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Last week I heard so many of my clients and others say that they felt overwhelmed. I decided it would be a good blog subject.
Twenty years or so ago, at the dawn of the electronic age, people were prophesying that less paper and more technology would free us to work less and pay more attention to the most important things in our lives. Unfortunately, those predictions seem to be untrue. People today seem more overwhelmed than ever! I hear them struggling to “keep their heads above water.” I did a little research on the definition…Overwhelm means TOO MUCH! Overwhelm means to give a person too much of something; to completely overcome or take over, become engulfed; submerged. If someone is overwhelmed by an emotion, they feel it so strongly that they can’t think clearly. Too much to do-- too little time to do it--too many people making demands upon your time. Does this sound familiar? Since overwhelm entails feeling too much, life usually feels difficult or like a struggle! So take some things AWAY… SIMPLIFY!! Ask yourself, “What can I let go of?” Stay open to the Possibilities, Keep your Energy High, and your Thoughts Positive! Here are my four tips to help relieve your overwhelm: 1. Learn to say no You overwhelm yourself by over committing. Think about what you can release from your schedule to make time for the extra requests that arise. If you have no choice but to take on extra demands, learn how to delegate anything that will distract you from your most important tasks or intentions. 2. Let go of Negative Thoughts—Think Positively! Your thoughts can’t hold any power over you if you don’t let yourself own them or ‘be’ them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and accept that that’s the way you feel. That negative thought has no power over you, and you don’t have to continue to feel that way. Choose to let it go and choose to have a better feeling thought. 3.Take Good Care of Yourself It’s much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest. Become an earlier riser. Even if you don’t consider yourself a morning person, get up a bit earlier every day (10-15 minutes) and make a point of doing something good for yourself. Research shows that it takes 21-28 days of repetition to form a habit, so it will only take 3-4 weeks for you to become an earlier riser doing good things for yourself. 4. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For Stresses and challenges don’t seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference. One idea that a lot of ultra successful people do is start a gratitude journal and they write in it every day – at least 5 things they’re grateful for. If you decide to do this, do it faithfully for 21-28 days – and then, the next time you feel down, take 15 minutes and read through it. I dare you to still feel overwhelmed after reading it. From Carol Tuttle’s Soulprint Healing Course… Let go of these thoughts: I am overwhelmed This is hard I can’t keep up with this I’m tired and worn out I have to settle for less I have to get by It’s just too much I have too much to do I can’t keep up with it I’m going to fail since I can’t keep up with the pace Choose these thoughts: I am free I am at ease I am allowing I am at peace It is happening All is well I am ready  Are you a joyous Creator of your life? One night when we were on Maui a few years ago there was a very intense electrical storm! I couldn't sleep. I got up to listen to the pounding rain, thunder and lightning. As I tuned into the energy of the storm I began to write my experience of the creative process! It became my 7 Steps to Creating your Heart's Desire program that I love to teach. Two years ago I spent a month on the Big Island on a personal retreat. During that time I recorded the audio portion of the 7 steps, wrote the workbook and illustrated it with some silk mandalas I painted. One of them is above. Now it is also a home study program. For my birthday recently, my friend Nikki gave me a great book--Ask and it is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks. I've been immersed in this book every day since. And guess what? They are sharing about the creative process too! A deeper understanding of what it FEELS like to be Alive! with Creating has emerged within me! Isn't that cool when that happens? In this blog I'm going to share the first step to creating your heart's desires. First, get a really clear picture or vision of what you are desiring, wishing for, asking, or praying for. Notice what you appreciate, adore, what has your attention. Be very specific. You can imagine it by using the creative visualization exercise that I've recorded for you OR you can pretend that it IS happening! A vision collage is a great tool for this too. I see the creative process like growing a beautiful flower. I call the first step planting the SEED of your Heart's Desire. What you focus on will be heard by the Universe and