Week 14 – Thing 1 and Thing 2 ~ ~ ~ Creative Courage Challenge

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You!”  ~Dr. Seuss

This post is near to my heart it is true, as I may be Thing One or maybe Thing Two.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” -Shakespeare

Let us for a moment consider what a name “is”… It is defined as: the grouping of several letters of an alphabet, or other symbols, which represent the identification of a person an object or a community.

Well, thank you ever so much for the English lesson lady…but that doesn’t explain how we lament over choosing names for children or products, businesses or even family pets. This Thing or That Thing.  Nor does it explain the fierce attachments that we have to our own names and it certainly does not help me when I am agonizing over the name for my own business – a name that will be something which exudes all of the ideals, imagery and emotional repose that I would like for it to represent, the things that are me…

Some of you may have already chosen business names, some may simply be using their own name to represent their work, but all of you have put some thought into it at one time or another. You owned it, because it is YOU…I know what you are thinking…is this is part of our Creative Courage Challenge? The ability to choose a name??  Is that something I really need help with? Are you going to make us pick from Thing 1 & Thing 2?  LOL!!  Did I pique your internal Curious George? Well, although working through our creative courage challenges will in deed help you to discover your business name or even change your business name…BUT there is greater  creative courage to be divulged here in the Shimmerlings realm.  Ripped from the Headlines, Based on a True Story, Names have been changed to protect the innocent…okay, that last part isn’t true…but  I am in fact about to share a true to life story that is actually currently evolving and resolving….the story of Thing 1 and Thing 2…. what is in a name?

“How vain, without the merit, is the name.”  -Homer

I don’t know about you guys, but being in business I’m always wondering where I am listed on search engines, so I’ve gotten into the habit each Monday of googling “Shimmerlings” to see what pops up! I do a web search as well as an image search, and cross my fingers hoping I’m totally awesome!  I’ve been performing this act each week for several years; and there was never anything else that popped up except the Chi-Chi Universe, where Shimmerlings are beings in their web story universe.  Then not that long ago, I learned that it’s the name of a cat in Harry Potter book (but not the movie) and then shimmerlings had also  become a character in the online video game and THEN believe it or not even a fishing lure ( LOL!) …no biggie, though right? Totally different, no big whoop, nothing to worry about.

Well, late last year while performing my weekly search, there were suddenly a whole lot of other Shimmerlings links and images! Shimmerlings that aren’t mine …artisan jewelry Shimmerlings….Shimmerlings with an whimsical touch! I frantically began researching this interloper to find out what was going on!!  How dare someone ELSE be creating wonderfully handcrafted artisan jewelry with a mystical aura and a ethereal whimsical touch….with the name of SHIMMERLINGS!!! I started scrolling from page to page looking at all these wonderful creations that didn’t belong to me, but could have easily been part of my work! Was my creative identity being stolen?!  I was on the verge of a panic attack by the fourth google page! This is MY name, I’ve had it for so many years…I can not be losing it now to someone who could be me!

While I began my research (okay, stalking) I found a website, an Etsy shop, a Blog and a even a Facebook Page! I couldn’t believe it! I had been usurped! Mimicked! Stolen! It was if I had just discovered that my father had another family in different state that had similar features to my own!  I felt completely devastated, and forlorn. I am currently in the midst of redesigning my whole site, which included a new logo design! This new Shimmerlings was exuding a great deal of the same passions that I have been!  I MUST  find out who this “Thing 2” was to my “Thing 1”!! (Of course I decided that I am Thing 1 -sheesh! ) My trademark application is ‘in process’ but could be years before I can legally challenge anyone! Aaaaahhh!! I had no real power here…what to do? What to do? In fear and frustration I let the stalking begin!

“I don’t want to lose my name because that’s how I know myself. There is a legacy here.” -Moon Unit Zappa

In my prowling (okay, stalking) I found out that this other “Shimmerlings” Artist was a resident in the UK…and truly even if she was in the US, short of my trademark approval, there really wasn’t anything I could do to demand that she cease and desist (*sigh* – realization sinks in).  I also found that she had only recently changed her business name, but she had been a jewelry artist for many years as well.

Her website was similar to mine, her work included some things I had been mulling over in my mind, her grasp of the mystic was as strong as mine, and she loved the fae as I did.  I was crestfallen and confused; did I have a doppelganger?? Was she a replicator? Was she my long lost identical twin sister? (hey, you never know!! What if my father did in fact have another family in different state?!)  I was beside myself in grief and wretchedness …. I didn’t know what to do…I felt totally defeated. (Full Disclosure: I cried for a few days while trying to decide what to do.) What? What? What was to be done?? Worry.. deep overwhelming worry that I was about to lose my business identity set in……I did the only thing I could do to remain as patient as this situation required…I opened a bottle of wine!

Drink in hand I mulled it over…I racked my brain, (leave it alone? make a demand? plead my case and ask for leniency?) I searched my heart, tried to put myself in Thing 2′s place (again YES I am Thing 1) I tried my best not to Judge Judy her and I tried to give credit where credit is due – she did create wonderful things, and everyone deserves to sparkle…. I could think of no other thing to do, but attempt to be kind and humbly ask this other artist to consider changing her name to something else that isn’t mine! Mine! Mine! MINE!! (sorry I channeled my 2 year old self there for a moment!)…Well, even the thought of asking that hurt me, as I read her post explaining how excited she was about her new name, and how much it meant to her. Because I remember that very same feeling so many years ago when the name came to me; it is unrivaled feeling of excitement to believe you have found just the right name to create and identify your business…but I had, in my mind, no other actual choice that would allow me to remain true to myself, but to simply ask for what I wished. I have always taught my children…you can’t get anything you don’t ask for. I decided to practice what I preached….imagine that! I mustered my moxie, I Embraced The Tickle, and I decided to plead my case.

I began to compile an email, heart racing and head spinning. My mind whirling and ceasing, quickly thoughtful and then blank…I deleted, erased, rewrote, reframed, pleaded, explained and fought the fear of the anticipated “Nothing You Can Do” response from this person I knew literally nothing about, but seemed to have so much in common with. My email finished, I read and re-read it, deciding it was as good as it would ever be…I decided to send it.   Heart pounding, palms sweating, eyes teary, my finger hovered over the send button on my keyboard momentarily…but I couldn’t do it! I put my finger down…  A moment later, I knew it must be done!  I was hovering again…then crossed the fingers on both hands, said a silent request to the Powers That Be that there be a friendly outcome and kind resolution to this scary experience… I squeezed my eyes shut, embraced the tickle and jabbed the SEND button! (*whew*) I let out the breath I didn’t even realize I was still holding in!! Yes, I was a bit dizzy, I was holding my breath for much longer than anyone should….

It’s done, hoping that I worded it well, hoping I didn’t offend, wishing there was something else I could do…but, alas there is nothing. It’s done, can’t take it back, no ‘unsend’ button…it’s out there – in the:  World. Wide. Web.  Out of my hands now, all I can do is wait for the response…………*sigh* …..waiting…..waiting….nerve racking….stomach churning… waiting…. pacing… wringing hands… waiting….and god it’s only been a few hours! ACK! Being that there is such a large time difference between the US Midwest and the UK, I tried to be calm, again I attempted to take my own advice and I did my best to Sit.Silent.Breathe.Be… this time my advice was hugely ineffective!!  I did the only thing I could do to remain as patient as this situation required…I opened another bottle of wine!

Well it wasn’t but the very next day that I received a response. There it was. in my mailbox. Shocked, Stunned and Scared… I just stared at it.  (I felt like Meg Ryan in “You’ve Got Mail) I wonder what it says? What if it’s the dreaded “too bad for you” response? Then what will I do?? I could just not read it, and go on with my life, couldn’t I? Waiting….what was I waiting for? It was the courage to send the letter that was the actual hard part, this is only fear!!  I couldn’t take it anymore…with heart pounding I clicked the email …and I held my breath while I read…. I will not include the entire email, but the following is the portion of that very first response to my (hopefully) humble request…

First let me say that I appreciate your honesty, and I will be equally open and honest with you. This is a lot of information for me to assimilate and I need a bit of time to process it all.  So I ask that you give me a few days to brainstorm a bit and see what I can come up with. You are right, we are both creative people and I certainly want no hard feelings or discourse. I believe in running my business, whether large or small, with integrity. We will figure something out.

What?! Whew! Slight relief!  Oh my god, I almost couldn’t believe it! I had prepared myself for the worst but had hoped for the best, and it looks as if I was coming out on the latter side of that confusion…BUT What impressed me most- what I has carried with me to this day… of the full email, of all the verses Angela wrote, of all of those words included above – the strongest to me were “we will figure something out” – WE. Not you figure out something for yourself, or too bad for you, or there’s nothing you can do.  Angela responded with “WE will work something out.”  I read it twice, and then three times to make certain that I hadn’t in my high hopes, possibly misinterpreted it …. With a rush of relief and tears of respite already on my cheeks, I had to take a few (okay many) deep breaths and then catch it before I could even hope to begin to respond.

“Human beings are the only creatures who are able to behave irrationally in the name of reason.”  -Ashley Montagu

From that day this lovely artist – who clearly cared as deeply about our shared name –  and I began to exchange many emails…it wasn’t too much longer within our conversations that with a heavy heart Angela offered to relinquish the Shimmerlings name. Saying it seemed the right thing to do.

She stated valuable reasoning such as the fact that I had had it for much longer and already had such a large web presence…but it was a heart wrenching decision for her, I have no doubt.  In my relief for her kindness, I developed a great deal of admiration for her strength, her integrity as a business woman, and her courage for daring to begin anew, especially as she had just felt that she had overcome that hurdle with her business…she had the courage to take it on again. Quite admirable in my mind!

