Where Do I Start?

  WHERE DO I START?  

   Have you been wanting to take an idea, project, burning desire and make it happen?   But instead it sits collecting dust because no matter how excited you are about it, taking that first step can be like leaping off a cliff.

   We (I include myself) tend to put it on the back burner for later claiming we don’t have the time, too much that has to be done, wondering if it’s worth pursuing.   We’ll think about it when we have more time.

   More time, that’s a laugh.  Who ever says “Wow!  I have so much time on my hands, what should I do?”  Our lives seem to be on stress mode until we fall asleep and I’m not even sure we get a break then.

   Giving yourself time to do things you enjoy tends to bring on feelings of guilt and/or frustration because of everything else pulling at you.  That’s because the thought of working on it, no matter how much you want to do it, feels overwhelming.  It is so HEALTHY to take that time to do the things you are drawn to that can enrich your life.

Often it’s because we don’t know where to start.   

   Maybe start by scheduling a Solo Play Date once a week (as suggested in The Artist Way by Julia Cameron), just to take your mind off the day to day.  As you relax, that’s when the good stuff starts rising to the surface, revelations, ideas about your ideas, and just plain fun happens.  Schedule it in your calendar and do not cancel it.  Make it a priority.  From there add time a few days a week, even if it’s only a half hour at a time to imagine the possibilities for your project and make notes.

   It can be helpful to join a group to keep you on track and accountable to make it happen.    When discussing ideas, concerns, choices out loud with others, pay attention how you express yourself and you may discover insight about yourself.  Those you are sharing with can provide encouragement, a new perspective when feeling stuck, name your strengths, motivate each other to keep moving forward, be a sounding board.

   

 Sometimes the best way to get going is to take a deep breath then step out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith. 

Magic happens.

  

A Fun Way To Celebrate Life ... BE CREATIVE

A FUN WAY TO CELEBRATE LIFE

“You can’t use up CREATIVITY, the more you use, the more you have.”   ~Maya Angelou~

   Being Creative can mean something different for each of us.  Most people associate creativity with the arts but it’s so much more.

   The moment you wake up you create your day.  When you go to work, you constantly create – making decisions, setting up meetings, writing status reports, etc.  When making dinner, you create a meal.

  Being Creative is what you do every moment of every day.  The question is:  How do you see yourself Being Creative?

   My own journey started at five years old when my parents enrolled me into an art class.  They were told I had ‘potential.’  I loved getting lost in the process, slipping into an alternate world, unaware of time and place.

   My Mom and I watched a craft show on TV every day, it was kind of a ritual.  Watching the expert take pieces of different materials, cutting shapes, gluing, learning new techniques, as we created fun things to decorate our home or give as gifts.  It fascinated me how you could create something out of a pile of “stuff.”  I was able to make really cool, fun gifts for my family out of scraps (at that age money was not an option).

   Between the fascination of watching others create and my own experiences, by the age of nine I was obsessed with BEING CREATIVE!  I had an endless stream of ideas I wanted to make happen.  People talk about “getting inspired,” or needing to be in the right mood in order to Be Creative so I wanted to know how to get to that place whenever I wanted instead of waiting for the mood to strike.  I spent that summer, going to the library at least once a week or more in the pursuit of understanding and harnessing that creative energy.  I know, weird for a nine year old but I was motivated to discover the secret.   I was surprised to learn there were no books on creativity only craft and how to books.  So I decided I should study how the brain functions and how it processes creativity then I could be creative all day.  The books were, of course, adult level and difficult to comprehend but I scanned through book after book, checked the back index and nowhere was the word CREATIVE ever present.

   Undeterred by my ineffective pursuit of the secret behind the creative process and wanting to help children with muscular dystrophy (Jerry’s Kid’s), I planned a fair to raise money for that charity.  I designed all the games, physically made them, found businesses to donate prizes, advertised the event and encouraged the neighborhood kids to volunteer to help with the games. 

   By the time I entered fourth grade, I was unstoppable.  I wrote a play, conducted casting calls and rehearsals, directed the play and yes even starred in it.  Everyone wanted to be in my plays.  I continued my art classes, performed in numerous dance recitals and shows, joined a classic literature book club, and obtained a sash full of Girl Scout merit badges.  That year was amazing. 

