The Book Thief / Reframing

I missed the Book Thief when it came out in November.  I thought I would have to wait until it cam out on DVD but was pleasantly surprised to see it playing at the local second run movie theatre. I went to see it Monday night. This is one of my favorite books and to see it portrayed on the screen so beautifully was so fabulous! Geoffrey Rush was Poppa to me, all the actors were perfect in their roles. It brought back all the wonderful moments in the book. If its gone from your town so you can't see it, check out the DVD when it comes out.  What a beautiful movie and such a beautiful story.

Reframing Your Experience

I'm starting the year personally with a lot of artistic endeavors.  Way more than I have ever taken on. At one point I thought how did I get here, I must be crazy. Initially I had signed up for Studying Under the Masters and Be Your Own Beloved. Two classes would be easy to do.  Then part 2 of a class I had just taken came up and the discount price was something I just could not pass up. Then my friend Connie Hozvicka offered Painting the Feminine. A class with a subject dear to my heart. A bonus was to paint with all my fearless sisters again. It was an opportunity that I could not resist.  Then I won a spot in 21 Secrets. Yes you got it, I have five classes scheduled and some of them overlap. Here is my schedule. I feel like I am back in college taking too many credits.

Jan 3   - Painting the Feminine 4- weeks
Jan 15 - 21 Secrets - 21 weeks
Jan 14 - Studying Under the Masters - 9 weeks

Jan 29 - Draw and Paint What You Love -Pt 2  6 weeks
Feb 1   - Be your own Beloved - 4 weeks

Doesn't the schedule look daunting, it does even for me who juggles a lot of things.  I kept thinking was I out of my mind. This is where coaching came in and I coached myself in the process of reframing. 

Reframing.

The coaching concept of reframing is to take a different approach to our task, use words to reframe the experience.  Here is what I did.

I took inspiration from my friend Jessie Marianiello, she is a painter who created the Northernly Painting Retreat for herself.  She retreats to a cabin in the north of Minnesota to get a lot of her painting done. I thought I can do the same thing. I can look at all these painting classes as one big retreat.  Like being an art apprentice and learning from all these wonderful teachers. If I add up all the instructors I end up with 34 different teachers.  Now that is pretty intensive in itself. I am looking for a catchy name for it now. When I find the right one I'll be posting on Facebook about how it all goes. Just the fact of turning this idea around has made the overwhelm disappear.

The next time you are having issues and frustration try reframing your situation. A new outlook may just be what you need.

What Is This Coaching Thing All About

What Is This Coaching Thing All About

I wrote a post about this two years ago.  It was before I had taken my own coaches training so I decided to revisit the subject because I now have an additional perspective. Now that I have coached others along with having been coached by several different people I have an expanded view on the subject.                                                                                     

You may have heard about personal or creativity coaching but you really don't know what it all about. Or perhaps you have toyed with the idea of hiring a coach but you are a little afraid to take that first step. Let me demystify the subject and tell you all about my experience.  There are many artists out there who hire personal or creativity coaches. You may have heard them talking about their coach and how they were helped. You may wonder what does a coach do for you?  Or perhaps think to yourself, would hiring a coach help you in your life or with your creativity? What if you can't afford one?  What else can you do to get help? I'll be answering some of these questions and more.

What does a coach do for you?

Simply put a coach is like having your very own cheer leader.  They are someone who is in your corner and has no agenda other than helping you succeed. We all have creative dreams and we all can get stuck along the way to making them reality.  In some cases it might be fear holding you back, or it might be procrastination or perfectionism, or even overwhelm when you realize all there is to do.  A coach helps you discover just what it is that is holding you back.  They offer steps, guidance and techniques to get you moving in a forward direction. Coaches also make you accountable and support you in a number of other ways.

What does coaching look like? 