“Do not say, ‘it is morning,’ and dismiss it with the name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name.”  -Rabindranath Tagore

In our regular communications we talked about how each of us came to find the name, we bonded over the commonalities we had in our personalities, our business ideals, our plans for the future, and WE brainstormed together searching for a new name for her Shimmerlings. WE were in fact figuring something out; but it took the courage of both artists to do it with aplomb! I believe it took courage on my part to connect humbly with her initially, as it would have been easy enough to take the low road and let my anger, fear and frustration take the lead.  Although I firmly believe that it took a great deal MORE courage on Angela’s part to not only respond in kindness, but to be willing to relinquish the name she loved so much AND to start anew…again. If only all business people could work in this fashion, I believe that the world would be a much better place indeed. A little sprinkling of magic truly does go such a long way don’t you think? When I shared the news with a few friends, each of them were truly astonished, and one even said “Today you both renewed my faith in humanity”.

Through brainstorming, soul searching, conversing with important people in Angela’s life…a new name was brought forth to her…. EarthShine Designs!  It had come to her during a time when she thought she had already found another name. But it was this name that settled within her, felt proper in its place, and she courageously began afresh. (Here’s the story in Angela’s own words) Angela is currently working on all of her web presence thingys that we all know we must…and it would mean a great deal to me for everyone to look her up, give her a nod, remind her that she is chock o bock of Creative Courage, send her positive energy, and wish her luck. Because she most certainly deserves it!

Website: http://www.earthshine-designs.com/
Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/EarthshineDesigns1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EarthShineDesigns?sk=wall&filter=2
Blog: http://earthshinejewellery.blogspot.com/

There is no true way for me to express how genuinely grateful I am for this entire situation, for the reality check, for the internal proof how important my work, name and business are to me, as well as for my renewed belief in humanity, kindness and good business practices in general and of course, for my new friend!

Of all the “lessons” and challenges that I could have written about, none of it would not have really mattered if there weren’t some true examples of what Creative Courage will bring you if you practice it….I believe this is one of those examples. Take it to heart, believe in the powers that made you exceptional, and go forth into the world knowing it to be true, and be as Courageous as my new friend Angela truly is!

So….I suppose there is no actual challenge this week…but to take this story of courage, integrity and wonderful co-existence ruminate in your heart and your mind. Try to recall it while in your creative life you come to find a situation in which you can be the awesomest artist, in your life and the life of another. Learn to work in kindness – even in business. Remember that Creative Courage will bring your heart and mind into alignment with your business and create a wonderful blending of strengths! Just remember. See ya next week!

“You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”   ― Dr. Seuss

JeaneMargherite Meria McMahon Murray Schintgen

(yep, that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

 I would love for you to “check me out” in my other realms…..

• · www.shimmerlings.com
• · www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• · www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• · www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

…or is it??  : )

Week 13 – Sit. Silent. Breathe. Be. Creative Courage Challenge

“All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”  ~Blaise Pascal

"Spend some time alone everyday." -Dalai Lama

Who’s afraid of the big bad solitude?!  We want to create! We want to paint! We want to write! We want to BE…. To Be… be what?  We think we know, we know we know, but do we really?

As artists and creatives we need time… time to ourselves, time to create, time alone. But as we have learned with each of our challenges, it is the things that we need the most that we have the most difficulty providing for ourselves. To be our greatest Creative Evil Geniuses (week 6) we learned about how important solitude is.  In week 7 we learned how important solitude is if we are to construct our Creative Universe as well as ways to find it, even in small increments…have you found your solitude?

“Focusing on the act of breathing clears the mind of all daily distractions and clear our energy enabling us to better connect with the Spirit within.”

Solitude is not a ‘time out’ it is not something to be endured, it is something to be enjoyed. It is a wonderful gift that we are able to give to ourselves at anytime almost anywhere. It is a practice that must be preached and a preach that must be practiced!! There are of course blocks to this enjoyment, as there always are for us creative types!

Often times we don’t believe we deserve such a luxury, but if you have been looking yourself in the eyes each day, which we practiced in Week 3 – The Eye’s Have It and complimenting yourself (Week 4-It’s Complimentary) then this shouldn’t be that big of a stretch for you by now.  Keep in mind that these challenges are cumulative, and complimentary…we must do them the week we are challenged – to help us get over the hump, and continue to do them when we can to continue to grow our creative courage! If anyone has been taking the Pink Cadillac Challenge more than once, I’d love to hear about it!! Okay, pull focus…back to the task at hand, the blocks we have to getting our solitude….

• One of the blocks to sitting in solitude for those of us who have a million things swishing around our minds is that we don’t know how to still that activity.
• One of the skills to removing that block about being still is learning how to be alone.
• One of the skills to help us to be alone is to learn how to breathe properly. Yep it’s true!

I know, I know…. You think you know how to breathe; I mean how hard is it right? We do it every moment of every day! In fact, we will take approximately 21,600 breaths each day, but the question is… are they the proper breathes??!  Ahhh, that is the question! Proper breathing is the essence of our life, it is the most important function our body performs. It is the method we use to take in oxygen and it a way of eliminating 70% of all the body generated wastes.

Proper rhythmic breathing is one of Nature’s greatest gifts and can be used to calm us, reduce our stress and release pain as well as increasing our energy level…which opens us up to be more creative and our enjoyment of life!  Who doesn’t want THAT?!! I do! I do! Pick me!!

“When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.”

So first, we must learn to breathe properly, so then we might enjoy our solitude more fully.

Try this experiment: Sit in a chair (not too difficult so far!) Place one hand on your lower the abdomen (or belly/tummy/stomach) and the other hand on your chest (or ribs/heart/sternum)…. Now take a very deep breath through your nose.  Which hand rises?  If your chest rises instead of your belly you are restricting your oxygen intake…and breathing improperly.  Damn…now what?!

We are in luck!! There are so many ways to learn to breathe properly! Any yoga class or instructor is able to teach you. If you do not choose to find a class then www.myyoga.com is an excellent resource with a three part series by Vijai Sharma Phd, RYT  breathing guide called “Breathe Right”.   If you are more of the Martha Stuart student, there is a fine basic video on www.realsimple.com with a simple five steps to breathing properly.   Or if your learning is more visual than that, there is a wonderful DVD from Max Strom called Learn To Breathe.

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.”  ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Correct breathing is a learned skill, and anyone can do it!  I have been using breath to calm, energize and de-stress myself for years! I can actually either relax to distress or to energize and focus in just a few moments of breathing properly. There is NO reason to not learn…it’s free, the results are immediate, no planning or equipment is needed, such a simple thing provides great big rewards!

“You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.”  ~Ghandi

To be alone to sit and be still without a task at hand is often difficult for most people, not just artist and creatives. So this week, that IS your task.  I challenge each of you this week to sit quietly alone in a room (any room) and breathe (properly of course!) for a minimum of fifteen minutes.

SIT   SILENT   BREATHE   BE

I double dog challenge you to do it more than once!! It may be uncomfortable; a few minutes may feel like a lifetime! You may be internally begging the phone to ring or someone to come ask something of you.  We need to learn to be present and comfortable in our own skin, with our own selves, in our own silence to bring about our own calm and create the greatness of our gifts.

Be alone with your thoughts, do not be planning your week, the day, making a grocery list, or even be thinking about your next project. You may meditate, concentrate on each breath in and out of your body, think about something beautiful or charming that brings a smile to your face, be grateful. Do not think about what is happening in the time you are being calm in the stillness, just sit, be silent, breathe and be.

“When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death – ourselves.”   ~Eda LeShan

Peace be with you this week…in your space, in the silence, with just your self! Good luck, have fun, relax and energize!!

JeaneMargherite Meria McMahon Murray Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

Check me out in my other realms…..

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

Week 12 – Embrace The Tickle Creative Courage Challenge

“Always act as if you are wearing an invisible crown.” 

Being the bohemian gypsy queen that I am, and if you’ve ever met me you know, I can be a pretty opinionated gal.  I am chock a bock with ideas and I like to share them with others!  With friends or family, I can jump right into any situation or conversation and talk, chit chat, take lead or brainstorm any subject at all, but with others it can be a struggle.

As an Artist in a real life group of customers or other artists and creatives, I clam up! Yes, me. It’s true.  I have difficulty talking to potential customers who come into my booth or tent, I shy away from teaching my craft, although I have been requested many times, and forget about speaking in front of my artistic peers. I will see the opportunity and truly want to put in my two cents, but my belly will begin to tickle, my heart will race, my eyes water- which is kind of funny, because my mouth dries up at the same time – and often I will watch that opportunity slip past me and on to the next person willing to stand and speak up.

Many Artists & Creatives find themselves in this mind set.  Unfortunately for us NOT speaking up, NOT speaking to the customer, the studio owner, our peers, NOT giving our input or opinions actually stifles our creativity and smashes our confidence….regardless of how unabashedly we personally own our Bohemian Gypsy Queen-ness…(or King-ness!)

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint’, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”   ~Vincent Van Gogh

This is by no means an uncommon occurrence in any social situation with regular people, but when we as Artists keep our awesomness hidden from the world by not speaking up or sitting in the back of the bus, we chip away at who we truly are at the core. No one wants that! Especially the wonderfully magical universe that bestowed this unbelievable gift upon us!  Most artists beg off of speaking up because we are afraid of being judged, we believe others will see our vulnerability and see ..well who knows what they might actually see?  More importantly – who cares?  As we all learned in Week 9 -Judge Judy, we must not judge others, but we most especially must not judge OURSELVES!