   What made it even more special was that the following year was the complete opposite.  Fifth grade was a major turning point in my life affecting me to this day.  I became self-conscious, doubted myself, felt “different,” not understood, was told ‘no’ a lot, you can’t make a living being creative, and that pesky little voice in my head telling me I’m not good enough, turned me into a quiet, introverted, scared kid.  After that I questioned my abilities, who was I to think I could do {fill in the blank}.  I pursued my creative endeavors behind closed doors for fear of rejection and ridicule. 

   All I ever wanted to do my whole life was wake up every morning spending each day being constructively creative in a way that would make a difference in the world as well as inspire others to do the same.  What a wonderful life that would be.

  As I grew up, I succumbed to the pressure of finding a “real job” and being practical.  It took a lot of time and soul searching until I came to the realization that I was being creative with every thought and action.  I have an extensive library of books now about the creative process, still curious but also much better informed.  I never stopped pursuing my creative dreams, evolving from knowledge, understanding, experience and wisdom.  I’m grateful I never lost my passion for connecting to my creative spark. 

   Now I wake up every morning and I’m creative all day, my business is all about the creative process and inspiring others to pursue their creative/life goals, dreams and passions in an environment that promotes support and lets you know, you are not alone in your desire to BE CREATIVE – in your own uniquely YOU way.

   So again, I ask you, how are you BEING CREATIVE?

Dare To Be Creative Workshop; Oct 29, 2017

 DARE TO BE CREATIVE WORKSHOP

It has been said that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

but that we are powerful beyond measure. 
And we fear what we don't understand.

So we must find the courage to face who we truly are and

understand how we can best utilize this power within --

this power that creates our own world and in turn, the world at large.

So join us on a self-discovery journey using techniques, 

oracles and a wealth of practical information

to connect with your power through creative process.

Whether it's creating a more fulfilling life or

tapping into your artistic flow,

face your fear and Dare To Be Creative.

Coax your inner spark to come out and light up the world.

DATE:  Sunday, October 29, 2017

TIME:  10:00am - 1:00pm

LOCATION:  Burbank, CA 

 private location given upon registration/payment

COST:  $65 including 3 hour workshop, materials and handouts

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION is Friday, October 27 at 4pm PST.

REGISTRATION / PAYMENT is on our website 

www.paperarchitect.com

scroll down to the PAYPAL button and clink on it to pay/register


If you  have questions please email us at:

contactus@paperarchitect.com

TAKE ACTION

The most important step to manifesting anything and everything is ACTION.

Are you ready for the call to ACTION?

It all starts with a feeling, an inspiration that wakes you up and moves you to think.

Ideas form … possibilities, what if, the excitement of something new that can change your life for the better.  You are motivated but it’s that next step that seems to be the hardest.

It’s all in your head, the plans.  You can see it clearly but unless you ACT upon it, it will remain dormant.  It’s scary to take that dream you created and make it happen because what if it fails?  Or succeeds and it’s out of control crazy.  You choose:  success, failure or nothing.

The majority of success began with failure after failure, to learn from and apply to the next try.

It’s rare to succeed the first time.  Just look at your own successes.

If you review how you got there you’ll see that through experience, knowledge, wisdom, eliminating what didn’t work, finding a new approach, and a bit of trust, you got there.

Some may give up too soon.  When we take new action and step out of our comfort zone, there is that internal aspect in us that tries to protect and keep us safe, that little voice that says what’s the use, keep things as they are so you won’t get disappointed or hurt.  Keep the status quo.  But that only keeps us stagnant, we are just existing instead of living if we allow this to happen to us.  But when we have the courage, inspiration, support, inner desire that pushes us into action that’s a natural high.

Those of you that are fortunate enough to have the support of a friend, family member, mentor or community, are truly blessed. 

But most of us have to be our own cheerleader.  That’s not always easy.

We have moments of clarity and a knowingness of what to do.

You work and work and sometimes feel like you are getting nowhere (which may look like lack of progress but don’t be fooled – every action has a reaction). 

It’s hard to keep going, be self-motivated, feeling like you took two steps forward and one step back.  Fear creeps in as your rational mind stomps on your dream.  You want to give up.