In a coaching session with me I start with an in-depth questionnaire.  This helps me discover where some of your blocks may be.  Then we schedule a phone call.  I will asks a series of questions about your creative dream, what you want to accomplish in the world.  Through this question and answer dialogue we discover what is holding you back and offer ideas on getting you moving forward. I use a series of tools and activities to help you see what you need to work on.

How do you choose a coach?

Choosing a coach is a personal decision. In my own case I followed the person for awhile.  I subscribe to their newsletters, read their blog, participate in some of their offerings.  I got to  know the person a little more and felt comfortable with them.  I knew we would be a good match. Do you need to do all that?  No, if after looking at a persons site and feeling that you resonate with them is enough.  Most coaches offer a free 30 minute session so you can try it out before committing. 

What if you can't afford a coach what else can you do? 

Well for one thing you can hang out on their blog or website.  All coaches give free advice, sometimes there are tele-seminars or book groups or other small events that you can take advantage of. Sign up for their newsletters, they are a wealth of information. You'll get to know them and one day you may find yourself able to hire one.  

As a person who coaches others and has her own coach I am a little biased.  I know how wonderful and empowering the experience can be. I know that I will never be without a coach. Why you might ask, shouldn’t you know all the steps by now.  Well you would be right, I do know all the steps an techniques. Often we get in our own way, its like you can’t see the forest for the trees. Having a coach helps me see what I can’t see myself.  It also saves a lot of time. Instead of spending time wondering what to do next, my coach helps me see the bigger picture, keeps me moving in the right direction.

Try a free session

If coaching seems right for you or you'd like to try it out to find out more, why not sign up for a free 30 minute session. Leave a comment or send me an email to set it up.

Are You Stuck in Creative Chaos

Its time for my monthly article on creativity. You get these if you subscribe to my newsletter but I like to include here for any roaming people new to my blog. I hope you enjoy.

Are You Stuck in Creative Chaos ?

So just what is creative chaos, as a creative person you might never have heard of it.  I hadn't heard the term until I took my coaches training. When it was described to me I thought aha that is my problem. Say you have this great idea, you have broken it down it into small steps and things are moving a long at a good pace and then boom you hit a wall. All of sudden the idea you had doesn't seem so exciting anymore. Now it just seems like a lot of work. Or perhaps you’ve begun to see the amount of time it might take. Maybe you don’t want to invest that much time. Or you may find yourself stuck because you don't know what to do next.   You've entered a stage of the creative process called creative chaos. Creative chaos is a normal part of the creative process, that is the first thing you want to remember. It happens to everyone who is creative. It can be hazardous to your creativity though.  Its been documented that 85 % of people who get into creative chaos give up.

Other ways to know if you are in creative chaos.

• You may begin to question your ability.
• Maybe you were foolish to think you could write a book, or become an artist, have an art show etc.
• You can't figure out how to bring the idea in your mind to reality.
• You find yourself avoiding working on your project.
• You think its just too hard.
• You get frustrated because you have reached a point where you don't know what to do next.
• You begin to doubt the wisdom of the idea in the first place.
• You begin blaming your lack of progress on some skill or aptitude or wisdom that you lack.

So if you are in creative chaos, what can you do about it.  As a coach I have numerous tools that I share with clients who are in creative chaos. Some basic ideas I can share with you are:

• Reframe those negative statement from your inner critic to positive ones.
• Act as If you were competent to paint a picture or write a book.

• Trust that you have the idea for a reason and trust that you will be given the skills to complete the goals.
• Vary your approach - work at different times, and in different locations.
• Take a break, step away from the project, take a walk, play with another creative activity.
• Lower expectations, instead a one woman show start with something smaller. You could plan to be in a show with other artists.
• Break your goal down to smaller steps that are more manageable.
• Take classes to learn the skills you are lacking.

The one thing that we all need to remember is that Creative Chaos is normal. Everyone who is creative goes through this at one time or another.  If you don't want to be in the majority who give up at this stage, you need to take charge and work through it. On the other side of it, your project will start flowing again and you'll be on your way to completing your goals and dreams.