“It took me a long time to stop judging myself through someone else’s eyes.”  ~ Sally Fields

It cannot be stressed enough that on our journey to Building Creative Courage how important it is that we show the world our incredible self-confidence – even though sometimes we don’t always feel it.  When we forget our unbelievable awesomeness and we are worried what others will think we do ourselves and our gifts an incredible injustice.  When we sit in the back of the room or do not speak up in discussions, it shows a lack of self-confidence, and if we are truly honest with ourselves….we must as Artists already possess a great deal of self-confidence simply to exist in the creative world, so let’s stop pretending we don’t.  Let’s speak up and sprinkle some creative lovin’ on our confidence to help it grow!

““Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.”  ~Robert Collier

We are all artists whether we recognize it or not.  Being an artist requires courage, strength and humility.  Being creative requires that we express ourselves in work that some people will love and others will hate…this is the bane of our existence, as well as the bling! Sitting in the back, bowing to others in groups or meetings, not speaking up – we quash a bit of our creativity one tiny breath at a time. We do not want that to happen now do we?! Clap three times if you believe!!  Come on now! Clap! Clap! Clap! Show me you believe!

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you are not.”

We have all been in the place where we see an opportunity to share or to speak up, we feel that tickle in our bellies and it scares us, just for a moment…that moment in which we hesitate just long enough to watch that twinkling of wonderful opportunity slip right past us to the next creative person who has more immediate faith in themselves.  We have all also felt that deep pit in our bellies when we come to realize that the moment is gone forever. Which feeling would you rather have: The tickle of anticipation and a little fear rolled into one, or the icky pit down in our creative core for the missed opportunity?  I say the tickle!! We must believe in ourselves, we must look ourselves in the eyes, and we must give ourselves the incredible compliment of honest faith in our creative Evil Genius spirits!

By deciding to sit in the front row, making an effort to speak up at least once in any group discussion, standing tall, talking to our peers with the confidence we know must exist within us; we will become better artists and creatives, we will become better speakers, we will lessen that irrational fear of speaking up.  We will build our self-confidence which in turn builds our Creative Courage – and isn’t that what we are here for after all?!  Change your mind and you can change the world!

“When people believe in themselves they have the first secret to success.”  ~Norman Vincent Peale

This week don’t just try harder to speak up, look for opportunities to do so –regardless of how small.  Yes we may feel the tickle, yes our mouth may go dry, our eyes my water, our voices may falter….we may even say the wrong thing and feel as if we made a fool of ourselves. But in the moments after speaking up, giving our opinion, talking to the customer or the gallery owner, that deep satisfying feeling of pure and ultimate power, confidence and belief in ourselves will outweigh any ‘pre-talk tickle’ we may have!  Go forth and embrace the tickle!!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

Check me out in my other realms…..

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

It’s 4 a.m. my time and I am on a quest to see a fellow friend in the rainy land of California….I hope that this post is well proofed and easily written, as I have not time to fix it until my return on Tuesday! Tickle Well My Friends…tickle well!!  I’M OFF!!

Week 11 – LOL (Laughing Out Loud) Creative Courage Challenge

  “If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane.”  ― Robert Frost

As Artists and Creatives we look for patterns in our art, in nature and in structure.  As humans we look for patterns within ourselves; and often those patterns are subconsciously formed in our minds. When we think one thought often enough and it becomes a habit to think it. The problem is just that we often find negative and not so helpful patterns in our lives based on just one or two of our life experiences. Or perhaps by misjudging or miscommunication in a situation we begin to believe something that possibly is not true at all.  Unfortunately often times our minds are telling us that they are true because we have conditioned ourselves to believe our patterns.

For example you may be at an art show and as you are glancing around while setting up you see another artist and she frowns and looks away.  Most often when we are stuck in patterns we may think “Every time I see her, she looks at me funny..she must not like me.”  It is this type of thought which may lead to actions such as avoiding that artist, which in turn cuts us off completely from an entire aspect of our possible life path. This other creative may well be a great wealth of information and inspiration that we have now convinced ourselves will never happen. When the truth may be that she didn’t even see you or was not aware you were looking at her.

“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.”   ― Maya Angelou

When we become too identified with our thoughts we’ll believe anything they tell us. So what we must do is create a more helpful practice, which is to not take ourselves (or our thoughts) too seriously.  We have already learned to not Judge Judy other people, so let’s not Judge Judy ourselves (or again, our thoughts) either.

Here are a few fabulous FACTS about smiling and laughing that we may not all be aware of:

FACT: Smiling Makes Us Happy
Smiling loads the body with endorphins, known as the hormone of happiness, which is usually generated by way of exercise. So simply smiling will not only make you happier, it also immediately makes you more attractive, eluding that you are pleasant and sincere.

FACT:  Smiling Makes Us Look Younger
One smile may involve anywhere from 3-53 facial muscles, which of course keeps our facial muscles strong, in turn they will support the facial tissue more prominently; which over time will help you look younger than your years!

FACT: Laughing Improves Our Physical Health
Laughing out loud (yes, LOL) for 20 seconds is the equivalent of jogging in place for 3 minutes! If you laugh out loud for a full minute, if you haven’t wet your pants – which is generally what that type of laughter incurs – that is about the same as 15 minutes of exercise.  Laughing Out Loud uses approximately 80 different muscles in our whole body. The vibration of the laughter creates a faster heartbeat, increasing blood pressure, in turn improving the oxygen level in our blood which lowers stress and helps our bodies boost its immune system. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress.

FACT: Laughing Improves Our Emotional Health
You cannot feel angry anxious or sad while in the midst of laughing; laughter dissipates distressing emotions. Humor shifts perspective, bringing stressful or painful situations into a more realistic less threatening light. It can help us to relax and recharge, reducing stress and increasing energy; enabling you to focus and accomplish more.

“And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.”   ― J.D. Salinger

FACT: Laughing Makes Us Smarter (and More Creative)
Laughter stimulates BOTH sides of the brain at the same time, allowing us to get messages quicker and remember them longer.  The left brain is logical, sequential, objective, rational, detail oriented, analytical and fact oriented.  It includes visual perception, language, attention, memory, and focus.  The right brain is innovative, whole picture oriented, subjective, holistic, intuitive, synthesizing, and emotionally alert.  It includes general well-being, stress management, problem solving, spatial reasoning, integration of ideas, multiple intelligence use, and ability to collaborate, and to be thankful. Imagination rules in the right brain, as do beliefs, using symbols or icons,  and taking risks for renewed possibilities. We all learn quicker and retain better when we are having fun while we learn. Laughing will engage both sides of the brain, in turn increases innovation and creativity.

FACT: Laughing Strengthens Relationships
Laughing, when it is share, helps to bind people together and increases intimacy and happiness. Humor and playful communication connects us with others by triggering positive feelings and fostering an emotional association. Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping any relationship fresh and exciting; it acts as a strong buffer against stress, disappointment and general disagreements. Humor is a powerful and effective way in which to heal disagreements and resentments, it unites people during difficult times.

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”   ― Charles Dickens

FACT: Laughing Is Infectious
Smiling is the beginning of laughter. Like laughter, it’s contagious. Pioneers in “laugh therapy,” find it’s possible to laugh without even experiencing a funny event. The same holds for smiling. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, sneeze or yawn. Sophie Scott a neuroscientist at the University College London found that laughter is in fact infectious and explains why on this MSNBC report.

EXPERIMENT: I double dog dare (yes, I indeed broke protocol, and jumped directly to the Double Dog Dare! – Don’t make me jump to the ultimate TRIPLE Dog Dare!!!)  you to listen to this 1:44 video of a baby laughing or this 1:41 video of a baby laughing this and NOT laugh!!  I do not believe it is possible.  It can NOT be done!  It’s just too fun, giggly and infectious!!  It is completely worth a few minutes out of your day! I know you want to click them, go ahead, and get yourself a good giggle!   If not both, just listen to one of them!  If you can do it without laughing even a little, you might as well stop reading right now, and get back to whatever serious business that is your life!

So… our challenge this week is to go forth in our daily lives and sprinkle them with humor! Any kind of humor! Be more spontaneous, let go of defensiveness, judgements, criticisms and doubts.  Watch a funny movie, go see a comedy show, have a joke telling contest, giggle instead of rolling your eyes…. Smile and look younger, giggle and improve your health, laugh and help others be smarter, healthier and more attractive too!

Let me get you started….What illness did everyone on the Enterprise catch?….Chicken Spocks!  :)  You smiled, I know you did…keep it going!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

Check me out in my other realms…..

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Week 10 – Googly Maps Creative Courage Challenge

“I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe.”

The purpose of this week’s challenge is to be spontaneous, to not think and plan out everything you do!  Since that may encompass a great many subjects and topics, let’s concentrate on one thing…as part of our Creative Courage Challenge, we have discussed cars, and in Pink Cadillac I urged you to test drive your dream car.  This week though, we are not talking about cars…we are talking about driving.  Driving and how driving can help us become more inspired, open our creative spirit, and charge our courage!

Whether you drive to and from work every day, are a mom in a car pool, or have a studio at home and only drive when you need to…changing our driving habits has the power to change the way our brains work, and to build our courage while enhancing creativity!! As Artists and Creatives we must balance our daily responsibilities with creating our art, often times we get stuck in our creativity because we are encompassed with our daily chores. This week we are going to give our minds a Moonstruck “snap out of it!” slap in the face!

“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” ~George Carlin

Driving can be a drag, especially if you are required to do it every day, it can become quite monotonous, and boring. It can also become quite frustrating…as some have said, especially in the Midwest…the shortest distance between two points, is under construction!  So this week…allow yourself some extra time on your drive; try a different route or turn down a street that each time you pass it by you wonder where it leads. Instead of wondering where it leads…find out where it leads! Just do it!! Turn the car and go down that road!  If when leaving work you drive north then west to get home, try driving west and then north. If you go through a toll booth, ( first of all, I’m so sorry)….but second, pay for the guy behind you, just because you can!! Brighten someone’s day without want of gratitude or need for acclimation. Change your brain! It goes against your natural instinct and routine to do something out of the ordinary. To explain to the toll booth attendant you’d like to pay TWO tolls, then have the driver of the car behind you be confused. But I promise you it will give you a rush. It will get your brain to switch gears…it really is that easy!

