.  One of the things I talked about was congruence and how key that is in growing your Creative Dream Business.

This is me dreaming bigger and reaching higher.

Walking my talk.

Not settling.

Finding the new dreams.

Moving towards the next step and getting whatever support and guidance I need to make that happen.

Qualities: congruence, integrity, enthusiasm, truth, dreams

So here we are.

Purpose.

Clarity.

Focus.

Authenticity.

Honouring Gifts.

Support.

Ease.

Relaxation.

Gentleness.

Sustainability.

Delight.

Play.

Joy.

Possibility.

Magic.

Congruence.

Integrity.

Enthusiasm.

Truth.

Dreams.

Breathing all of this in and then filling this whole day up with this perfect blend of qualities.

Trusting that this blend will guide, fuel and inspire our work together.

Leading us to fulfill that secret mission, even though I don’t even know what it is.

{ 12 comments }

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