I don't like to promote myself all the time but do so at least once a month.  If you are interested in coaching with me you can go to my website Safe Harbor Coaching for all the details you need to know. I'd love to partner with you and help make your creative dreams come true.

Envelope Swap

I've been working hard to get ready for two local events. I am having a booth for my coaching at a local psychic fair and a wellness expo. If you are local, make sure to come by and say hello. As a result there hasn't been much time for art, just bits and pieces.

This came in the mail yesterday.  I was part of an envelope swap.  It was made by my friend Lisa Bowlin.  I love all the color

This is the back, it has a lot of detail that you can't see. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of my own envelope.

I made this little sketch when I was in Oregon.

This is a little collage I've been working on. Lots of spray inks were used here, not sure if she is done yet.

 



















This is another work in progress, I loved the background which was made on newspaper and the image is a favorite, not sure what else I need to add so I am letting it percolate for awhile.

I've been working hard to get ready for two local events. I am having a booth for my coaching at a local psychic fair and a wellness expo. If you are local, make sure to come by and say hello.

I find even when I am busy with other things you have to grab those moments for art when you can.

Some thoughts on Coaching

You may have heard about personal or creativity coaching but you really don't know what it all about. Or perhaps you have toyed with the idea of hiring a coach but you are a little afraid to take that first step. Let me demystify the subject and tell you all about my experience.

I know some of you have all heard about personal coaching.  There are many artists out there who hire personal or creativity coaches. You may have heard them talking about their coach and how they were helped. You may wonder what does a coach do for you?  Or perhaps think to yourself, would hiring a coach help you in your life or with your creativity? What if you can't afford one?  What else can you do to get help?

Just what does a coach do for you?

Simply put a coach is like having your very own cheering section and also someone that keeps you honest, makes you accountable, helps you overcome blocks and more. Some of my long time readers may remember that I hired a coach a couple years ago.  I did two months worth of coaching with Jamie Ridler and she was awesome.  She helped me clarify some goals, figure out where I wanted to go and set me on that path. It really is amazing working with someone who has your best interest at heart and pushes you in the areas that you need pushing, and cheers you on to achieve new heights.

Why hire a coach?

I hired a coach because I felt stifled, blocked and unsure of what I wanted to do next. I had just paid off my car so I had extra money.  This time I decided to invest in myself. I hired Jamie for a month initially but ended up working with her for two months and it was the best money I have spent. Coaches can help you see what you couldn't see in yourself.

How do you choose a coach?


I think its a personal decision for sure.   I recall that I was part of the Next Chapter book group that Jamie Ridler does on line at her site.  I was really impressed with her and thought, if I ever get the funds to hire a coach she'd be the one I would hire.  I thought I could work with her and I was right.

So when I got serious I checked out her site and set up an initial consultation. Most coaches will give you a free session.  They want you to know how coaching works and then they want to see if you mesh with them. You'll talk about what you want from coaching and then decide if the two of you  are a good match and whether the coach can help you. I did this with Jamie and discovered that we worked well together.  Then I set up some coaching sessions, they were all done over the phone. We met once a week, talked and I was given homework, which we talked about the next week.  It was very easy and very productive.

What if you can't afford a coach what else can you do? 

Well for one thing you can hang out on their blog or website.  All coaches give free advice, sometimes there are tele-seminars or book groups or other small events that you can take advantage of. Sign up for their newsletters, they are a wealth of information. You'll get to know them and one day you may find yourself able to hire one, it will be the best decision you make.

Some coaches whose sites I love and recommend:
Jamie Ridler
Jennifer Lee
Jennifer Louden
Christine Kane
Cynthia Morris
Jill Badonsky

If you are stuck creatively or personally and don't know where or what you want to do next perhaps some time with a coach would be helpful. It was such a wonderful experience for me I am sure it will be for you too.