If you are going to use the excuse that you are too busy during the week, then pick a weekend day, and just “go for a drive”. We used to do that all the time when I was younger…we never knew where we’d end up! Back then there was no GPS or cell phones, so that took a great deal more courage than it does these days! When you are driving aimlessly, without a goal in mind, then you are in no hurry, you can appreciate your time and enjoy your ride. Go alone, listen to music – better yet relish the quiet.  If you like, ask someone to join you, but don’t be put off if no one wants to come, or thinks you strange for asking!

I found this tidbit written on a piece of paper, in my own pen, but don’t recall where or why I wrote it down, but I thought it befitting this challenge:

“A little voice inside told me, You don’t have to depend on other people to accomplish what you want to do. Just do it. That was exactly what I did. I packed some snacks and some bottled water. I packed my laptop in case I decided to do some writing wherever I was going. At 9:00 a.m., I got into my car, made a beeline to a nearby ATM, and then got on the highway west, not knowing where I was going. All I knew was that I had to go somewhere, away from town where I could enjoy nature and the glorious day.”

It takes courage to venture out, courage to go without a plan, to endeavor into the unknown, or barely known…. but more often than not it is during these ventures (or Adventures) when I have found the most interesting and creative inspirations.  I’ve discovered places I was driving past daily and didn’t know they existed just two block east of my drive….I have seen the tops of buildings and just started driving towards them to see what they are, I have followed a hot air balloon from the ground because I thought it was fantastic-that was quite an adventure to be sure!  I have gone alone, I have gone with friends, I have gone without a map, without a phone, and without any idea of what was going to transpire for the day…and I have always, always, always enjoyed the ride!

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three lefts do.” ~ Jason Love

Yes it’s true you might get lost, sometimes that is the thrill of it. I challenge you to get lost on purpose! I challenge you to take a different route to or from work. I challenge you to go somewhere and turn off your GPS or your Navigator. Don’t consult Google Maps. Take a map! Buy a map! Stop and ask someone if there is anything interesting in the area to see! Be curious, be courageous, be daring! Drive with no destination in mind, bring a snack, bring some water, and bring your craft of choice. If you are a writer- bring a pen and paper, if you are a painter- take a small easel, if you create anything that requires hard to transport materials, then just take a sketch book and a pencil to write or draw ideas and inspirations that come to mind – and they will. Just be open to what might inspire you, go with whatever and whomever you want…but go! Just do it! It will open your mind, it will build your courage, and it will exercise your creativity!! It will bring your Evil Creative Genius to life! What have you got to lose?!

“And suddenly I realized that I was no longer driving the car consciously. I was driving it by a kind of instinct, only I was in a different dimension.”~ Ayrton Senna

Be bold this week, be brave…remember we have to DO the thing, then the courage comes after! I know you are sitting there right now (or hopefully “Walking Tall”) saying either “this is going to be awesome!” or “yeah, never gonna happen” I urge you to do this, try this just once, you will grow out of your comfort zone, and grow into your creative courage! Even if all you do is take a different route home from work one time this week…anything to break up the drive, and break up the monotony of the mind…and open up to creative courage.

“It finally happened. I got the GPS lady so confused, she said “In one-quarter mile, make a legal stop and ask for directions.” ~Robert Brault

Go out this week and confuse your internal, creative GPS, so you can be open …to more, well …of everything! Enjoy the ride!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

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Week 9 – Judge Judy Creative Courage Challenge

“I think fish is nice, but then I think that rain is wet, so who am I to judge?”   ― Douglas Adams

I have heard others say that they are convinced that suffering comes from judgment; not simply self-judgement, but from all judgment.  Judgment is evil at its best, its passive aggressive and often goes unnoticed when we keep it in our minds. To gain strength, to work our courage muscle, we must learn to listen without judgment so that we can see things the way they are, not the way we perceive them.

“I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”  ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

Most often people think that they are listening, but in their minds they are judging what the other person is saying, crafting a response in their minds, and waiting for their turn to talk.  So full disclosure, we are actually NOT listening, we are judging what is being said, and how we hear it.  What we need to do is to this week is to be strong and disciplined enough to listen, really truly listen, to EVERYONE who speaks to us.  It is not required to have an instant response to shoot out as soon as someone is done talking.  Don’t be afraid to take a pause when the person is done talking, to wait a moment to process all that you HEARD while you were listening before you respond.  This practice will not only strengthen your courage, it will enhance your intuition, empower the people you are engaging, as well as yourself, and it will truly enhance the present moment.

“The excitable observer will pass judgment first and then make knowledge conform to judgement; the prudent observer will first learn to know and then judge according to knowledge.”  ― Thomas F. Cleary

I can honestly state that I, in fact, know people who do this. At first I thought it was strange to see them pause before answering questions or debating an issue, but in experiencing the relationship within those conversations with these people is an amazing thing. These are the people who remember specific details about me, about my life, and about what we’ve discussed.  Sometimes they remind me of topics we’ve discussed…that I don’t recall – because they were listening to me, but I clearly wasn’t listening well enough to them. Let’s try to truly listen to others this week.

“The highest form of human intelligence is to observe yourself without judgement.”  ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

As Artists and Creatives we are especially susceptible to self-judgement, so this week we must also try not to judge ourselves. Most of us often hear that parental voice in our head that says “Your friends aren’t going to like your cake”, or “You need to spend more time writing” or “No one is going to buy that piece you just created”…do you actually understand what happens in response to this inner voice?

We believe that listening to this voice will motivate us to take action, to do what the voice says, or prove it wrong..and therefore protect ourselves from failure and rejection.  We have probably been judging ourselves from the time we were children, hoping to keep ourselves in line and doing things ‘right’ to gain the approval of the adults in our lives.  And we keep doing it, because we believe it works…this is not true…it does not work…it only makes us feel bad when we do not accomplish what the voice is telling us. We judge ourselves by how we converse with these thoughts. It may seem silly, but remember what we were constantly told as a child? “Treat others like you want to be treated.”

We need this week to not judge ourselves either…we cannot stop judging ourselves with these voices until we are conscious of doing it. As long as you are doing it on auto pilot you have no choice.  So firstly, do not try to change it, just take notice, be aware of it…LISTEN to the voice.  The more consciously aware of it you are, the sooner you have the choice to change it!  You will have the choice to be caring and loving towards yourself instead of judgmental. So for ourselves this week, we are going to listen to our inner voices, pause, and answer them…so we can be non-judgmental at the very least to ourselves.

“By judging others, you make yourself easy to judge.”    ― Ashly Lorenzana 

I found a wonderful blog this week about being non-judgmental and non-judgmental beings, it’s called: Being Without Judgement…Conversations with My Dog… it states:  “We can be quick to judge. We’re wired to judge. Just a quick look and we size up other people-friend, foe, neutral – what’s their value to us, we’re asking.  And what’s more, we’re quick to blame and to lay a judgement on.  Judgement blocks compassion and empathy. It kills silence, creative thinking and what can be.  On the other hand when we keep judgement at bay, are mindful, check out assumptions, appreciate our diversity… and respond appropriately to what’s in front of us, we are on the right track.”  Please check out his list of reasons for his conversations with his dog, it’s a lovely blog!

 “It’s okay to disagree with the thoughts or opinions expressed by other people. That doesn’t give you the right to deny any sense they might make. Nor does it give you a right to accuse someone of poorly expressing their beliefs just because you don’t like what they are saying. Learn to recognize good writing when you read it, even if it means overcoming your pride and opening your mind beyond what is comfortable.”   ― Ashly Lorenzana

You may be wondering then.. what are the qualities of being non-judgmental…well, this is what I’ve found:  Being nonjudgmental is about being open-minded enough to understand that other people have different points of view, and that in their worldview, they may be correct. For many issues, there is no absolute truth. However, it still leaves us open to stating our own opinions, and acting in ways that some might call judgmental. To be personally non-judgmental you need to practice listening, introspection, humility, and being secure in who you are. And I know you all possess some of these things, or you wouldn’t be working on your Creative Courage

“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” 
― Jesse Jackson

So this week, we are learning to be non-judgmental!  We will work on really listening to the people who are talking to you, without judging what they are saying, or about what your response is going to be. We are going to listen without judgement!   Also, learn to be non-judgmental with yourself, especially with regard to your creativity, regardless of what level you are at, or what medium that you use, you are perfect just the way you are! Become aware of the judgmental voices in our own heads, and learn how to ignore them or respond positively to them! You will be more calm, more confident, more positive, more courageous and more creative!! GO, and shun the Judge Judy that may be lurking inside of you…but please temper it with the fact that it’s important to make a better self for your life! (No I didn’t say that backwards! )

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

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Week 8 – Walking Tall Creative Courage Challenge

“A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind.” ~Morihei Ueshiba

No, I’m not talking about The Rock, but that certainly is a good place to start isn’t it? He unquestionably has excellent posture!

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about themselves is to examine their walk. Is it slow, quick, tired, painful, energetic, purposeful? People with confidence generally walk quickly; they have places to go, people to see and important work to do! Just walking 25% faster than you do now will make you look and feel more important and improve your confidence! Which of course will build your Creative Courage! Yep, just that one change could have that big of an impact.

Similarly the way a person carries themselves tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self-confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they are doing and they don’t generally consider themselves important- it shows in the manner in which they present themselves. This is not how we want to be seen, or perceived is it?