your Soul. Make sure you are thinking about what you DO want. I've learned that when I do this the manifestation can be quick. However, often I focus on what I don't want, which is really a form of lack. Then I get that! You only need to look at your life and see what you've been thinking about because that's what you've created! If you want a loving life long relationship for example, then focus on what that would be like. FEEL it! See it! Pretend it's already happening. Notice your feelings. Your feelings are your compass for whether you are in the flow of your well being, your Spirit and your Soul, your heart's desires. Become disciplined and consistent in holding the vibration of harmony and enthusiasm. Feel optimistic anticipation. Let go of impatience, doubt or unworthiness. You will become the joyous creator of your life! When you focus on your heart's desires you will feel wonderful. When you focus on the absence of your desires you will feel awful. That is the true test of whether you are in the creative flow or not. When you feel awful, sad, disappointed, angry, jealous-- refocus your thoughts on good feelings. In this way you will take creative control of your life. This is your creative power and you will feel Alive! with Creating and be on your way to manifesting your heart's desires!  Passionate Poppies on silk by Carol Lorraine How do you know? If you are, then your life is flowing, your money is flowing, your joy is flowing, your relationships are flowing…you feel fulfilled, happy, energized, on purpose! Your creativity is unlimited, alive, and free! Ideally, it is easily available and the secret to your health and well-being. As a woman, creativity is your most valuable asset. It allows you to give to others and it feeds you inwardly on every level. Your creativity is life giving and as you give and receive it, then you are filled with love and joy! You feel ALIVE with CREATING! You really can’t lose your creativity. It may hide from you and long to be revealed. I call this the “Masterpiece within You.” It is the “work of art” and the beauty of who you are. If it lies dormant, blocked, or unattended, then your life will feel the same. If your creative flow is polluted by toxins in your environment or people in your life, negative thinking or beliefs, your flow is cut off and a spiritual crisis occurs. Your spirit and creativity flow together. They are channeled through you as universal energy. This is your life force energy. That’s why when it is blocked, your health is affected, your energy, your finances, your joy! Creativity keeps it all moving. When your creativity becomes stagnant, you feel starved in some way. You long for something that is missing. Often we try and fill that hole with food, sweets, or other things that don’t work. How can you access your creative energy? Creativity is not just about art!
Ask for a picture to come to you of you in your creative flow and see what shows up…say yes and allow whatever does to be perfect. It may come as a picture, a word, a sensation, a feeling, an idea, a color. Use all your senses to explore this message…smells, hearing, taste, sight, touch. Then notice how you FEEL in the picture. Intensify the feeling several times. Then let the picture go and journal about it so you won’t forget. Then bring that feeling up again within you many times a day. Ask yourself—What do I really really really want to create? What is my dream? To live in your creative flow is a skill. It takes practice—daily! It is a lifelong skill. When you are in your creative flow you can change the world, your world, your live, and those of others. Creativity has been my source of inspiration for my life and work my entire life. I have gone through seasons of abundant flow and feeling blocked and cut off. Sometimes it was a trickle. I know how to bring it back now. You can learn this too. You can make things new again, clear out the toxins in your mind, body, and spirit. Now is the perfect time to do this with the coming of the first day of Spring and the new moon on March 19-20. Nature is ready to burst into bloom. Your creative flow can burst into bloom too, revealing a creative life—your masterpiece! If you can't get your flow moving or continue to feel stuck, please give me a call (707-251-5570 PST) or email me and let's chat about what you need to feel Alive! with Creating! This is a powerful and insightful exercise for you to use to complete the end of a year or life cycle. It can be done for your business and/or your personal life. Gratitude and appreciation brings you more of what you want, so please enjoy journaling (yes write it all down) your answers to the following questions. Then celebrate and look toward what you want to create next! I hope you will find this empowering!
I appreciate you and the difference you make in the world! Carol 
Christine Miura with her Gratitude Jar from my client appreciation party, "Celebrate Your True Colors!"