But can I make a suggestion?

 

Just because you don’t have someone here in the physical world to give you that needed support – because let me tell you, when you feel supported, no matter how big or wild your dreams, that support gives you the strength to move boulders (obstacles?). 

So I say to you, find someone in history who dealt with something similar to what you are going through.  Look into their life, find a connection, read about their challenges before they succeeded.  If a feeling of kinship develops, use it as your support. 

Not only will you feel you are not alone in your quest, and this may sound strange to some,

but talk to them – in your mind, out loud, in your dreams, in a letter.

Share your thoughts, doubts, questions as if they were sitting across from you in a café.

Let them help you push your inner critic into the background as you sort through, organize and rearrange your project into the launch position.  If it helps, put up a picture of them to remind you that you are not alone.  A symbolic object of what you want to accomplish is helpful too.  Let it bring you back to that original feeling that started it all.

 

   There are those rare times when your call to action cannot be held back, bypassing your mind chatter and JUST DO IT.  That feeling of letting go and letting your instincts guide you is magical.  Sometimes your support system can help get you there.

If you think about what it is you are trying to manifest and there is this emotional pull, a deep desire, then don’t stop.  Take the leap of courage and move into ACTION … one step at a time.

Nothing happens in an instant – it may feel like it when it all comes together, but you took step after step, big and small to get to that point when everything falls into place. You feel as if a miracle has occurred.

And so it has.

“Just do it.”   ~Nike~

Postscript:  As part of the Dare To Be Creative Workshop, we not only delve into the ACTION aspect of manifesting but also cover Fear, Resistance, Letting Go and how to prepare for when you actually manifest your goal along with lots of other areas of the creative process.

“He who begun is half done.  Dare to be wise; begin.”

~Horace~

next DARE TO BE CREATIVE WORKSHOP; September 21, 2014

 Come participate in the next DARE TO BE CREATIVE WORKSHOP

 to be held at a private location in Burbank, CA (given upon registration)

DATE:  Sunday, September 21, 2014

TIME:  9:30am - 2:00pm

ADVANCED ON-LINE REGISTRATION ONLY DUE TO LIMITED SPACE

click on the PayPal link on our website 

www.paperarchitect.com/Specialty_Workshops.php

COST:  $75 including materials and handouts

for additional information visit the website link above,

contactus@paperarchitect.com

www.createhealingmandalas.blogspot.com

It has been said that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

but that we are powerful beyond measure. 

So we must find the courage to face who we truly are and

understand how we can best utilize this power within --

this power that creates our own and in turn, the world at large.

Creating from the power within us is a constant process

and more affective when we do it consciously.

So join us on a self-discovery journey using techniques, 

receive an oracle reading and shared information

to connect with your power through creative process.

Whether it's creating a more fulfilling life or

tapping into your artistic flow,

face your fear and Dare To Be Creative.

Coax your inner spark to come out and light up the world.

DARE TO BE CREATIVE expanded* WORKSHOP

 

Just in time to help you prepare for the holiday season and the New Year.

Last workshop of the year.

You asked and we listened.

As a result of your survey feedback we have expanded the workshop

so you have more time to complete the exercises,

more elements to your Oracle reading exercise,

and receiving additional relevant information 

to guide your creative process

and empower you to have the courage to create the life you want.

DATE:  Saturday, November 2, 2013

TIME:  11am - 4:30pm with a half hour break

LOCATION & REGISTRATION:   

the Hummingbird and the Honey Bee

1414 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 103  

Thousand Oaks, CA  91362

CALL to RESERVE YOUR SPACE:   805 495 5824

COST:  $80.00 including materials and handouts

It has been said that our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

but that we are powerful beyond measure.

And we fear what we don't understand.

So we must find the courage to face who we truly are

and understand how we can best utilize the power within --

this power that creates our own world

and in turn, the world at large.

Creating from the power within us is a constant process

and more effective when we do it consciously.

So join us on a self-discovery journey

to connect with your power through the creative process.

Whether it's creating a more fulfilling life

or tapping into your artistic flow,

face your fears and DARE TO BE CREATIVE!

Coax your inner spark to come out and light up the world.

www.paperarchitect.com/Specialty_Workshops.php