By practicing good posture, you will automatically look and feel more confident! So stand up straight, keep your head level, and make eye contact. By doing this you will make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

“I’m really critical of my posture, it makes a big difference. And I try to suck my belly in. Everyone should do that whether you’re on a red carpet or not. Even if you’re just going out to dinner with your boyfriend you should try and suck it in.”  ~Katy Perry

The truth is, you are far more attractive when you have good posture as well.  My daughter and a few of her friends were in her room one afternoon talking about how they need to lose some weight and how their bellies stuck out… I asked my daughter to stand sideways in front of the full length mirror, and made sure everyone was looking, then I said to my daughter “now stand up straight”…the whole room was in total awe at how it instantly changed the way she appeared! She immediately looked 5lbs. lighter, and her belly no longer ‘stuck out’.  She even felt as if her hair looked longer because she was holding her head in the correct position. I showed all of the girls proper posture, they decided they did not need to lose weight, and they immediately felt more confident.  It’s an amazing transformation for such a small action.

We often will self correct our postures throughout the day, unfortunately once the mind begins to wander, we revert to our lazy, incorrect, unhealthy posture.  Having good posture does in fact take some conscious thought and effort. Everything worth anything generally does. So let’s get to it!

What exactly is good posture? There is a fitness site that has some good information on these topics: What is Good Posture and Head Posture and Your Body. On the site they state:

Correct posture results in the derriere being tucked in, the chest/breasts more prominent, shoulders and head back, and more gradual lumbar thoracic and cervical spinal curves. Your tummy will tighten and you will stand taller.

Now if you only read that last sentence and try to correct yourself, you may be quite uncomfortable…it’s important to be more curious and delve deeper into it so that you are doing it properly, because stressed or over-correction, is poor posture as well.

I have found that learning the yoga “Mountain Pose” or Tadasana, helps me to get into the proper position. The Yoga Basics website is a wonderful resource for any level of practice, and a good place to start. If you practice the Mountain Pose, eventually you will be able to plant your feet and quickly settle into proper posture without the arm movements. I might suggest that practicing yoga regularly will make quite and improvement on your posture in general.

Southern California Orthopedic Institute (SCIO) explains, “Whether we are standing, sitting or lying down gravity exerts a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles. Good posture entails distributing the force of gravity through our body so no one structure is overstressed.”  Making sure no one part is overstressed is what makes posture so important.

CORRECT posture distributes your weight evenly on both hips, avoids slouching forward or overextending your chin. It will align your ears, shoulders, hips and ankles to form a straight line, and your general movements will become easier and less stressful on your muscles and joints. Correct postures will not only spare you from health problems, such as back and shoulder pain, but it will improve your breathing, increase your alertness, develop concentration and self-confidence as well as make you look taller, slimmer….how does that NOT help you build Confidence & Creative Courage?!

“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”  ~ Daliai Lama

As Artists and Creatives, building courage is essential; working on our posture will improve our general courage and self-confidence, which in turn amplifies our creative courage!  Maintaining correct posture is a mandatory requirement for an effective confident personality. Until and unless you stand tall, sit straight, and bend with grace, your confidence will not be reflected from your personality.  Let’s look at the reasons that correct posture is important and what exactly makes good posture.

Contrary to popular belief, good posture does NOT mean keeping your spine totally straight. Many people used to hold to this belief, including myself, until I began practicing yoga…I was amazed at how simple it actually is to correct and maintain good posture and what a big difference it made.  So, if you are attempting to maintain proper posture, and it seems like a great effort, you are probably doing it wrong!  Good posture maintains the two natural curves in your back at a comfortable stance. When you are in the right position, it should feel almost effortless…I say almost, because it will take a bit of effort until you and your muscles become comfortable with the habit.

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.”  ~Helen Keller

What Correct Posture do for YOU??

1. Improve your Creativity:  Poor breathing problems can actually develop from bad posture. Good posture naturally enables you to breathe properly. The correct posture will open airways, and makes room for your lungs to function at their best, and healthy lung function will have a positive impact on all aspects of the body’s functions. When you are breathing properly, you increase your brain activity. Our brains require about 20% of our oxygen intake to do its job properly, thus more air, more oxygen, more oxygen more brain food, more brain food leads to more thoughts and creative ideas! Hello….just breathing better will cultivate and develop our creativity!!
2. Improve your Health:  Good posture is actually a wonderful subtle exercise for your abs and your back; holding the proper stance makes you use and strengthen your core muscles with very little effort. Poor posture may result in several complications over time: increased risk of slipped disc, back pain, pressure in your chest, and poor circulation. Proper posture reduces abnormal wear and tear on joint surfaces that lead to arthritis, it reduces stress on ligaments that connect spinal joints, which can cause spinal disk problems and constricted blood vessels and nerves, which can cause chronic pain in muscles and joints.  Correct posture will help you use your muscles more efficiently, because your bones and joints will be in proper alignment, as a result you will feel more energetic, because your body will require less energy to move.
3. Improve your Image:   Correct posture will improve your image, your appearance and the way you feel about yourself. People with good postures simply look smarter and more attractive! True story.  Proper posture will send out a better first impression. A person with good posture naturally exudes an aura of assertiveness and appeal. When people hold themselves in correct posture, they send signals to their brain that makes them feel happier and more confident. The power and appearance of your posture is quite potent.

So…to get acquire more Creative Thoughts, Creative Courage and Self Confidence, how do we improve our posture? How do we know if our posture is indeed correct or incorrect? Well, we could first do a Posture Assessment, which I found on another site, but I believe we are each of us aware of whether or not we are practicing proper postures…

A quick note to the gals out there with large…gals. One thing that will actually help you with your posture is to make certain your “girls” are correctly corralled and supported.  The wrong size bra can be detrimental not only to the health of your breasts, but also to your entire body, and the larger the breast the more important it is to be correctly supported.  There is a wonderful woman who has been dubbed the Boob Whisperer who states she can measure better than anyone else; but most higher end stores also have someone that can fit your properly. Once you have the proper size and type of support, not only will correct posture be easier to maintain, the correct bra will instantly make you look slimmer and more confident!  Break Out Bras is a fantastic website for information and to help you make sure you are fitted properly!

Here are a few ways in which we can ALL move towards the correct posture position, some we can begin to put into practice immediately, and others which you may or may not want to invest in…but there is not a bad idea among them!

1. Identify your Key Motivation for having good posture. Why do you want to have good posture? To improve your creativity, your breathing, other’s perception of you, avoid health issues, build your confidence, or all of the above?  I say go with “All of the Above” because correct posture will give you all of that. The point is to keep the motivation clear in your mind so that when you are feeling lazy about your posture, you can remind yourself why you are doing it at all, it will help you keep on task.
2. Set a Reminder to Check your Posture. Most of us will have the intention to keep correct posture, but we will generally forget about it five minutes later! I remind in the form of a post it, calendar alarm, when you are doing certain tasks…whatever indicator and frequency works for you, but in the beginning it would be better to have a frequency of every 15 minutes or so.
3. Imagine your Body is Held by A String. It may sound strange, but effective none the less. Imagine your spine and head are held up by a string attached to the ceiling at all times. If you are lying down, imagine the string is held in a direction parallel to the ground. Focus on keeping the ears, spine, hips and heels are aligned with the string. Usually people end up tensing the other parts of the body when keeping correct posture, you need to remind yourself to relax, this string imagery will help you keep focused on keeping your back straight and loosening your other muscles, this will actually make it easier to keep proper posture.
4. Plant Your Feet, when standing or sitting. Meaning to have both feet planted flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed. Do not rest your weight on a particular foot, don’t cross your legs, or even your ankles if you can manage it. This helps to keep your upper body straight an in proper posture.
5. Plant Your Butt when sitting. Place your bum at the innermost edge of the chair you are sitting on, although seemingly benign action, it helps set the right base for your posture.  If you set your butt in the middle or edge end of the chair, this causes you to lean or slouch forward and hunch since there is no support behind that back to press against.
6. Eliminate Bad Posture Habits Including but not limited to watching tv or reading while lying down, working under dim light (which results in slouching believe it or not), sleeping on your belly, and crossing your legs while sitting.
7. Avoid Carrying Heavy Items Just the act of carrying heavy items is bad for our back and shoulders, attempting to carry heavy loads over long periods of time gradually leads to hunched shoulders and backs. This is especially prevalent in students with backpacks or professionals that might carry laptops and work materials to and fro from work. If it is not possible to reduce the load you carry around, consider a roller bag. Remember your posture, health, and creativity is at stake here!
8. Exercise Your Posture  There are several exercises to improve your posture, and in general all types of pilates, yoga, and any exercise that strengthens your back will be beneficial. You must make sure you are doing the exercises correctly though or you may in fact hurt your back instead. You could purchase/borrow a DVD, join a class, or practice at home from written instructions…however you choose to do it, just do it!
9. Go to a Professional  You might wish to have a chiropractor or physical therapist to give you a professional assessment if you have extremely poor posture or a history of back injuries. You might also like to get a professional shoulder and back massage. A massage loosens up your muscles and joints which may allow you to more easily improve your posture, especially if it is quite poor.
10. Challenge Your Chair  You may need to invest in a good quality chair, or even a “chair alternative” like a ball or other ergonomic choice. A good chair will run up to your shoulders to support them when you lean back. You may wish to simply purchase a chair cushion to improve the chair you already have. If you choose this route, use one that does not attach to the chair, as each time you move forward it will become displaced and remind you to realign your posture.
11. Battle Your Bed  Invest in a goldilocks bed, a mattress that is not too firm and not too soft. Soft may make you feel nice and comfy at first, but it’s not good for your posture and neither is one that is too hard. Even if you aren’t able to invest in a new mattress, you might start with a better pillow.  The contour pillows support your head and are probably the best for sleeping, although the horseshoe travel pillow used in your bed may also give you an improvement.

