What Will The New Year Bring?

I can't believe that a whole new decade is upon us. 2020!

I remember when I was a kid and thought about the year 2000 and how I would be 32 that year, and it seemed so old. 2000 was like some sort of magical number, a new century. And, as it got closer we had the whole Y2K thing, and everyone was so freaked out about what would happen to our computers and I worked for a large corporation at the time and was one of the ones tasked with staying up all night to report any issues that may or may not happen because we were all so concerned that we wouldn't have our beloved computers come January 1, 2000.  Maybe the world would come to an end, we had no idea.

In hind-site it all seems so ridiculous now. Of course nothing happened, the world went on, computers went on and life as we knew it went on. 

Now here we are on the precipice of 2020, and we have no concerns about our computers blowing up. But, we do have concerns about our political climate, about the issues in the world...

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8 Ways To Energize Your Creativity

If you have a career that requires creativity or you’ve ever needed a creative solution to a problem, you’re aware of how challenging it can be to be creative on command. Creativity seems to come and go with little rhyme or reason. Have you ever wished you could proactively boost your creativity? You can!
 
Like any other skill, the ability to increase your creativity gets better with practice and experience. Get started today and you’ll find yourself being more creative in the future.
 
These strategies will encourage your creativity to blossom:

1. Work in a new environment. It’s amazing how much a change of scenery can help! Try working in the library or a coffee shop. Rearrange your office and change the view. When you do the same things in the same place, you’ll tend to think the same thoughts.  
  • Turn off your autopilot and expose your senses to new stimuli.
2. Pretend you’re helping someone else find...
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Finding Your Creative Spark

Don't you love it when your creativity manifests itself? Creativity brings us benefits that go far beyond artistic expression. Being a creative person can help you to be a better (and higher paid) employee, a better problem solver and an all around more effective person in anything you choose to do.  

Even if you don't think of yourself as an especially creative person, you'll be glad to know that it's there within you just waiting for you to use it! Creativity can be expressed in many different ways. Plus, there are many techniques you can use to develop and nurture your natural creativity.  

How to Learn Creativity
Like many people, you may think that you’re either creative or you’re not. What a myth! If you long to be more creative, then go for it! 

Here are ten tips you can use to become a new, more creative you:

1. Think of yourself as creative. We all have the spark of creativity inside us; it’s just a matter of fanning that flame to...
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Creative Soul Healing Podcast Launches Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the launch of the Creative Soul Healing Podcast. Where we interview creatives, healers, and people who have healed with the help of creativity.

Our first episode features Kriket, a Shaman from Edmonton, Canada. 

Kriket has been practicing Shamanism in Edmonton for almost 25 years. She practices the Medicine of her Grandmother and family from Finland. Her interest in stories and Myths from around the world sparked when she began to experience shamanic trances. She shared her intense desire to learn and teach through a shamanic drumming circle she led for 15 years. During this time she listened intently to the journeys of others, reporting their visual and visceral experiences they had when entranced with the sound of the drum. Common themes, symbols and mythological beings, were a constant in her own experiences, as well as experiences shared with her during drumming circles and classes she taught. 

In her quest to better understand the shamanic visionary world,...

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There’S No Such Thing As ‘Too Old’ Or ‘Too Young’ To Be Creative

Written By JULIA CAMERON   Published in Time Magazine Online MAY 17, 2016

Ours is a youth-oriented culture. A glance at the tabloids tells us of the exploits of the young. There is not as much of a platform for the artistic achievements and accomplishments of the older or even the middle aged. We falsely believe that creativity belongs to the young, and so, when we pass a certain age, we tell ourselves we are “over the hill.” We ignore the fact that many artists create well into what might be called their “dotage.”
 
The idea that creativity fades with age is false.