To make your Gratitude Jar find a fun jar (these were made from a jelly jar) and decorate it in a creative way. We tied wired ribbon onto the jar and decorated the tops with self-adhesive gems. Have your family make them too. Then write what you are grateful for each day on a piece of paper and put into your jar. Write what you are thankful for about your loved one and put those in their jars. Then take the papers out and read them next Thanksgiving or a day of your choice. Or you can use little pebbles and tell each person when you put one into their jar what you are grateful for. But don't keep your gratitude hidden in a jar all year. Find ways of loving kindness or compassion to share to put your gratitude into action every day of the year. How can you view your life's glass as half full even when things are difficult? That can be the most important time of all to express your gratitude! Research has shown that people who practice gratitude are happier. In his book, Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, Robert Emmons, professor of psychology at UC Davis, says people aren't "hard-wired" to be grateful. It's a skill that must be intentionally learned, cultivated, and practiced." The benefits are less stress, a stronger immune system, better sleep, more energy, less anxiety and depression. Aren't these great reasons to practice gratitude? Check out unstuck.com and the Expanding Gratitude Project that have tips on how to be positive and grateful. I take a new magazine called Live Happy that focuses on how to be happy! Check out www.actsofhappiness.org Find small things to celebrate, like the garbage company picking up your trash, a hug from a friend, or the loving presence of your pet. Donate food to your local food bank, send a note of gratitude to a friend or family member, smile and acknowledge others in a store, buy a sandwich for a homeless person. Be creative! Be grateful! And feel the love in your heart grow and expand every day! Watch the world become a happier place one day at a time thanks to each of us practicing GRATITUDE! Let us know what you are doing to express your gratitude this season. Share your experiences and stories and spread the word on Happy Creating with Gratitude below. Is it in the kitchen? In the garden? Through color? Art? Music? Singing or Dancing? In your work or business? Through projects? Your hobbies? With your family? In Nature? "Creativity takes courage." ---Henry Matisse "A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something." ---Frank Capra "Don't wait to create!" ---Carol Lorraine Below are Karl and I in our colorful expressions of love and gratitude for indigenous people through our costumes at Halloween. Have a Thanksgiving full of creativity, joy, and gratitude! Love, Carol 
Enjoy this Interview with Carol Lorraine, Chief Creative Officer of Alive! With Creating
Grab your your pen and paper you’ll want to take notes when you meet Carol Lorraine sharing her ‘Alive With Creating’ passion…when you listen you’ll understand why this post is peppered with lots of colors!!!!!!!!!!! An entrepreneur and creative catalyst since 1987, Carol’s philosophy is that you are the creator of your life. You can create your life and business exactly as you want it. That, she says, is what it means to be Alive! with Creating. Carol has mentored and coached over 1000 people in her life coaching programs, creativity workshops, live events and weekend retreats. Her clients have transformed their lives and businesses into viable “works of art” that they love! She now focuses on working with women in midlife who want to re-invent themselves. With a teaching credential and two Master of Arts degrees, Carol has taught people of all ages how to be creative. Her dynamic energy and supportive nature inspire and motivate people while keeping them focused on their goals. Carol specializes in coaching women entrepreneurs and leaders to Reveal the Masterpiece within them. Carol integrates her love of beauty, nature, color, and creativity into everything she does. I hope you take what Carol shares to heart – it is incredible information…and here is how to connect even more: www.AliveWithCreating.com When you listen in you will hear about her “Discover Your True Nature Program” – She does Soul Purpose Life readings, then designs a Custom Signature Soul Silk that helps you align with and illustrate your life purpose. When you wear it you stand in your power, confidence, and authentically express who you are. Then you can attract your ideal clients, mate, or whoever or whatever you want to attract. She is also launching her original 8 week TELEclass to Create Your Heart’s Desire, 7 Steps to Reveal the Masterpiece within You! It starts October 2, 2014. P.S. Please share this – someone out there needs some vibrant color in their life…wouldn’t that make you feel extra special knowing you helped someone discover Carol’s brilliant training? Not to mention how it helps you by giving! Just saying  Intuitive shadow painting by Carol Lorraine I've been married to three artists. I learned so much about myself, creating, and art from each one. I didn't really see myself as an artist until after my last marriage. Then I began the exciting journey to my true self and discovered the artist within my soul and my life purpose! Now I can't stop creating, painting, and teaching others to be creative!
Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way, calls this being a "shadow artist." She explains that shadow artists gravitate to their rightful tribe but cannot yet claim their birthright. Hiding in the shadows, afraid to step out and expose the dream to the light, fearful that it will disintegrate to the touch they often choose shadow careers--close to the desired art, but not the art itself. When I discovered this, my artist journey took root. The inner critic and negative beliefs are at the heart of the shadow artist. Writers may go into journalism or advertising. Artists may become artist managers, or coach others like I did. Many work as artist's representatives. Most shadow artists have been raised that way. I was taught that I couldn't make money as an artist; that it wasn't a viable career, like teaching was. So I went into teaching. Now I'm a passionate talented artist AND a gifted teacher. How do you like that hutzpah? If you're a shadow artist you know that you shouldn't put off your art because of feeling afraid. However, if you don't acknowledge your fear, the block becomes stickier. You want to write, but you tell yourself you can't spell. You know you shouldn't worry about that, so you decide that you can't write, and the block sticks even more. Shadow artists judge and criticize themselves for not living their dreams. Life can feel unfulfilling and off purpose. They are afraid to take a stand for their dream and take it seriously. It takes courage, commitment, and support. I became a Living Your Vision coach so I could help others live their dreams. To heal from our creative blocks and fears it's important to go gently and take small steps. Progress happens with missteps along the way. It can be a few steps forward, a couple backwards, then forwards again. Life isn't perfect. We make mistakes. We start, stop, and pick ourselves up and keep going with the dream tucked safely in our hearts. The trick is to keep going, surround yourself with supportive people, and stay true to your dream! Using the The Artist's Way process was a huge support to me. I did the process for about three years--first on my own, then while facilitating groups using the program. I watched as other women found their way. They left unfulfilling jobs, broke through their blocks and fears, made more money, and began to live their dreams! They wrote books. They painted paintings. They became entrepreneurs. They retired! If you or someone you know might be a "shadow artist," and are ready to be the true artist of your heart, I am offering Create Your HeART'S Desire~ an 8 week teleclass inspired by The Artist's Way starting October 2, 2014. You can read more about it here. Then let's have a conversation to find out if this course would be a good match for you. Are you ready to:
I would be honored to be your guide. If you have encouragement or support to share with others, please leave your comments below. Please share this on your Facebook page. Thank you!  MY STORY...TRUTH BE TOLD...