I have found three extra difficult times in which to make certain I have proper posture: driving the car, watching television and while walking in heels, I have discovered a few solutions…but more on that later…

Hence forth this week’s challenge! BE “The Rock”, and Walk Tall!  Sit Tall! Stand Tall!  Work the steps, change your habits, be more aware, improve your body. Stand correctly, improve your posture, improve your breathing, and oxygenate your brain.  Look more attractive, construct your confidence, crank your creativity and build your creative courage!!  You can do it, I know you can!!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
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Week 7 – Your Creative Universe Creative Courage Challenge

“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.”
~May

Here I sit, exhausted, after working our challenge for the last few days. Exhausted but energized, and ready to go!  We have all read so many articles, stories and blogs about the early bird getting the worm, and people being most productive early in the day, and how getting up straight away will make your day go faster and more productively. Truth be told, the entire purpose of this blog when I began, was in fact to talk about how the early bird gets the worm, and to tout the benefits getting up at the butt crack of dawn to find time to be creative….well, in working those steps I can report this:

1. I am not so much of a morning person, and waking up early has never really been my thing.
2. Most of my life I have HAD to get up early to get to school, get to work, or to care for children.
3. I now relish the fact that I do NOT have to get up early, but often I’m worse off for sleeping in.

Part of me firmly believes that waking earlier does not necessarily have a direct effect on our creative productivity.  Some folks are early risers, some are late. Some folks get to bed early, some are night owls. I believe that the key is to find the time that works for you and learn to use it the best way you know how!

“The early bird gets the worm.”  ~Camden

My better half is up before 5:00 a.m., to find time to work out prior to work. I admire his fortitude, he rarely misses a day, and I’m often felt compelled to join him in this morning function.  When I was getting out of bed and jumping in the shower – to get the FIRST one of the day, before he, and each of my three children use the very last drop of even lukewarm water…I did find that I got a great deal more accomplished during the course of my day. It wasn’t just because I got up early though…as I originally thought.

My day, like most other folks, is generally dictated by certain tasks that need to be accomplished, and is broken down into blocks of time. My morning time was completely undisturbed, unhurried, and all my own…which is why I was able to be more productive initially, then when my “regular” day began I was already prepped and ready to go.  As well, if we wake up one hour early each of the 365 days of the year, that would be an additional 365 waking hours, which equals 15 full days of being fully awake per year…of COURSE we could get more done! But is rising early the only option?

Of the challenges artists share about being creative, finding the time to do so is over all the largest issue. How do we take time for our own creativity when we have so many other demands made upon us such as outside jobs, family, schedules, errands, chores, responsibilities? How do we sit down with tools, paint, paper & pen or cameras when there are lunches to be made, dishes to be done, bills to be paid? Especially, because truth be told, I must admit that I am a bit of an all or nothing kind of person, which of course works into my art as well… I feel as if I am not able to finish a whole project at once, then I do not want to begin it, until I can find an adequate block of time. Which of course, rarely happens if I am not diligent.

Here are a few facts that we ALL know, but must often be reminded of:

• There will always be other things to be done, important other things. If you wait until everything has settled and all the other to-dos are finished, you will be waiting for a very long time…maybe forever.
• That 24 hours per day is more than enough time to meet the demands on your daily life, you simply need to work out the details.
• The Universe WANTS you to be creative or you would not possess the gifts that it has given you, and the Universe also expects you do the work…the world is waiting for your works!
• You have more control over how you spend your precious time and energy than you truly would like to admit to yourself. Sounds harsh, but deep down, you know it’s true!
• You possess the intelligence and desire to reclaim your creativity and your lost time, so that you can have a more creative life. Often change is the only way to make that transformation, because doing the same thing again, is clearly not working.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  ~Einstein

If we begin with the full belief in those facts…and they are facts, then we can move on to the next piece of work and on to our challenge!!

Let’s begin with a very core belief, a belief that is the foundation of almost all traditions of wisdom. This core belief is that we are all hungry for fulfillment; and there is nothing you can buy, own, or rent that will fill up that hunger for a sense of wonder and fulfillment. Nothing.

The good news is that creative expression, regardless of the type: writing, dancing, cooking, bird watching, jewelry making, painting, quilting, etc. can give any person almost everything he or she has been searching for: peace, meaning, enlightenment, beauty. Everything.

The bad news is that well, you must make time for the creative expression to reap the rewards.

This is why is it critical to figure out how to integrate your creativity and self-expression into your life right now.  Doing that may not look like a three-day workshop or even a whole day of creating with hours on end of uninterrupted time.  But it can in fact be something that will bring you to life, nourish your heart and sustain your creative soul. It can.

I would like once again to remind you that we are working on our Creative Courage, and that the only way to grow our courage is to do what we are afraid of first, and then the courage comes.  So when you read further please do so with an open mind, think about making change, and helping yourself be who you really are. Build your courage. Fulfill your wonder. Bring yourself to life!

 “One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude.” ~ Goethe

There are only THREE creative habits that you need to cultivate to create the world you love. Sounds simple, but as we all know…it’s never THAT easy right?!  I’m going to help us figure out just how easy it can be, working it so that it becomes easy, natural, and part of our lives. We need to listen to our hunger, and follow where it leads. To do that we will learn how to:

1. Find Solitude   2. Find Time With Others   3. Create A Universe

Finding Solitude…

To most Artists and Creatives this is the largest block in our creativity….it is a block because we can not seem to find it. But in fact, we must. If you do not believe me then please read what some of the creative masters throughout time have said:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: “When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer–say, traveling in a carriage or walking after a good meal or during the night when I cannot sleep–it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best and most abundantly.”

Pablo Picasso: “Without great solitude no serious work is possible.”

Albert Einstein: “On the other hand, although I have a regular work schedule, I take time to go for long walks on the beach so that I can listen to what is going on inside my head. If my work isn’t going well, I lie down in the middle of a workday and gaze at the ceiling while I listen and visualize what goes on in my imagination.”

Carl Sandburg: “One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude.”

Franz Kafka: “You need not leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You need not even listen, simply wait, just learn to become quiet, and still, and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked. It has no choice; it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

Nikola Tesla: “The mind is sharper and keener in seclusion and uninterrupted solitude. Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind. Be alone—that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.”

Solitude doesn’t need to mean being completely alone, for those who have small children, or large families, or virtually no time to themselves, can still find solitude.  When I was home with five children under the age of six, my husband leaving at 5:30 a.m., arriving home at 6:30 p.m.., kindergarten, pre-school, naps and everything else; there was no set daily time for me to be alone. There were small pocket so time for me to grab for myself, but they were generally spent, cleaning, cooking, making phone calls or other acts that were for everyone else. I was slowly losing my creative mind…literally and figuratively.

So, to find my solitude, I ate while I was cooking dinner for everyone else. I made sure everything was on the table or within reach; and when it was time for dinner – I left.  I went into the bathroom, with an iPod, I turned on the fan and I locked bathroom door. So even if someone did knock, I didn’t hear them. Sounds silly but if that’s what needs to be done, then for the sake of your creative spirit…cultivate the habit. Teach the people around you how to treat you, and part of that is your time alone. Even if it’s only 15 mins a day, stuck in your bathroom, with an iPod sitting on the commode!

Whatever must be done. Must be done. Period. Without solitude, there is no creativity.

Finding Time with Others….  

While this may sound completely contradictory to the first habit, when it comes to nurturing your creativity, participation is also key.  This can come in many ways and forms, but it does require connecting with, being inspired by, and collaborating with others.  But how does one balance both solitude and participation?  First they must obviously come at different times, and that take conscious effort. Although we are more often more quick to find time with others than we are to find solitude for ourselves we must make certain we do both.  We need inspiration from without, but we need creation from within.

Chase Jarvis says: “Devour Popular Culture.  Consuming the works of others inspires me. And it’s not just museums and the “establishment”. I devour magazines, books, street art, performances, music, etc. All things that make me think critically (and whimsically) about the world. You get the picture. Inspiration can come from anywhere.”

Ali Edwards states: “Take notes. I am a really good note-taker. It’s essential for me to write down my ideas when they come to mind…otherwise, poof, they disappear way too quickly as I move on to the next task (diaper changes, wiping noses, tending to the stuff of life). I use my phone, my computer, and a notebook to jot down thoughts and ideas.”

Finding time with others can include just about anything, from a night out with friends, to a class in anything at all, to simply perusing an art show of some kind! The purpose is, and we must remember this…is not to go out alone and spend time alone in an activity. It is to interact with others, to talk, connect, collaborate, learn and live. I’ve said a thousand times, I could easily be a shut in, especially in the Wisconsin winters….but it is imperative to get out, be social, be involved, and be alive! (Yes, I’m trying!!)

Create Your Universe…

This includes both finding time and finding space that you feel comfortable creating in. There are literally a million and a half ways to do this, and you will have to work on your own to figure out how to create that specifically for yourself.  If you are a writer, you may need but a pen and notebook.  I am lucky enough to have carved out a studio in my home where I can close the door and do my works. I understand not everyone has that, but there are ways to make it happen for you. The key is that when we feel the need to be creative we need to do it NOW, and if our Universe is not available, our creative hunger is not satisfied. If we feel deprived for too long, our need for creative expression can become deep, intense and painful. And when our needs seem to be unattainable we become frustrated, overwhelmed, depressed and angry. So create your universe, and use it! Create when you feel hungry to create, and you will stay satiated, and your life will blossom.

So, when I say make space, I mean make just the space you need for now…then allow it grow over time. But if space is the block, please moderate your expectations. Just like the “iPod Potty” trick I used to use; I used to have a bag of tools, another bag of supplies and a small blanket.  When I wanted to create, the blanket was my studio. I would lie it on the floor, or on the counter, or table…and I would unpack all my supplies, and I would work. I graduated from that to a small tale in a closet, then a larger table in the laundry room, to an unfinished room in the basement, to a finished room in the basement, then to a studio in our FROG room….we don’t always get what we want, but I can guarantee that the Universe wants you to create, and the Universe will give you what you need! You  just need to want it bad enough, to think outside the box and then find it! So a corner behind a room screen, a coat closet not really used, a basket with a sketchbook and pencils…open your mind, find your space, it’s the first step in creating your universe.

