Making The Tough Choices

"Did you ever have to make up your mind?
You pick up on one and leave the other one behind?
It's not often easy and not often kind.
Did you ever have to make up your mind?" ~ John B. Sebastian

That quote is one from one of my favorite songs, from my childhood.  I know they are talking about deciding about which girl to date or whatever, but  the words hold a lot of truth for other things as well.
At the beginning of this year, I made some very firm commitments to myself.  Not New Years' resolutions.  Firm commitments.  Meant on changing my life or how I was conducting it.  Stress reduction and it's effects on my health were on the top of the list.  I know a lot of folks make that commitment or desire less harmful stress in their lives, but I wanted to see what would happen if I really worked on stress reduction. Being a person who just loves to do and loves to do for others, I knew going into this that this would be a huge challenge for me.  I knew some elements of my life would have to go or at very least put on the back burner.  I knew that this change would take some real awareness.  I'd have to learn to say, "No."  And be okay with whatever came after that "no". Sounded easy enough, I guess.  I also thought that in the back of my mind, I could always "fudge" just a little here and there- look like I was holding to my commitment, but really not.  With that mind set, I started getting little "tests" of my resolve.  The people who are part of my life support group/system, were not about to let me get away with playing at this commitment.  This commitment, I has challenged me to my core being and on just about every level of my life.  I can honestly say I haven't been playing at it, I've been making the tough choices in order to keep this comittment.   I can say, I'm stronger, happier, more creative and my outlook on life is clear and clean.  Noone that I have had to say no to, so thinking less of me and tossing me out of their lives.  I still do a lot, but it's in a much more thoughtful manner. The things I am doing for others, is like a gift and not a "I have to do this."  I guess this is what setting boundaries is like.  The bigger piece here is that I'm allowing this new part of me the time to take root and grow in, what think, is health soil.
I've said no to things, some things I've really wanted to do, but knew that they also contained high levels of stress and maybe not the best idea for me.   I also struggled with the thought of letting people down and the dreaded thoughts of being a lazy self-centered good for nothing. (how's that for a negative mind set?)
Through these months, I've been thinking that there is nothing wrong or bad with taking care of myself.  It doesn't have to be such a struggle. Yet sometimes it just is.  At least the John B. Sebastian and The Lovin' Spoonful wrote their playful song to help all of us struggling to make the choices that seem right for our lives.
How are you with making and keeping commitments to yourself?  How do you feel when you say no to one thing and leave something behind?

Until next week...create to feel great!
45 projects complete! 7 to go!

This week's project...knit stitch markers.  Sort like jewelry for knitting.  Made with beads and jump rings.  Very cool. Once I got started making these I couldn't stop. 

Floating My Cares Away

In my search and pursuit of the art of the saunder, I made an appointment for a new business called "Float On."  What Float On offers is a 90 minute float in an isolation tank.  I have been curious about these tanks for years.  I took them up on a Groupon offer.  I had no idea how amazing this experience would be.
First it wasn't anything like the movie Altered States. In fact, I think that movie gives people the really wrong idea of the benefits of a float.   The guys who run the service are funny and cool.  They are so mellow, in a way that I wish everyone, including myself could be.   They welcomed Broadside and I as we walked in.  They showed us around and let us chose our tank.   Once all instructions were given, I shut my door, showered and got into the tank.   I thought I'd hate the darkness, the calm, the quiet.  It took a bit to get use to the surroundings.  Before I knew it, I didn't know anything.  And soon some soft music was playing to signal me my time was up.  I guess I was in there for 90 minutes.   I showered, dressed and walked out into the lobby.  There was such a relaxed state of mind and body.   I cannot begin to describe it.  All I know is I will float again.   I slept so good last night.  This morning, I'm still in a very wonderful relax state.  Like better than a vacation.  My mind is clear and feels strong.   My skin feels fantastic.
The owners of this business are really doing a public service.  If stressed out, negative people could float, I can only imagine how great the world would be.   The owners really give back as well.  They believe everyone should have the opportunity to float, so if you have no money, a person can volunteer 4 hours and earn a float.  That is amazingly generous.
So, I don't like to plug or advertise, but the folk at Float On are doing their part to banish negativity and I really hope they grow and flurish.   If you live in the Portland area.  Do yourself a favor and book a 90 minute float at Float On.  I'd be surprised if you walked out of there feeling anything less than relaxed and happy.

Until next week...create to feel great!

44 projects complete  8 to go!

My project this week are some cute relaxing slippers.   It a mix of design that I've been working on for my new charity crafting donations to The Pink Slipper Project.   These are great because usually crotchet or knitted slipper are way too soft for me...these have a cute fabric covered sock liner for stability.

If You're Happy And You Know It...