Here's how it happened for me. When I moved back from Hawaii, where I had been painting passionately every day for 6 years, I was stuck! I couldn't paint. I couldn't even pick up a brush. I made all kinds of excuses as to why. I created a great studio in my garage, and I didn't paint in it. I had all the supplies, and I didn't pick up a brush. The truth was that I felt like a failure. I was sad. I thought my life wouldn't ever be happy like that again. I closed my design business for a variety of good business reasons. That didn't mean I wasn't creative still or that I wouldn't enjoy painting! One day I found Michele Cassou's book, Life, Paint and Passion on my friend's bookshelf. I read it furiously, totally identifying with her students who were getting unstuck by using her painting process. I bought some Tempera paints and big sheets of paper and tried it! It worked! I felt my true self again. I rediscovered by joy and was back to my passion of silk painting. I felt fulfilled and remembered why I am here! (To inspire beauty and creativity in others by expressing my own joy!) The rest is history. I'm enjoying my silk painting and creativity coaching business again. And now I offer JOY COACHING so others can remember, rediscover, or uncover their JOY! This opportunity is available to you and anyone you know who is stuck, feeling unfulfilled, and wondering how to make a difference doing what they love! Here are some ways we can do this together. NEW GROUP FORMING Create Your HeART's Desire starts October 2, 2014!! 8 Week TELEclass to Reveal the Masterpiece with You~~ Your Creative Self. CLICK HERE for INFO. ALSO AVAILABLE! 7 STEPS to CREATING YOUR HEART'S DESIRE Self Study Program or Creative Heart Soul Shops Saturdays in Napa, CA Please leave your comments below, or share on Facebook, Linkedin, or Pinterest! THANK YOU!!  When I woke up this morning, this beautiful amaryllis greeted me in our kitchen. I thought, “Wow! Flowers sure know what their life purpose is.”
Their gift starts with a seed of potential that when nurtured and tended, blossoms into a gorgeous form, sharing their beauty with everyone who sees them. Living in their purpose, they raise the vibration around them, bringing joy and love. Then I looked more carefully and saw that two more buds are still to come! I feel so blessed and happy to be with these flowers even longer--crimson red, sparkling with passion and joy! It’s the same for you. When you know why you are here, what your unique gifts, talents are, then share them with others, you'll experience your unlimited potential, abundance, deep meaning, and true joy--the real meaning of success! In his book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepak Chopra says, “The field of pure potentiality is divinity in its essence, and the divine takes human form to fulfill a purpose.” What's your purpose? Each one of you is unique. No one else has the exact same purpose as you do. There is something that each of you does that is different and why you are here. People are waiting for you. They have needs that only you can fill. When your creative expression of your gifts matches the needs of others, you can create unlimited abundance and fulfillment! Here are some questions to ask yourself:
As you get clear on these questions and begin to live from your purpose, expressing yourself in your uniquely creative way, focusing on how you can help and serve, you will experience your life in a more fulfilling, purposeful way, full of spirit as the divine expression that you are. And then you will know true joy and the real meaning of success! This has been my journey for the past 25 years and I’m still on it! If you would like support finding your life purpose, your unique gifts and talents, your brilliance…and to reveal the masterpiece with you…I have many ways to support you! Check out one of the possibilities here for a Summer Special I'm offering or call me 707-251-5570 and we can have a conversation to get you started! |
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