Next, we address finding time. This actually coincides with finding space, which is why they are one and the same rule.  Depending on the type of Creative or Artist you are, what type of time you can find, also vacillates with what time of time you can find! So let’s think about this outside the box, like we talked about last week in Evil Creative Genius. Finding time to be creative is different then finding time for solitude or time with others. It’s a different manner of creative thinking.

I am both a procrastinator and a time management junkie, a hippie bohemian artists as well as a type A, Martha protégé …although it seems contraditory, it actually helps me to think more creatively. Try to think in this same manner..on Sunday craft a general plan for the week, so your to-do items get done, but you have time that can be planned or un-planned. It actually feels great to give up an evening of watching t.v., cleaning the house, or an hour of websurfing to allow ourselves to regain creative time. Time to write one page, time to garden, time to cook a gourmet meal, time to create, time we need to build our creativity.

Create while you wait! We spend so many hours waiting. We wait in traffic, at restaurants, airports, trains, planes, at the grocery…instead of cussing and hoping you are casting the correct voodoo spell, try using this time to collect ideas for your next project, or even work on your project if it is that kind of portable!  Keep your sketchbook in your car, in your bag, with you at all times, and doodle away, as much as you can as often as you can.  Keep a notebook with you for ideas and thoughts that come through your mind, or simply use this dead time to get your mind to work in a more creative fashion!

While waiting at a restaurant, scrutinize menus and displays, how could they improve on the colors, the seating, music and lighting to affect the restaurants mood and energy.

If you take a train as part of your commute or are flying, invest in a good pair of noise reduction earplugs or headphones, and instead of reading, sketch your ideas, do some free association writing, start your novel….your trip will go faster, and you will be working the creative part of your brain which is very satisfying.

Now, when you’ve decide to enter your Creative Universe…remember to turn off your phone, your computer, your PDA, think only about being creative, and the task at hand. Being creative requires commitment and staying on task, we may all want to be right brained hippies, but if we only create when we really feel like it and when the circumstances are perfect, we won’t get much done.

Also, don’t be afraid to work on more than one project at a time! Especially if you work in more than one medium, that way if you are stuck on one project then you can work on the other one! In your universe you are also not a perfectionist, you are a Creative, so just create, mediate your expectations, don’t judge yourself, just create. Organize your space/tools so that you can clean up when you are finished, which it will make it easier to start up again (sounds contradictory but it in fact is not) being able to begin again is key to keeping your Creative Universe…creative!

Challenge then:

Find ways to work creativity into every day of your life as it is right now.  How can you express yourself today? What can you do to make something more beautiful? Where can you allow your mind to wander and explore? How Curious have you been? What words might you choose? Have you been Complimentary?  What outfit will you put together? Are you Dressing Like a Genius? What is on your mind? Are you looking into your Eyes? Write one sentence. Take one picture. Draw for five minutes. Dance to one song. Sing to one tune….something…anything…everything. Just do it!

I challenge everyone to wake up a half hour (an hour would be better) early each day this week OR stay up a half hour later OR use your lunch hour, and start on the steps…find solitude, meditate, or get creative, depending on what you need to work on! Wander around your home and determine where your will plant your universe, write, draw, paint, sew, dance, string, glue, play, cook…whatever! Find your solitude and enjoy it. Plan on when you can spend time with others. Do what you are comfortable and happy doing, but take that time each and every day, experience it with a good attitude and have fun with it! Let’s see what one full week of that extra time will bring us this week!

You are a creative spirit every single day…bring yourself to life…these are the things we will remember, the true riches of life, so don’t just find time to be creative….actually BE creative!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
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Week 6 – Creative Evil Genius Creative Courage Challenge

Well, I was stuck….not creatively, not emotionally, I was actually literally physically stuck – or more specifically my car was stuck.  My front wheels firmly secured in a muddy ditch after my car swirled around several times in the icy road. I’m a tad disoriented yet happy I wasn’t smashed into a pole, so I got out of the car, and I walked around it, I got down on my hands and knees and looked under it….yup. Just as I thought. Stuck.

Now what are my options, I think to myself….I can either try to get it out myself or call for help.  Being that I was in the middle of nowhere and it would take time to find help anyway, I chose to try myself!  Now I’ve been stuck before, and I’ve ‘rocked’ my car out of holes, small ditches and such…but that clearly wasn’t going to work in this situation.  I had to think outside the box, be creative.  The ditch was too steep to back the car up, and it was at a precarious angle, so if it began to slide further, it may very well roll over.  So I stood for a moment in the cold and wondered what else might work. My mind went blank.

Now I was in fact figuratively stuck. I could think of nothing that might not make the situation worse.  A tad bit defeated, I decided to simply get back in the car and calm my mind for a moment….I began to doodle, clear my mind and to look around… and while I was opening my eyes and my mind…it suddenly it hit me!  Drive forward! No, it didn’t really seem to make sense, but it looked like just what needed to happen!  Drive forward and a bit further down the road (still in the ditch), and with some luck I could ease my car up onto a nearby driveway on the yard side of the drainage pipe!  Seemed to go completely against all common sense….but I did it anyway! And guess what – it worked!! I spent the rest of the day basking in the glory of my creative genius – I even inadvertently developed an evil genius laugh before the day was through!!

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” ~Walt Disney

Creative Genius is courageous in action and in thought. A Creative Genius is always ready to attempt new things, break the rules, and boundaries that limit the average mind! It is due to this courage and creative thinking that often the impossible becomes more than possible within the perspective of the Creative Genius reality!

When we truly think creatively, we tend to be open to opportunities and possibilities that we might normally filter out of our personal experience. Our Creative Evil Genius allows us to think outside the box, around the box, on top of the box, through the box in a free flowing and imaginative manner!

The Creative Evil Genius has a unique set of qualities, of beliefs, methods of speaking to themselves, listening to the voices in the heads, asking the right questions and taking strategic actions that rest naturally within the recesses of their minds.  All Creatives are Creative Evil Geniuses, just waiting to be explored!  By consistently and persistently instilling these unique traits into our psyche, we will be able to supercharge our minds and unlock our full capacity for creative work and thought!

“We think too small. Like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.”
~Mao Tse-Tung

If you truly want to find the Creative Evil Genius inside of you, you must believe….clap three times if you believe!! Then remember how strong your BELIEF is in the three following things:

Belief in Yourself … The Creative Evil Genius has full belief in themselves, and their abilities.  They may not be totally confident in those beliefs, but we do have full belief in our SELF.  This belief supports every aspect of our personality, helping us to approach our problems with excitement and passion instead of fear.

Belief in a Higher Power… The Creative Evil Genius is fully aware that their gift works through them, it comes from Higher Power and it is given to use to bring to the world, and if we don’t bring it, that gift will move to the next creative genius. We often feel like frauds because we innately sense that our creative genius isn’t ours to own, it is given to us with a glad hand. We know that this Higher Power (whatever you believe that to be) helps to spark the creative forces in our bodies and our minds so that our Creative Evil Genius can do the work we were given.

Belief in Learning… from Both Success and Failure! A Creative Evil Genius does not actually distinguish between success and failure; they only acknowledge what is to be learned from each. We learn from the feedback of personal experience, from the outside environment, and from our inner knowing. Each piece of feedback works to transform our creative genius approach when confronting similar circumstances in the future!

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  ~Thomas Edison

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~Michael Jordan

“Don’t take anyone else’s definition of success as your own.”  ~Jacqueline Briskin 

Now that we know how to recognize the Creative Evil Genius inside of us….how do we go about luring them out?!!  Muuuhhhahahahaha, I thought you would never ask!! : )  At the risk of an overuse of a cliché that runs the gamut of the business and educational as well as the creative world…. we must THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!!!

“The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress. If you go down just one corridor of thought you never get to see what’s in the rooms leading off it. “ ~Trevor Baylis

The following is a list of ideas to help you to start thinking outside the box, and to get your Creative Evil Genius to jump out and get going on bringing you the joy you sometimes find yourself missing, especially when you are “stuck”. Artists and Creatives surprisingly often have difficulty with this, but we are working on our courage, we are working on growing and changing…so this week let’s practice a little change!  If you incorporate some of these tasks this week, your challenge should be a breeze!!

Have an Opposite Day at Lunch:  If you eat lunch at your desk/studio/kitchen/bench…then eat out, even if it’s just in your car! If you eat out, then eat in! If you go to the lunch room, then eat at your desk, or if you want to really be daring, eat your lunch a little at a time for about an hour before your break, and on your lunch break, read a book!

Listen to the Voices In Your Head:  Listen to the huge, crazy, big ideas that pop into your head, write them down, trust in them, believe in them…usually we ignore those voices, but they often are guiding us! So go against your normal response to ignore the awesomeness in your head, and listen to the voices!!  If they are saying bad things, shut them up immediately!!

Change Your Appearance: if you usually wear your hair down, wear it up. Wear a hat if you don’t generally.  If you usually wear jeans, try on a pair of slacks, or a skirt. Wear boots, high heels, flats…whatever it is that you don’t usually do!

Make a Not Now List: Instead of a To Do list, make at Not Now list! Make a list of all the things you would like to do, but know it’s okay to do them Not Now! Then relish in your non pressure list of things you are NOT going to do right now!! Later you may look at it and think “Wow! I thought of that?!” and do them when you can!