I made the coolest discovery this week!  There is a society for happy people!  It is actually a secret society (shaking my head here saying What the what?).   This wonderfully fun society has declared the month of August as Happiness Happens Month.  That's a month worth celebrating!  They have set out three objectives to follow for the month (and really all the time).  They are:
1) Recognize and express happiness
2) Listen to others talk about their happiness
3) Don't rain on other people's parade

They operate from the stance that if you recognize and express even one little tiny tiny bit of happiness in your life, it will grow and grow into a huge huge whole lot of happiness.  It makes me giddy thinking about the possibilities.   It was my feeling when I started this Campaign that folks would peak a little bit into their creativity and pull something out that they could use to banish negativity from their lives.  If everyone did just the smallest of these steps...negativity would really have the huge place it does in the world and might even go away.  With negativity out of the way...Wow! we could do so much more in our lives and the lives of others.
So, the idea of taking the simple act of recognizing and expressing that you just might be even a tiny tiny bit happy and having that grow...that idea really appeals to me.  I've seen this idea take root and grow in my own life.
August seems like the prefect month to begin on this project (if you haven't already).  The days are bright and longer.   There are harvests from the fields coming in.  There are events everywhere (if you live in Portland, Oregon- you can't go to a park on a weekend without running into a production of a Shakespeare play).
There are a lot of things to look at to be happy about.   This group suggests taking the Happiness Challenge.  What we do is write down one moment from our day that was happy.  Only one small moment. One word or thought.  Write it down on a calendar.  In 30days it will be filled with happiness.  I love it!  Are you with me on this one?  I think it is time to proclaim that we are happy.  I know I am.  How about you?
Until next week...create to feel great!
43 projects complete 9 to go!
If you want to check out the Secret Society of Happy People they can be found at www.sohp.com

Project of the week....Poochie Bags!   These are the cutest and sweetest and most fun bags to make.
They use fat quarters or fabric scraps and sew up so quick it is mind blowing!...great gift bags or lunch bags or Kindle bags or almost anything bag.
I made these two and now I can't stop making them...I'm thinking holiday themed bags for gift giving.

The Coolest Person I Know

I like to think of myself as a person who looks at her life.  What is going on in it. What I want to create with it. I don't often dwell or live in the past.  I don't often hang on to the past.  Or at least I like to think I don't.  I do enjoy the thrill of a new insight into my inner workings.  I coach people to go after and embrace those insights about themselves that can get in their way or help them move forward.
Honestly, sometimes, I can be a bit of a smarty pants about myself and what I know about me and other things of life.  Many years ago...a college room mate told me that she thought that I thought I was pretty all that.  She thought I operated from the fact that I thought I was the coolest person in the world.  I'd never seen myself that way. I was just being me.  It was the first piece of feedback I can remember ever getting.  A part of me was embarrassed and a little ashamed of myself.  I took those words to heart and I shifted myself to fit some one's perception of me.  I closed off a part of myself.  Those words were pretty damaging to me.  I hid for years.  Instead of looking at the feedback that person gave me as feedback, and looking at the parts that might be annoying or less than favorable (if there was any), and using it to better myself, I closed down and hid. I spent my time hiding a major part of who I was and trying to figure out how people wanted me to act and be in their presence. I even went so far as to wrap and hide myself in a huge layer of body fat.  It wasn't until about five years ago, when I hit the age of 50 that I embraced what I call the "cool" side of me.  And looked at myself and asked, "Really?  What is so wrong with me thinking that I am the coolest person in the world?"  There is nothing wrong with that.  Nothing.  In fact I wish everyone in the world would also think of themselves as the coolest person in the world.  Now I'm not saying the most self-centered person in the world.  Or the most selfish person in the world.  I'm saying coolest. I'm talking about an image of being in the moment cool.  Confident in what I know about myself, my talents, my knowledge.  Knowing that I can use all that I am to benefit others.  It is an ease and easy going attitude that because I'm confident in me, I know I can handle life and what comes to me.  Being the coolest person you know...nothing wrong with that.  It's well...sort of cool.
Are you the coolest person you know?  If not, what can you do to take a step towards the cool.
Until next week...create to feel great!
42 projects complete 10 to go. (10! are you kidding? That's so cool- okay I'll stop with the cool)

This week's project is an up-cycle, I took and old with holes leather jacket and turned it into a wallet/small pocket book with coin purse.

Christmas In July

Christmas in July.  I've always thought was sort of funny.  I believe it was started by retailers to get folks thinking early.  When I worked in retail, I would do Christmas in July displays and get flack from customers for pushing Christmas on them.  For crafters and diy gifters, like myself, Christmas in July makes sense.  It is getting a head start. This year I felt like I wanted to do Christmas in July.  I'm here to announce that I have started my Christmas gift making.   In this, here's an odd puzzle.   How does one stay in the moment while planning for the future?  How do we stay present and not so focused on the future, so much so that all we can see in the future and how great we think it will be, while the present is neglected?  It is a mind twister.  On one hand we want to envision our future and take steps towards it.  While on the other hand, there is plenty o' stuff to deal with in the here and now.  Eventually, the future will be our here and now.   Anyone else, getting a headache trying to figure this one out?
In the movie Cool Hand Luke, Paul Newman's character says that he never made a plan in his life.  I've often heard it said that if you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit that target every time. Yikes!  This is complicated.
I like to think that one way to work through this puzzle is to view it like cooking a huge dinner. (Like a Christmas dinner)   There are things in the oven that are cooking away and don't need our attention right away (the future). There are pots on the back burners of the stove (future soon to be here) and there are pots on the front burners that need our attention.(the here and now).   Now we can't cook everything on the front burners all the time. We need those other burners and the oven to help us out.   As we move along and allow things to cook and develop in our lives, we sometimes move things around on our stove.  A smart cook checks on all the goings on the stove top and oven.   I think we can do that as well with our lives.  Like a great cooked meal, if we are smart and tend to the elements as needed, they will all come together and be wonderful.
So, as I'm working through Christmas in July, I'm in the moment working on a project and thinking about my relationship to the receiver of my gift, and when Christmas does roll around, I'll be able to enjoy that season, hopefully, with an ease and relaxed state of mind. For me, Christmas in July isn't just about getting a start on my gift making, I'm also using this mind set for other things in my life.  Working towards and bright and joyous future- not just at Christmas time but year around.
How will you use the ideas of Christmas in July to create a bright and joyous future for you right now.