Twenty-five years ago, I wrote a book on creativity called The Artist’s Way. Over four million people have worked with that book. I have taught many live classes and have often found my just-retired students to be the most poignant. Setting out to write a book on creativity and aging, It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again, I discovered that many...
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How To Unleash Your Creativity In 30 Minutes A Day

Although it’s true that some people are more creative than others, everyone can be inventive and original in their own way.
Your creativity is inside you now. It’s just waiting for you to tap into it.
 
Try some of these methods for 30 minutes each day to release your creativity:

1. Look back on your childhood. Did you have an active imagination? Maybe you pretended you were a teacher or a doctor. Perhaps you played as if you were the greatest skateboarder in the world. Assuming certain personas is a good way to show your creativity.
  • Right now, imagine yourself as the best worker at your job. How would you look, dress, and behave? What would you say to others? How would you relate?
  • Visualize that you’re the best at something for at least 10 minutes each day.  
2. What are you good at? For the next 10, 20, or 30 minutes, consider your various skills, talents, and knowledge base. Then pick one skill to focus on. What makes you good at this...
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How Not To Treat Your Customers!

This one is for my small business owners and those selling their wares.

As a business owner, I pride myself on my customer service, if I screw up, I apologize and do whatever I can do to make it right. But, sometimes I think companies get a little to big for their britches (yes, I know I am showing my age with that comment). 

Tonight I had the pleasure (being facetious here) of dealing with not one, but two courier companies. 

The first, who shall not be named (but may have the initials FE) left me a final delivery notice after a first attempt and then they take it to a depot literally 45 min drive from me. We share one car as we live downtown so it would be the weekend before I could go there to pick it up. So I call, I am told too bad, you have to go there. This was after 30 min on hold and every answer I gave had to be repeated 2 or 3 times (and I made sure to talk as slowly as possible because I know how difficult it can be in a call centre), after all this time, I lose...

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Thanksgiving

This week it is Thanksgiving here in Canada.
It is also my partner’s birthday weekend.

What does Thanksgiving mean to you? What are your rituals and traditions?

Growing up Thanksgiving was the holiday with an eclectic mixture of people at our table. We didn’t really have much for family so my mother would often invite people home for dinner. People she worked with or friends. When I think of a Thanksgiving tradition that is what I think of.

But when I look at my Thanksgivings when I was raising my children yes it was having friends around the table but we also had specific things that needed to be on the table. Thanksgiving was turkey, mashed potatoes, broccoli rice casserole, and marshmallow salad (ambrosia). We added other things, but these items were always there.

But, I don’t remember having specific traditions around giving thanks to things we did that day. Those things would change each year, we usually spent the day cooking and visiting but we always gave thanks...

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The Artist’s Way

This week I get to spend time with Julia Cameron, the Author of The Artist’s Way. I am so excited that she is coming here to Edmonton on October 5th, to a sold out event. Luckily I bought my ticket back in March.  

I have facilitated her program on more than one occasion over the years and have another one starting in January. The Artist’s Way monthly meeting.

According to this New York Times article, Julia Cameron invented the way people renovate the creative soul, and I think I agree. Have you ever worked through The Artist’s Way spiritual Journey. Most of us have heard of morning pages or artist’s dates but don’t really know much about the whole journey.

The Artist’s way is 12 weeks (or modules) of self care, creativity and stepping out of your comfort zone. I have facilitated this program over the 12 weeks, but in January we will be starting a 12 month facilitated program. As I have found in our very busy...

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This Year’S Inktober Prompts Are:

It’s an exciting time of year to get your sketch on. This is an exciting annual challenge and a great one to get you back to, or starting your sketchbook. 

Don’t worry about how good you are, practice is what you need. Don’t judge yourself against others, only against where you were the day before or the drawing before. Like everything sketching take practice.

Take 5-10 min out of your day to sketch each day in October, you’ll be grateful you did. I would love it if you would share your sketches on our Facebook page Creative U, but if that scares you then share how it felt to do it, or what your process was, how you interpreted the prompt.

Have an Amazingly Creative Day,
Larissa 

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