Change Your Transportation:  If you walk to work, then catch a bus, if you take a taxi, try walking. If you drive, change your route. If  (like me) your studio or office is in your home, instead of going straight in, sit quietly for a half an hour before you do. Not thinking about what needs to be done, but just sitting quietly to open up your mind.

Listen to Your Inner Child: When adults are asked a question, the answers are generally logical based on our life’s experience. How do you get to heaven would elicit a myriad of answers depending on each particular persons personal beliefs, life experiences and vocabulary. The same question asked of a child might elicit “Go to hell and turn left.”  To return to this childlike state of mind, ask yourself some fanciful questions, like “What if dogs could fly?” then come up with a half a dozen consequences of that…we would need much longer leashes, would they still need to be walked, how would we keep them in the yard, how do we teach them to fly and land when they are puppies…do you see where this is going? How about “What if I was allergic to water?” now answer like a child might, and have fun with it!

“To cease to think creatively is but little different from ceasing to live.” ~Benjamin Franklin

If you are still having difficulty thinking a bit outside the box, there is a fabulous book called A Whack on the Side of the Head… give that a try!

As Artists and Creatives we all know that we are original; this week though, don’t just be original, be first without thought of how it will be received. Sound out your idea first instead of waiting and building on someone else’s idea.  This is often difficult, but it is only when we stretch ourselves outside of our comfort zone that we ever come up with newer ideas.  They needn’t be astounding revelations or inventions that no one has considered yet, just ideas kept true to yourself. Push your old ideas in new directions; take a way of working your process and start over with it. You may think that you are already doing it the most productive way possible…but hey, what if you aren’t??

This week to lure out our Creative Evil Genius, we are going to be original in a completely different medium than we are used to! Here is our challenge….

If you are a Studio Artist, use a different medium….painters-try jewelry, mixed media-try woodworking, metal workers-try working with glass…you get the idea!  If you are a Writer, don’t write…illustrate instead!  If you work in textiles-try painting! Anyone who doesn’t cook a great deal, try to work outside the box…and Cook something!  If your creative outlet is cooking, try scrapbooking, or bake. If you work in an office all day, create a new way to accomplish a daily task or trade tasks with a co-worker for the week, use your non-dominant hand as often as possible. The goal here is to retrain your brain, only for one week….so whatever medium you decide to work it, truly work in it. No need to purchase all types of new products and tools, just do what your mind isn’t expecting!

I am a jewelry artist…and I spent last week reorganizing my entire studio to help me work through a creative slump I’ve been in…this week, I’m going to work with reclaimed mixed media…I’m not going to make jewelry, I’m going to make everything I can think of that ISN’T jewelry! I’m pretty excited, but I’m also a little scared. I’m going to make little tooth fairy boxes, and keepsake jars, I am going to attempt to do what my other artist friend does, on a completely different canvas!  When I am finished with this challenge, I fully expect that I will have a completely different outlook on my jewelry, a new way of thinking about how my process works…and I’ll probably likely have a little evil genius laughing inside my head! Mmmmuurrrhahahahaa!!!

What are YOU going to do to lure out your Creative Evil Genius?!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen (that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
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Week 5 – Pink Cadillac Creative Courage Challenge

“Success comes to those who dare to act.  It seldom goes to the timid who are afraid of the consequences.”  ~ Jawaharlal Nehru

Pink Cadillac, Hot Rod Lincoln, Little Red Corvette, 455 Rocket….there are so many songs about cars, and they bring up wonderful memories of days gone by, cars we had when we were younger….and sometimes they inspire us to dream about what we might have someday…. What type of car elicits a sigh at the mere sight of it? Does the rumble of a powerful engine make your heart race? Is there a feeling of luxury that you enjoy when you are in a certain car? Do you know what your dream car is?

If you could have any car miraculously appear in your driveway tomorrow…what car might that be? A brand new model, or perhaps a vintage car from yester year, a larger family car, a muscle car, a monster truck or a mini sports car? Really think about it for a moment….take your time…..I’ll be right here when you get back…….

If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1000 MPG. ~ Bill Gates

What do you believe is the reason that your dream car is not sitting in your driveway right now?  Generally the answers to that question are:  I can’t afford the type of car I want, It’s not practical, it uses too much gas, they don’t make the model any longer or a multitude of other bargaining, reasoning or negative speak that we do with our inner selves when we are uncertain about something, or don’t believe we deserve something….This week we are going to talk briefly about intention, possibilities, dreaming,  desire….and then we are going to have a stimulating and  truly exhilarating challenge!

“Intention rules the earth.” ~ Oprah

What Oprah says is true, intentions do rule the earth! The problem arises when we aren’t quite sure of what we actually want.  This question… “what do you want?” is universally known to throw even the most enlightened of people…and there are several things we may unknowingly be doing that limits us and keeps us from figuring out that critical question!

What the heck DO you want? Until you can answer that question for yourself, it cannot possibly become yours. When we use intention to draw things to us, but limit our thinking, the power that would be going to our intention is being misdirected, distracted, and flying by without hitting their mark. So we must learn to use our intentions correctly and powerfully. When we do that, we can attain anything!

I subscribe to a regular newsletter from Christine Kane, she is a wonderful life coach with an inspiring personality!  In one of her latest articles she says that many of us have believed our limiting thoughts for so long that often we don’t even realize that we can actually ask for what we truly want, and that we have the power to attract whatever that may be. What we do instead is think in wonky ways that might actually sabotage an otherwise powerful intention.

She had a list of wonderful insights on what those limiting thoughts are…I’ve included just a few here:

1. We say “So that…”
   Example:  “I intend to lose some weight and get into shape SO THAT I can be energetic and happy in my daily life.”
   Using “so that” says to your inner self “I can’t have THIS if I don’t have THAT” which is very restricting.  We must be brave enough to ask “What do I ultimately want?” If you want two things simply divide them with an AND or WHILE.  “I intend to lose weight while being happy and energetic in my daily life.”  Often it is simply a matter of wording to change your entire mindset.
2. The “ing” overdose
   Example: “I intend that I am becoming more clear about my career path while my health is getting better and I am attracting a loving romantic partner.”
   Since the universe always says “yes”, its saying yes…you are becoming clear, and you are attracting a loving partner…any moment, I swear.  Don’t push your goals into the unknowing future, stick with present tense when setting your intention!
3. Scattered and Splattered
   Example: “I intend to get clear about the next steps I am taking in my life with health, lifestyle, relationships and career. Oh, and I want to lose some weight, make more money, and move somewhere else, and start my novel.”
   When your intention is scattered and splattered you will never really experience completion or success in anything. You need to be more clear, focus on one single intention, often the others will begin to manifest effortlessly. Be willing to be boring and unimpressive, just start with one thing.

 

Please read the entire article on Christine Kane’s site.   Christine Kane is the Mentor to People Who are Changing the World. She helps women and men Uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly Uplevel You eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription athttp://christinekane.com.

“Intentions compressed into words enfold magical power.” ~Deepak Chopra

This week, we are going to imagine what type of car we would really like to have – we are going to create an intention for the manifestation of that car…..  and then we are going to go take it for a TEST DRIVE!!  Yup, that’s right!!  This week’s challenge is to test drive your dream car!

Did your heart just leap or did your eyes glaze over? I know it sounds a little intimidating, and when faced with something like that people either think “Oh! Fun!” or “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen” and there are a half a dozen reasons following that statement to back it up.  Remember, we are working on our Creative Courage here, and we must do what we think we cannot…that is how we build our courage.

We must begin with our intention…can you picture your dream car in your mind yet? Can you hear the engine, feel the seats, see yourself in the rear view mirror? What color is it? Picture it sitting in your driveway, parked in your garage, and picture yourself behind the wheel. Imagine you are driving down the road in your car. Feel the joy in your heart that you finally own your dream car. Just sit with that feeling, and the picture in your mind…you are setting your intention.

Next we must find our car; it may be easy or difficult depending on your dreams…so do what needs to be done to find her. When you do find her…give her a name to build on your intention.

Third we will go take the test drive!

To assist with preparing for an actual test drive for those who might be a tad bit intimidated, I’ve located a couple of sites that have a good deal of information.  Now to be fair, they are all about when you are actually going to buy a car, and that is not what we are necessarily looking to do, but the principles are the same!

So first, if you like,aa check out the sites:

• http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/How-to-Test-Drive-a-Car-Like-a-Pro/
• http://www.carquotes.com/buying_tips/how_to_test_drive/
• http://www.investorguide.com/igu-article-523-cars-tips-for-test-driving-a-car.html

Once you feel familiar with the manner in which it should be done, and you have set the intention in your mind, and located your baby then go for it!!!  The thrill of driving the car of your dreams will definitely outweigh the bit of fear that you may be feeling about actually doing it!!

“As soon as you truly commit to making something happen, the ‘how’ will reveal itself.” ~Anthony Robbins

If you would like additional work at being Creative-and who doesn’t…simply put on a persona when you go to the test drive.  Give your real name (because they will take your driver’s license) but make up a back story about yourself if that helps.  It’s like wearing armour, when you put on a costume, or a uniform, you can create a different persona… so go ahead and do that if it helps you to get to and through the test drive!

Our goal here is to feel the thrill of the drive and the accomplishment of doing something that you would not otherwise even attempt! This is how we build our bravery, which in turns amplifies our Creative Courage!!

“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the Universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request and everything your heart desires must come to you.”  ~Shakti Gawain

I test drove one of my favorite cars, it was a little unnerving to walk into the dealership, but I was very open with the sales associate, I said that I did not intend to purchase a car on that day, stating I simply wanted a test drive.  I was met with kindness and cooperation. I felt the wheel in my hands, the speed of the engine, the thrill of the ride, and I walked away a happy and stronger person!  One day I hope that the Universe finds it fit to make my dreams a reality!

Now you…GO DRIVE!!!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen (yep, that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

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