Until next week...create to feel great!                          
41 projects complete 11 to go.

The project of the week...what else than painted Nutcrackers.  I stumbled upon these guys in a clearance bin.  I love Nutcrackers and have always wanted to paint one...now I have two!

When The Game Changes

I often heard it said that the only thing in life that certain to happen is change.  If this is true, then why are there so many folks afraid of change?  Is it that change is viewed as the ultimate "I'm not in control here!" moment.  Or is there fear that we won't be able to handle the change. Or is it the fact that it shakes up our comfort.  And let's admit it...cats aren't the only creatures who love and seek out their comfort on a moment by moment bases.
Yet changing things up and creating positive changes in our own life is good.  It's still scary.  There are still the unknown elements that are out of our control. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable.  And yes there is that element of what if I try this or make this change and it doesn't work out for me?   So, do we stay afraid of change or embrace it and welcome it into our life?  I think we cannot help but in embrace it as a fact.  I mean really, when you look at change in a very basic form, we experience it everyday, even if we knowledge it our not.  When we wake up in the morning.  It's a new day.  That's change from the day before.  Even if you feel that the new day is more of the same it isn't.  That's what I like to call small scale change. A baby step for those who have trouble embracing change.  Try on the thought that every new day is a day for change in our lives.  No matter how small.  With a little daily practice, soon you'll discover your are getting comfortable the change, and maybe ready to create other- bigger- changes in your life. Just like the new day, change in our lives is forward moving.  Let's make it a positive forward movement.   Oh, and here's something for control freaks...getting comfortable with change and making and embracing change as part of your life...is a great way to stay in control of you.  It also helps to know how to react when changes come at us that we don't like so much.
This week's project is sort of a toss back to when I was a kid.  Embroidered dishcloths with retro looking kitties.  In my weirdly wired mind, they symbolize how awesome change can be.

Is there one little tiny change you could make in  your life that might result in bring you more joy and lightness?
Until next week...create to feel great!
40 projects complete!!!  12 to go (the not so dirty dozen!)

So I Think I Can Dance

"Human Beings, vegetables or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intone in the distance by an invisible player."~ Albert Einstein
My summer, so far, has been centered around more lessons about being in the moment and how to move forward in that moment.  Anytime to work on those lessons is a good time, for me summer seems to avail it's self to the lessons and provides many a classroom.   In my "studies", I came across the above quote from Mr. Einstein.  It inspired me to look at the question of "how to be in the moment?"  as a dance.  A dance that can and will change it's tempo. The dance idea feels more creative to me.  It was also inspired by my brother-in-law Douglas, who was a very gifted and creative designer in his own time.  Sadly, he passed away all too soon and way to young from a long illness.  Doug would call me on Sundays to ask me what I was creating?  We would talk for about an hour, mostly about design. Sometimes about life and events.  As he got closer to passing, we would sometimes talk about what he was feeling and going through.  During one of our last conversations, we talked about the challenge I have staying in the moment.  He joked and said with a word of caution for me.  "Oh, don't wait to start dying to figure that one out.   Because that's all I can do right now is be in the moment.  It's a wonderful dance. I wish I'd started it sooner."  
"A dance?" I asked.  "What sort of dance?"
"A Strauss Waltz for me. The tempo is wonderful and the perfect pace."
The Blue Danbue was played at his memorial.

This week was so much about me to doing this "I'm in the moment dance", by Friday, I had no projcet of the week! I had lost track of time! I had a couple of ideas.  I made a couple of attempts and everything failed.  I was forcing and pushing to complete something.  It felt odd and out of step.  I kept thinking that maybe I didn't need a project.  I certainly did my share of creating this week, but really nothing new.  This morning, I discovered that I was stepping into the moment, and not brining the fun to my project of the week idea. I decided to clear my mind and dance a bit around my studio (I tried a waltz and some salsa with Gus).  Sure enough...I was ready to create some fun.   I painted a little wooden bird house for Mickeygurrl's bird garden.  I also put together her Bird Table- a wooden bird feeding station.  
I'm thinking being in the moment and bringing the fun equals a magic time.  This week it did for me.

What tempo is your "I'm in the moment" dance?   So,do you think you can dance?
Until next week...create to feel great.
39 projects complete  13 to go.